What is a supply-side platform?
A supply-side platform (SSP) is a platform that enables digital publishers to manage and monetize their inventory of ad space. Mobile app publishers and websites typically use SSPs to sell their ad inventory programmatically. The process of selling ad inventory involves real-time bidding (RTB) exchanges and other demand-side platforms (DSPs). SSPs allow publishers to set pricing, targeting, and other parameters for their ad inventory and to access a wide range of potential buyers, including advertisers, agencies, and trading desks.
How do supply-side platforms work?
When a publisher signs up to use an SSP, they can set pricing, targeting, and other parameters for their ad inventory. For example, a publisher might set a higher price for ad space on their homepage or a lower price for ad space on less popular pages. They can also set targeting parameters, such as the type of audience they want to reach or the geographic location of their viewers. Once the publisher has set these parameters, their ad inventory is made available to potential buyers through RTB exchanges. DSPs connect to multiple SSPs, allowing advertisers to bid on the ad inventory in real-time and find the best fit for their campaigns. The highest bidder will then win the ad space, and the ad will be displayed on the publisher's app or website.
What are the benefits of using a supply-side platform?
- Increased Revenue: SSPs allow publishers to connect with a wide range of potential buyers, including advertisers, agencies, and trading desks. What this indicates is that the publishers can access a larger pool of potential buyers, which can lead to higher ad revenue. Additionally, SSPs allow publishers to set pricing, targeting, and other parameters for their ad inventory, which can help optimize revenue and ensure that they get a fair price for their ad space.
- Streamlined Ad Sales Process: SSPs allow publishers to manage and sell their ad inventory programmatically through real-time bidding (RTB) exchanges. Therefore, publishers can automate the process of selling ad space, which can save time and resources. Additionally, SSPs provide publishers with detailed analytics and reporting, which can help them understand how their ad inventory is performing and identify areas for improvement.
- Advanced Targeting Capabilities: Many SSPs provide advanced targeting capabilities that allow publishers to reach specific audiences. For example, a publisher might want to target their ad inventory to a specific geographic location or to a specific type of audience. By using an SSP, publishers can set these targeting parameters and ensure that their ad inventory reaches the right people.
- Better Inventory Management: SSPs allow publishers to manage and monitor their ad inventory in real-time, which can help to avoid inventory shortages. This is because SSPs provide detailed analytics and reporting, which allow publishers to understand how their ad inventory is performing and identify areas for improvement.
- Increased Transparency: SSPs also provide publishers with increased transparency into the programmatic ad buying process, allowing them to see which DSPs are buying their inventory and how much they are paying for it. Transparency can enable publishers to identify the best-performing DSPs and adjust their inventory pricing accordingly.
