Time flies, and another holiday season is on the way! In the ad tech world, we’re gearing up for peak seasonality at the end of the year. As has been the trend in recent years, many of us will continue to shop online — the new normal. Buyers have embraced and welcomed this change by assigning more budget to programmatic to intelligently reach their target audiences online.
Digital publishers can deploy tactics and optimizations now to make your audience and ad inventory more attractive to buyers. Our team has gathered their top insights for PubMatic publisher customers throughout 2024. We are excited to present them to you to help you have a great holiday season and a profitable new year:
- Optimize Your Supply: Make sure your ads.txt is on the nice list! Ensure PubMatic ads.txt entries are listed on all your active properties. Check your sellers.json and supply chain object (SCO) to avoid any buying interruptions. Reassess your supply to match top-performing advertiser verticals like Shopping, Style & Fashion, Technology, Finance, and Travel.
- Tune-In CTV: The airwaves are buzzing this holiday season with the explosion in CTV consumption. Buyers want all the info on your programming, so include content genre and show title in your bid requests. Set up meetings with your CTV ad server and SSP to ensure all info is passed through the chain as intended. PubMatic’s new “contains” operator in content targeting can help you gain more scale.
- Extend the Holiday Joy Beyond Your Site: If your content areas are hotter than a Yule log, develop an audience extension strategy now. Allow advertisers to target your high-value audiences off-site, driving advertiser satisfaction and providing a new revenue stream. PubMatic’s Connect solution lets you control buyer access and curate the sites where these data segments can be targeted.
- Deck the Halls with High Viewability: DSP-level buying patterns show a shift to high-viewability inventory placements. Ad buyers want performance from their ads – any format, any device. Increasing viewability gives consumers more opportunities to engage with advertisers on your sites.
- Level Your Playing Field: It’s time to take another look at your pricing floors. Ensure consistency across all your SSPs and set fair floors that drive buyer interest today and performance for advertisers. Think twice before setting a high floor due to holiday demand – you might disappoint buyers who won’t return next year.
- Wrap Up Loose Ends with an SSP Audit: Is an SSP you work with not connected to DSPs that buy through other SSPs? Let them know! A simple audit can drive increased bid activity with SSPs, building new buyer connections to your inventory.
- Unlock More Value Through SPO: Some SSPs are building preferred supply path optimization (SPO) relationships with agencies and direct ad buyers. These SPO buyers work with SSPs like PubMatic to deploy custom ad tech, build curated marketplaces, and drive efficient rates to enhance ad performance. Ask your SSP about their SPO efforts and how you can benefit during the holiday season.
- Pass Placement Parameters: Ensure all video publishers, including CTV publishers, are passing the video.plcmt parameter. Conduct a Mobile App parameter audit, including SKAD and OMSDK, to capitalize on additional demand for mobile app monetization. Explore partnerships like MAX to boost your mobile app revenue.
- Revisit Your Header Bidding Optimizations: Consider testing a server-side header bidding setup and optimize your wrapper through Prebid modules and customizations. These steps can enhance your ad performance and drive better results during the holiday season.
As we wrap up another year of innovation and growth in the ad tech world, let’s make this 2024 holiday ad season the most profitable yet! By implementing these top insights, you’ll not only attract more buyers but also ensure your ad inventory shines brighter than ever.
Here’s to a season filled with high viewability, optimized supply, and happy advertisers. Happy optimizing, and may your holiday season be merry, bright, and incredibly successful!
