TEN QUESTIONS DOOH PUBLISHERS SHOULD ASK THIER SSP
By: Jeff Gunderman, Founder, DOOH Academy
Digital out of home publishers connect to the programmatic ecosystem by connecting their inventory to one or more SSP’s or Sell Side Platforms. Publishers often connect to more than one SSP to make their inventory as widely available as possible. Each SSP has unique and proprietary offerings. These questions are focused on understanding the nuances between the SSP’s to help maximize your revenue opportunity. Taking a more active role in managing your connections will pay off over time.
Questions:
Does the SSP have a Verification or Certification Program for their media partners?
Is my media categorized correctly? Media Category is one of the ways buyers search for media.
Is there an ability to identify “Sub-Categories” and/or “Category Adjacency” for my network?
What Percentage of Category does my media represent on your SSP in “avails”?
This will give you an idea of your category media share on the platform.
What percent of Category Revenue am I currently capturing?
If revenue % is not matching avails %, you could be under performing vs. demand.
What % of revenue does your SSP bring in from Open Exchange vs. PMP deals?
PMP’s are often responsible for 50% to 60% of an SSP’s revenue. These PMP’s require the publisher or SSP to set them up directly with the client, agency, or DSP. PMP’s require pro-active work on your part. Don’t just sit back for Open Exchange deals.
What is my “Lease Rate”?
Your Lease Rate is your sold spots divided by your requested spots (ad calls). If this % is very low it either indicates your media is in low demand or possibly pricing is too high. Your SSP should be able to help you identify if its demand or another issue.
Do you operate on a “1st Price” or a “2nd Price” auction rule for Open Exchange?
In a 1st price auction, if your floor is $5.00 CPM and you receive 2 bids at a $5.00 CPM and a $10.00 CPM, the $10.00 CPM bid will win AND pay a $10.00 CPM.
In a 2nd price auction, if your floor is $5.00 CPM and you receive 2 bids, at a $5.00 CPM and a $10.00 CPM, the $10.00 CPM bid will win BUT will only pay a $5.01 CPM.
Am I Set-up on a “1st Price” or “Fixed Price” auction rule for PMP? You select this when setting up each PMP. Typically 1st Price gives you an opportunity to make more revenue.
In a 1st Price deal the bidder will pay whatever they bid above the floor price.
In a Fixed Price deal, the bidder will pay the fixed price no matter what they bid.
What are the Unique Features and Competitive Differentiation of the SSP?
Does the SSP have proprietary data that can be leveraged by DSP’s and in selling PMP’s?'
Does the SSP pro-actively help sell PMP’s?
Does the SSP have any contractual relationships with DSP’s or clients?