Dsp media buying
Author: C | 2025-04-24
It can be easily said that DSP and SSP are opposite parties of programmatic media buying. SSP and DSP are keys in media buying automation, which simplifies
The Basics of DSP Media Buying
About under 100 milliseconds while the website is loading; Instead of sitting in a room with hungry-for-purchase people and raising your hand to up the stakes, you simply use your DSP to set up parameters of the ad placement you want and how much you are willing to pay for it. The DSP acts as your representative and automatically participates in an auction. Before we move on to what is a DSP’s exact role in the programmatic auction process, there are two important things to note about this media buying type: Don’t confuse programmatic with direct media buying. The latter is done via ad servers; the main difference is that the deals happen “manually.” The advertiser and publisher negotiate the exact price of an ad placement and where it is *khem* placed… The auction is automatic. This is cool and fast but has its peculiarities. For example, no party has control over where the ad will be placed exactly. That’s why the main focus of programmatic is the audience characteristics (targeting, data) and ad properties (ad format, price), not its location. DSP & Programmatic Tech Stack: SSP, Ad Exchange DSP is tightly integrated with the programmatic ecosystem, making it next to impossible to take part in an RTB auction without this ad tech piece. But a demand-side platform isn’t the only hero of the programmatic crew. Meet the rest of the clique and explore how a DSP differs from each. SSP Let’s start with a straightforward DSP vs SSP comparison. If the demand-side platform is an ad tech platform made for programmatic media buying, then: A supply-side platform is an ad tech platform made for programmatic media selling. Demand – supply, it’s that simple. Naturally, an SSP isn’t limited to just selling ad inventory. Like a DSP, It’s also a multi-functional tool that can optimize a publisher’s earnings, ad views, and fill rates. We already have a detailed comparison of an SSP vs DSP, but here are just some basic differences you should know about: What is DSP: Used for buying ad placements and campaign management; Used by the demand
ZinkAds - Programmatic DSP, Media Buying, Media
Beware of the ones that don’t. Various ad formats The variety of ad formats is the key to buying the perfect ad placement. Native, video, rich media — if your DSP doesn’t support the basics, skip it. Bidding rules Algorithms that automate the process of media buying and make it even more profitable – time to sign up! Seriously though, multiplying the bid based on your set priorities simplifies the whole advertiser’s business significantly. Vast supply The more supply – the better the offers, this one is quite straightforward. Before applying for a DSP, discover what ad exchange & SSPs it has connected to. How many are enough? Well, quality over quantity, but a general marker of 30 is okay. Roles & Permissions Security is a strong concern these days, but how do you protect your own software from malicious intent within? Admin account does just that by limiting the features other account holders can use + it becomes a must for an ad network. Which DSP Should You Get? As we said, there is no perfect DSP. The number of variables in the DSP equation is hard to comprehend, but we hope that this guide made it just a little easier. However, if you’re still striving for a definitive choice, we’d recommend a hybrid setup with a white-label solution. There are plenty of contenders, but you can look no further than Epom’s WL DSP. All of the features mentioned above + a support team + custom development = one of the best DSPs. FAQ What is Amazon DSP? Amazon has launched a powerful hype train with its new DSP, and we can’t wait to try it out and compare it to the other contenders. For now, the reviews are mixed, some say it’s the second coming of the ad tech world, some say it’s lame and lacks features. What is the difference between a DSP and an ad server? The first is used for programmatic ad buying; the second is for direct ad buying and selling. Ad servers are an older technology, but not one step less advanced. WhatWhat are DSP SSP in Media Buying?
In the era of online advertising, publishers don't sell advertising space as they did several decades ago. Modern digital advertising sells impressions to highly-targeted audience segments. The programmatic media buying process involves demand-side platforms (DSPs), as well as ad exchanges, ad networks, and supply side platforms SSPs. These ad tech entities are interlinked and work in a single programmatic media buying ecosystem. It matches demand with supply based on targeting options, budget settings, and other parameters important for buyers and sellers.This ecosystem integrates a multitude of demand sources and supply partners each of which broadens media-trading opportunities. If publishers want to sell their ad space effectively, they should learn how to use a technological platform for sellers SSP. Exactly SSP is aimed to make media-selling efficient and suit it to every publisher.What is SSP?Supply side platform SSP is an advertising software that publishers use to sell online advertising space, optimize it, and analyze the results. Supply side platform has a dashboard with in-built publisher’s controls. They help to manage ad inventory (position, ad format, size, etc.), the price per impression, and other campaign details. As well, they allow publishers to extract the maximum value from every piece of available inventory as it is getting auctioned between advertisers in real-time.What is the difference between SSP and DSP?There’s no such battle as SSP vs DSP. Sure the acronyms are very similar but these two perform completely different functions. Shortly, SSP is an equivalent of the demand-side platform for advertisers but SSP is created for publishers. Using supply side technology like SSP, publishers can sell ad space to various demand side platforms and simultaneously offer it to a connected ad exchange, ad network, and all kinds of other RTB platforms. They automate ad inventory filling, match publisher's requirements with demand, perform ad selection, and yield optimization. Just like advertisers configure ad campaigns in DSP dashboards, publishers configure the ad serving process in the dashboard of SSPs.Why do you need SSP as a publisher?Both publishers and advertisers are turning less to traditional media-trading. The media buying process has become fully automated, which saves time. It can be easily said that DSP and SSP are opposite parties of programmatic media buying. SSP and DSP are keys in media buying automation, which simplifies It can be easily said that DSP and SSP are opposite parties of programmatic media buying. SSP and DSP are keys in media buying automation, which simplifies advertising andHead of DSP /Media Buying - Learn4Good
To DSP or not to DSP, that is the question… This one is hardly an accurate (or grammatically correct) Shakespearean quote, but that fact doesn’t undermine the DSP dilemma. We all know how dominant programmatic advertising is. Buying and selling ads has never been easier; we see that, and our natural ad player instinct to keep up with the competition whispers, “We need a DSP.” Ok, but which one? Among dozens of competitors, each advertising a sea of features, it’s difficult to make a clear choice. Don’t fret; as always, Epom is here to help. Let’s discuss what makes a programmatic DSP, which features it should have, and whether or not you need one! What Is Programmatic DSP: Short Course Yeah, yeah, we’ve explained the DSP, programmatic advertising, and their satellites about ten times already, but ignoring this crucial part is not an option either. So, if you already know the basics, feel free to skip to the next heading. Simply put, a Demand-Side Platform is an automated platform for programmatically buying ad traffic and creating, managing, and optimizing advertising campaigns. If we go deeper, a DSP is an RTB-based software, an element of the programmatic ad tech stack (later on that). The primary purpose is easy to grasp; a demand-side programmatic platform lets advertisers, ad agencies, and ad networks “buy ad inventory from multiple sources automatically.” The second main goal of a DSP is uniting all media buying activities in one place, the platform user has access to analytics,Media Buying of the Future: DSP OPA
Websites.Dynamic price floors allow the publisher to maximize ad revenue by setting a minimum cost-per-thousand (CPM) that they will accept, which can include both a hard and soft price floor.SSPs can also be connected with multiple sources of inventory, including ad networks, ad exchanges, and DSPs. The more connections an SSP has within the digital media landscape the more likely it is for the publisher to achieve monetization goals.Brand safety is another important feature for publishers, and supply side platforms can offer this assurance. By allowing publishers to specify the type of buyers they will sell to, they can prevent unwanted ads from appearing on their sites. What is the difference between a DSP and an SSP? DSPSSP is used by advertisersis used by publishersopens doors to purchasing models, like buying by impressionsconnects publishers with multiple DSPsallows to buy ad impressions from ad exchanges for the cheapest pricesells ad impressions for the highest price possible The definition of a DSP is a demand-side platform, which is how media buyers interface with the programmatic buying space. As mentioned above, supply side platforms, or SSPs, are the technology platforms used by publishers to make their ad inventory available to ad exchanges.Buyers are usually ad agencies, trading desks, or direct advertisers who have access to a DSP. However, without access to an SSP, the DSP would be useless. DSPs must plug into SSPs in order to make ad inventory available to bidders.Bottom line, the DSP and SSP must both be present within theZinkAds - Programmatic DSP, Media Buying, Media Planning
About all of this? The technology is still a must, but in our next recommendations on DSP in programmatic, we’ll concentrate on its future-proof aspects and unique features that won’t leave you behind in any possible scenario. Which Demand Side Platform Should You Choose for Programmatic: Platform Types Clash Now for the fun part! Let’s choose the most balanced DSP type out of a myriad of options. Round 1. Stack Model There are three ways to implement programmatic media buying. You can either: In-house Create your own proprietary DSP + form an in-house media buying team = have a fully independent programmatic solution. Hybrid Form an in-house advertising team + subscribe to 3rd party vendor’s tech stack = have a bit less independent, but much more affordable and maintainable solution. Outsource This one’s an option that doesn’t have the benefits of the ones above, but it’s great for advertisers who don’t want to spend all the time in the world on finding programmatic specialists and discovering all the intricacies of ad tech solutions. It’s not difficult to guess which is the winner, in our opinion. Full in-housing is the most complete option, but it’s accessible only to multi-million corporations with top-notch workers. If you’re googling “How to choose a DSP,” you probably aren’t one, but don’t worry, neither of us is. A hybrid platform is easy to afford, easy to maintain, and easy to control. The quality depends on the provider, sure, but there are plenty of good ones. Plus,Out-of-home media DSP - Media Buying Tools
Congratulations—that’s your bid! Now, you have an ad placement on the publisher’s website. What Is DSP’s Marketing Value for You? Okay, DSP is a great tool and all, but it obviously requires some understanding of ad tech and programmatic to be used to its full potential. Otherwise, it’s just a piece of software with a ton of text that might as well be written in Japanese. Why not just call your local media buying agency, or even better, make a deal with the devil an ad network and call it a day? Well, here are some reasons that may or may not persuade you to learn the ways of programmatic ad buying yourself and use the DSP as your advertiser’s sword. Transparency It’s kind of obvious that when you take matters into your own hands, you get much more transparency and freedom with your business. And this isn’t a metaphor, a DSP beats outsourcing your advertising in almost every feature from the variety of ad formats to the amount of targeting options you can set. Simplicity SSPs, DSPs, RTBs – ad tech has a bunch of acronyms that make it seem like rocket science, trust us, it’s not. Yeah, the nuance behind finding the right DSP, setting up the right audience characteristics, and finding the hundredth thing that goes wrong is truly immeasurable, but it’s learning, and making mistakes while learning is fine. You can do it! Affordability Using a fishing rod is almost always more affordable than buying fish on the market; that’s how businesses work. However, if you ask, “What is a DSP in digital marketing?” we’ll answer, “Definitely, not charity.” And that’s the next stop in our ride. What Is a True DSP? Demand-side platforms cost money, and before investing in one, you should know the options. Surely, we can’t give you an example of a true, perfect DSP (unless we are talking about Epom’s DSP). What we can give you is an explanation of how to set up a DSP solution yourself and what features it should have. What Are DSP Types? There are many ways. It can be easily said that DSP and SSP are opposite parties of programmatic media buying. SSP and DSP are keys in media buying automation, which simplifies It can be easily said that DSP and SSP are opposite parties of programmatic media buying. SSP and DSP are keys in media buying automation, which simplifies advertising and
Head of DSP (Media Buying) based in Amsterdam
Like with Ying & Yang, light & darkness, Epom & banger content – it’s next to impossible to imagine DSP without an SSP. Despite being on different sides, both of these ad tech platforms are here to serve the ways of programmatic. DMP kind of looks odd in the equation, but you’d be astonished by how many people misinterpret it with the ad tech above. For that, it deserves today’s spot in the main cast! By the way, the show is “DSP vs. SSP,” the theme is about their differences and by the finale you’ll get which is most suitable for you and how to distinguish the good ones from the average. Epom is in the director’s seat; let’s roll! DSP vs SSP: What Is Programmatic Advertising? Before the detailed explanation of what DSP and SSP is, we’ve got to lay out the basics. Both DSP and SSP are not some concepts detached from reality; they are software! And this software is used for something called programmatic advertising. The DSP is made for those who buy ads (later on that), and the SSP is for those who sell their inventory. What’s this programmatic advertising? Think of it as a way to buy & sell ads automatically powered by real-time bidding (RTB) technology. It came as a successor to direct deals – the type of media buying where advertisers and publishers have to “manually” negotiate prices for each specific ad placement. Nowadays, even direct media buying has come far in terms of automatization, but with it DSPs and SSPs programmatic is still the ad king if you want things done fast and with minimal human interference. There are different types of deals possible in programmatic, but the most common is an open auction. In it, the demand side places their bids on a specific audience with a DSP simultaneously, and the highest bidder among them wins the impression. As a result, the supply side sells their ad inventory, and the auction winner can show their ad in it. The whole action takes less than 100 milliseconds. What is DSP? Now thatProgrammatic: Using DSPs for automated media buying - Strikepoint Media
When using DSPs. It makes it easier to be successful in your ad campaign. For example, when buying in-app ads for better engagements, you only need to choose the necessary inventory, and the DSP will do the rest.Detailed ReportingWith DSPs, users have access to in-depth data important for improving advertising efforts. Advertisers can track all performances of ad campaigns in real-time. You will also get reports on website traffic, click-through rates, page views, and more.SupportDSP is valuable to anyone who wants to use the technology to buy ad inventory. It generally offers full support to ensure that beginners and experts use the software.Let’s now go over programmatic advertising to understand demand-side platforms better.Programmatic Advertising text on sticky notes isolated on office desk" data-medium-file=" data-large-file=" src=" alt="DSP-programmatic-advertising-concept" width="1024" height="683" srcset=" 1024w, 300w, 768w, 700w, 1254w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px">What is Programmatic Advertising?Programmatic advertising refers to automatically buying and selling digital spaces using technological platforms. It connects publishers with multiple ad inventories to advertisers and offers faster, smarter, and easily accessible digital advertising. It also allows programmatic access to various formats and channels to build their ad inventory and database.Emarketer reports that about 85% of digital display advertising spending in the US was transacted through this programmatic technology in 2020 alone. Most advertisers now rely on programmatic technology for online advertising through real-time bidding and direct sales.How Does a DSP Work?Advertisers use demand-sized platforms to replace traditional ad buying with an automated real-time bidding platform. In summary, the process looks like this:An advertiser first needs to understand their target audience and upload the ad they wish to publish.Publishers create ad inventories available on DSP using ad exchanges and supply-chain platforms.The platform will offer the ad impression on the DSP that decides to send a bid for buying the impressions based on the relevance of the targeting criteria.The advertiser will then compete against other advertisers to get the appropriate ad impressions to place bids in real-time.The DSP buys the impression, and publishers receive the ad on their website.This whole process occurs within milliseconds when someone first visits a publisher’s site. Traditionally, media buyers went through a more lengthy process using various sources like Google, Facebook, and Twitter and followed them through different dashboards. DSP consolidates all these multiple campaigns into a single interface.Examples of DSPsThese DSP examples will enable you to understand the various programmatic platforms and make informed choices for your advertising strategies. Facebook Ads ManagerCurrently, Facebook does programmatic marketing by cutting out the middleman and providing a buying platform and biddable ad space. Before this, in 2016, they canceled the plan to release ‘Atlas,’ a DSP that would rival Google at that time. The goal was to examine their privacy issues before releasing a DSP.Therefore, Facebook Ads Manager is a DSP that can sell its inventory programmatically. It will also fit with the settings and features you can find in other DSPs. Facebook Ads Manager is available to users as an App. It allows them to create, edit, track, manage and. It can be easily said that DSP and SSP are opposite parties of programmatic media buying. SSP and DSP are keys in media buying automation, which simplifies It can be easily said that DSP and SSP are opposite parties of programmatic media buying. SSP and DSP are keys in media buying automation, which simplifies advertising andWhy DSP Media Buying Should Be in Your Marketing
Optimization tools, and placement customization options. DSP vs SSP: Programmatic Clash “Wait a minute, if there’s a handy and easy-to-use platform for buying ads, shouldn’t there be one for selling them?” – There is! And its name is John Cena supply-side platform. Just like Goku & Vegeta and Sherlock & Moriarty, DSP & SSP are both so similar, yet so different. Dumb allegories aside, a supply-side platform is an automated ad tech platform that publishers use to manage, sell, and optimize the ad inventory of their mobile apps or websites. Just like DSPs, modern SSPs also help with effective campaign management and revenue optimization, but for publishers, not for advertisers. Obviously, if you’re looking for a DSP, you need to buy ad placements, not sell them, so you hardly need one. How Does DSP Programmatic Media Buying Work? As mentioned, programmatic works with the help of real-time bidding auctions. This means that you, as an advertiser (or any other ad business), use a DSP to bid for an ad slot simultaneously with the others. The highest bidder wins, the auction happens in a literal blink of an eye. Didn’t get it? Here’s a nice schema that explains how the programmatic auction happens: The user clicks on the site, and the RTB auction triggers. The site sends an ad request to the publisher’s platform (SSP) if there’s an opportunity to show this visitor an ad. The SSP collects the visitor’s data and analyzes whether there is suitable ad space. Let’s assumeComments
About under 100 milliseconds while the website is loading; Instead of sitting in a room with hungry-for-purchase people and raising your hand to up the stakes, you simply use your DSP to set up parameters of the ad placement you want and how much you are willing to pay for it. The DSP acts as your representative and automatically participates in an auction. Before we move on to what is a DSP’s exact role in the programmatic auction process, there are two important things to note about this media buying type: Don’t confuse programmatic with direct media buying. The latter is done via ad servers; the main difference is that the deals happen “manually.” The advertiser and publisher negotiate the exact price of an ad placement and where it is *khem* placed… The auction is automatic. This is cool and fast but has its peculiarities. For example, no party has control over where the ad will be placed exactly. That’s why the main focus of programmatic is the audience characteristics (targeting, data) and ad properties (ad format, price), not its location. DSP & Programmatic Tech Stack: SSP, Ad Exchange DSP is tightly integrated with the programmatic ecosystem, making it next to impossible to take part in an RTB auction without this ad tech piece. But a demand-side platform isn’t the only hero of the programmatic crew. Meet the rest of the clique and explore how a DSP differs from each. SSP Let’s start with a straightforward DSP vs SSP comparison. If the demand-side platform is an ad tech platform made for programmatic media buying, then: A supply-side platform is an ad tech platform made for programmatic media selling. Demand – supply, it’s that simple. Naturally, an SSP isn’t limited to just selling ad inventory. Like a DSP, It’s also a multi-functional tool that can optimize a publisher’s earnings, ad views, and fill rates. We already have a detailed comparison of an SSP vs DSP, but here are just some basic differences you should know about: What is DSP: Used for buying ad placements and campaign management; Used by the demand
2025-04-01Beware of the ones that don’t. Various ad formats The variety of ad formats is the key to buying the perfect ad placement. Native, video, rich media — if your DSP doesn’t support the basics, skip it. Bidding rules Algorithms that automate the process of media buying and make it even more profitable – time to sign up! Seriously though, multiplying the bid based on your set priorities simplifies the whole advertiser’s business significantly. Vast supply The more supply – the better the offers, this one is quite straightforward. Before applying for a DSP, discover what ad exchange & SSPs it has connected to. How many are enough? Well, quality over quantity, but a general marker of 30 is okay. Roles & Permissions Security is a strong concern these days, but how do you protect your own software from malicious intent within? Admin account does just that by limiting the features other account holders can use + it becomes a must for an ad network. Which DSP Should You Get? As we said, there is no perfect DSP. The number of variables in the DSP equation is hard to comprehend, but we hope that this guide made it just a little easier. However, if you’re still striving for a definitive choice, we’d recommend a hybrid setup with a white-label solution. There are plenty of contenders, but you can look no further than Epom’s WL DSP. All of the features mentioned above + a support team + custom development = one of the best DSPs. FAQ What is Amazon DSP? Amazon has launched a powerful hype train with its new DSP, and we can’t wait to try it out and compare it to the other contenders. For now, the reviews are mixed, some say it’s the second coming of the ad tech world, some say it’s lame and lacks features. What is the difference between a DSP and an ad server? The first is used for programmatic ad buying; the second is for direct ad buying and selling. Ad servers are an older technology, but not one step less advanced. What
2025-04-05To DSP or not to DSP, that is the question… This one is hardly an accurate (or grammatically correct) Shakespearean quote, but that fact doesn’t undermine the DSP dilemma. We all know how dominant programmatic advertising is. Buying and selling ads has never been easier; we see that, and our natural ad player instinct to keep up with the competition whispers, “We need a DSP.” Ok, but which one? Among dozens of competitors, each advertising a sea of features, it’s difficult to make a clear choice. Don’t fret; as always, Epom is here to help. Let’s discuss what makes a programmatic DSP, which features it should have, and whether or not you need one! What Is Programmatic DSP: Short Course Yeah, yeah, we’ve explained the DSP, programmatic advertising, and their satellites about ten times already, but ignoring this crucial part is not an option either. So, if you already know the basics, feel free to skip to the next heading. Simply put, a Demand-Side Platform is an automated platform for programmatically buying ad traffic and creating, managing, and optimizing advertising campaigns. If we go deeper, a DSP is an RTB-based software, an element of the programmatic ad tech stack (later on that). The primary purpose is easy to grasp; a demand-side programmatic platform lets advertisers, ad agencies, and ad networks “buy ad inventory from multiple sources automatically.” The second main goal of a DSP is uniting all media buying activities in one place, the platform user has access to analytics,
2025-04-03Websites.Dynamic price floors allow the publisher to maximize ad revenue by setting a minimum cost-per-thousand (CPM) that they will accept, which can include both a hard and soft price floor.SSPs can also be connected with multiple sources of inventory, including ad networks, ad exchanges, and DSPs. The more connections an SSP has within the digital media landscape the more likely it is for the publisher to achieve monetization goals.Brand safety is another important feature for publishers, and supply side platforms can offer this assurance. By allowing publishers to specify the type of buyers they will sell to, they can prevent unwanted ads from appearing on their sites. What is the difference between a DSP and an SSP? DSPSSP is used by advertisersis used by publishersopens doors to purchasing models, like buying by impressionsconnects publishers with multiple DSPsallows to buy ad impressions from ad exchanges for the cheapest pricesells ad impressions for the highest price possible The definition of a DSP is a demand-side platform, which is how media buyers interface with the programmatic buying space. As mentioned above, supply side platforms, or SSPs, are the technology platforms used by publishers to make their ad inventory available to ad exchanges.Buyers are usually ad agencies, trading desks, or direct advertisers who have access to a DSP. However, without access to an SSP, the DSP would be useless. DSPs must plug into SSPs in order to make ad inventory available to bidders.Bottom line, the DSP and SSP must both be present within the
2025-03-27