DSPs are used to buy digital advertising space, including banner ads, video players, and pop-ups. They offer a wide range of pricing models to suit different needs and targeting options like age, location, and time of day for your ad campaigns. So how do you choose the best DSP for your business?
What is DSP?
A DSP or demand-side platform allows marketers to purchase ads across different networks at scale, all in one place. They became popular after the launch of Facebook Exchange in 2013. DSPs are considered one of the most essential tools for marketers and advertisers, allowing them to quickly invest their budget across multiple ad networks without switching between different accounts or platforms. DSPs make it possible to find audiences through several ways, such as cookies (browser history), device IDs (mobile apps), and other data.
Steps of choosing a DSP
Know your needs:
DSPs are all very different and serve marketers in different ways. Some DSPs might be better for an e-commerce website selling physical goods, whereas another DSP may work well with a lead generation site that focuses on online conversions. DSPs should be chosen based on their ability to meet specific goals, such as driving sales or app installs. Determining what success looks like will help marketers choose the right DSP for their needs.
Know your budget:
DSP prices will vary depending on the number of advertisers using it and the DSP’s targeting capabilities.
Know your tech:
DSPs all provide different levels of support for mobile, video, native ads, and other technologies such as real-time bidding (RTB) or programmatic direct—where advertisers can buy inventory via exchanges without working through a DSP. DSPs need to support the technology and be able to provide advertisers with reporting and analytics information.
Determine DSP capabilities:
DSPs have different targeting abilities, including demographic, geographic, and behavioral data.
Features of a good DSP
- DSPs need to be able to create custom segments.
- DSPs should have the capability of creating dynamic ad creatives based on customer data.
- DSPs need to provide advertisers with the ability to track and report conversions efficiently so that they can optimize their buys and get more out of them.
- DSPs should provide real-time analytics, ad serving functionalities, and capabilities to manage mobile inventory.
- DSPs should allow advertisers to work with international publishers if they want to expand their reach globally.
- Lastly, DSPs should provide bidding strategies and DMP integrations so that you can automate your campaigns.
In summary
Choosing a suitable DSP is not an easy task. There are many factors to consider, and we hope this blog post has helped you make a more informed decision about which DSP may be best for your company’s needs. We’ve covered everything from what makes up an excellent campaign to why it’s important to choose the right technology partner that will work with you through every stage of your digital marketing journey. If none of these considerations have been enough, or if you just want help getting started, don’t hesitate to reach out!
