Supply-side platform

A supply-side platform (SSP) or sell-side platform is a technology platform to enable web publishers, connected TV (CTV) publishers, mobile app developers, and digital out-of-home (DOOH) media owners to manage their advertising inventory, fill it with ads, and receive revenue.¹ Supply-side platforms are an integral part of the programmatic advertising ecosystem, enabling the automated selling and optimization of digital media space.²

A supply-side platform interfaces on the publisher side to advertising networks and exchanges, which in turn interface to demand-side platforms (DSPs) on the advertiser side.³⁴

This system allows advertisers to put online advertising and DOOH advertising before a selected target audience.⁵ SSPs send potential impressions into ad exchanges, where DSPs purchase them on marketers' behalf, depending on specific targeting attributes and audience data.⁶ By offering impressions to as many potential buyers as possible publishers can maximize the revenue. Therefore, SSPs are sometimes referred to as yield-optimization platforms.⁷ In recent years, supply-side platform technology has also been adopted by retail media networks, enabling retailers to monetize their owned digital properties by offering ad inventory to brands through programmatic channels.⁸

Often, real-time bidding (RTB) is used to complete DSP transactions.⁹

Unlike advertising networks that target buyers (advertisers), supply-side platforms provide services for publishers (website, app, and DOOH owners).¹⁰ Supply-side platforms are often integrated into the structure of advertising and ad serving companies, as well as ad exchanges that work with both publishers (supply side) and advertisers (demand side).¹¹

• Equativ
• OpenX
• Sovrn
• PubMatic
• Magnite
• Smaato (now part of Verve)
• SpotX
• Verizon Media
• Xandr (formerly AppNexus)
• Google Ad Manager
• Media.net