How to choose your demand-side programmatic technology
Posted: Mon Jan 06, 2025 5:19 am
Programmatic has been gaining traction for over a decade, and while we’ve seen a steady stream of acquisitions and mergers, it remains a saturated and complicated market. However, given the needs of the market, this is to be expected. Each DSP offers a slightly different value proposition, and more often than not, the best DSP will vary depending on the specific goals of each client.
We asked Greg Endean, Commercial Director for Northern Europe at Beeswax, to give us his advice on the crucial points to consider when choosing the right DSP for your business.
1. Optimization
Optimization is very important for programmatic advertising today and DSP offerings can be divided into two camps: standard optimization and custom optimization. Both can be based on algorithms; the main difference between the two is usually the degree of control and transparency they offer.
Standard optimization tends to be more of a black box: you set your campaign goal and the DSP algorithm automatically takes care of balancing performance and scale. Standard optimization is typically used for generic KPIs like completed views or clicks.
Custom optimization is more hands-on and typically involves leveraging a data science resource to analyze past campaign performance and identify what drove performance in the past to create standout performance specific to a business. Custom optimization works best for more complex KPIs, but can also boost performance for standard ones.
2. Access to data and reports
Data access and reporting go hand in hand. DSPs must provide both to become market leaders. Reports must be detailed enough to take the pulse of campaign performance while also allowing easy insights from a dashboard or similar utility.
However, sometimes what the platform offers isn’t enough. For companies interested in rolling up their sleeves and digging deeper into what’s really driving performance, access to granular, log-level data can make a big difference. Companies with established or growing data science teams can take advantage of this data by analyzing logs and translating it into guidance and optimization, making a huge impact on their business.
3. Workflow Automation
Workflow automation is the key to scaling an organization without necessarily having to increase manpower. The availability of APIs (and, for the sake of its developers, how well documented they are) can make a huge difference in how a DSP fits into an organization. If a DSP has APIs that can automate campaign traffic, there is huge potential to save not only on overhead costs from hiring, but also in reducing the likelihood of human error.
4. Data and inventory exclusivity
Access to exclusive data and inventory can be a huge differentiating feature malaysia number screening in a DSP, especially if the only way to access certain pockets of inventory is through a specific DSP. Whenever a company is investigating whether it’s worth adding a new DSP to the mix, they should consider what they can get that they can’t get anywhere else.
5. Support
The human element cannot be underestimated when it comes to working with any type of technology. Support levels vary by company and it is always worth looking into what your support structure will look like and whether it is what your organisation needs. If you are using a low-touch DSP for automatic optimisation, your needs will likely be very different compared to a company that is trying to build its own algorithm. Make sure your potential partners are capable and willing to support you in your efforts.
6. Price transparency
Advertising is a massive industry, and there are billions and billions of dollars at stake. And where the money goes, the bad guys go. It’s no wonder programmatic has gotten a bad rap in the past. That’s why it’s critical to work with partners who are willing to be upfront about how much the technology costs and why.
Ensuring your market review covers these six important elements will help you choose the right purchasing technology for your needs.
We asked Greg Endean, Commercial Director for Northern Europe at Beeswax, to give us his advice on the crucial points to consider when choosing the right DSP for your business.
1. Optimization
Optimization is very important for programmatic advertising today and DSP offerings can be divided into two camps: standard optimization and custom optimization. Both can be based on algorithms; the main difference between the two is usually the degree of control and transparency they offer.
Standard optimization tends to be more of a black box: you set your campaign goal and the DSP algorithm automatically takes care of balancing performance and scale. Standard optimization is typically used for generic KPIs like completed views or clicks.
Custom optimization is more hands-on and typically involves leveraging a data science resource to analyze past campaign performance and identify what drove performance in the past to create standout performance specific to a business. Custom optimization works best for more complex KPIs, but can also boost performance for standard ones.
2. Access to data and reports
Data access and reporting go hand in hand. DSPs must provide both to become market leaders. Reports must be detailed enough to take the pulse of campaign performance while also allowing easy insights from a dashboard or similar utility.
However, sometimes what the platform offers isn’t enough. For companies interested in rolling up their sleeves and digging deeper into what’s really driving performance, access to granular, log-level data can make a big difference. Companies with established or growing data science teams can take advantage of this data by analyzing logs and translating it into guidance and optimization, making a huge impact on their business.
3. Workflow Automation
Workflow automation is the key to scaling an organization without necessarily having to increase manpower. The availability of APIs (and, for the sake of its developers, how well documented they are) can make a huge difference in how a DSP fits into an organization. If a DSP has APIs that can automate campaign traffic, there is huge potential to save not only on overhead costs from hiring, but also in reducing the likelihood of human error.
4. Data and inventory exclusivity
Access to exclusive data and inventory can be a huge differentiating feature malaysia number screening in a DSP, especially if the only way to access certain pockets of inventory is through a specific DSP. Whenever a company is investigating whether it’s worth adding a new DSP to the mix, they should consider what they can get that they can’t get anywhere else.
5. Support
The human element cannot be underestimated when it comes to working with any type of technology. Support levels vary by company and it is always worth looking into what your support structure will look like and whether it is what your organisation needs. If you are using a low-touch DSP for automatic optimisation, your needs will likely be very different compared to a company that is trying to build its own algorithm. Make sure your potential partners are capable and willing to support you in your efforts.
6. Price transparency
Advertising is a massive industry, and there are billions and billions of dollars at stake. And where the money goes, the bad guys go. It’s no wonder programmatic has gotten a bad rap in the past. That’s why it’s critical to work with partners who are willing to be upfront about how much the technology costs and why.
Ensuring your market review covers these six important elements will help you choose the right purchasing technology for your needs.