When looking at the myriad ads being pumped on screens from almost every web page we open, few think of how and where these ads actually come from. Where were they before? How did they get to your screen in particular? Why is the same page opened from another user’s computer showing different ads? The questions arising in the minds of average users are many, but the answers are quite simple if you know where to look.

In reality, the technological part of an advertising system linked to the publishing world is rather complex and involves a number of layers and channels that all participants apply to in order to target their audiences. Ubex is part of the system, but on a higher evolutionary level, as it aggregates all of the previously available platforms into one with considerable advantages.

But let us look at the channels that are available in the current market situation and understand how the ads are sold, chosen and distributed.

Ad Servers

Ad Servers are technological platforms that host and serve display advertisements. The platforms will offer reporting, campaign analytics and metrics.

Ad Servers host ads and display them to users on Publisher websites. Ad Servers compile and sort user actions by media allocation, thus ensuring accurate monitoring and increased performance. Ad Servers offer various metrics for greater conversion and analysis for decision making.

Creative Optimization

Companies specializing in Creative Optimization improve the performance of Advertisers’ creative approaches to advertising by enhancing ads through the addition of various features.

Additional verification and server tracking is provided by the service as well.

Verification services

Verification services add technological aspects to each display campaign to provide Advertisers with additional information on the performance of ad campaigns.

The metrics provided by such services include percentages of ads displayed to end users, website placements, geolocation data and other parameters allowing correct identification of target audience reach.

Parcels of code are transferred to Media Agencies for Ad Server level addition to ad units. The code initiates records of ad viewing and displays, thus ensuring correct tracking. The data is then assembled and transformed into a report, allowing Agencies to decide sources of ads to work with.

Data Suppliers

Data Suppliers collect, compile, and sell online and offline consumer data.

Data includes geolocation, income, lifestyle habits, shopping patterns etc. Information is sold by Data Suppliers to various Data Management Platforms, which, in turn, sort data for use by third parties.

Data Management Platform (DMP)

DMP is a technology platform developed for the purpose of collecting, storing, and packaging consumer data received from various Data Suppliers. By integrating DMPs, data becomes available to Advertisers so they may make better decisions on ad placement and other factors.

Data Management Platforms offer databases to Publishers and other Advertisers. The databases are used to better manage ad campaigns and select target audiences.

Demand Side Platform (DSP)

A Demand Side Platform is an online service facilitating the purchase of ad displays to Advertisers on Ad Exchanges, Ad Networks, and other resources.

DSPs are common on the advertising industry as they allow Advertisers to optimize campaign performance and receive analytics from a unified interface.

DSPs allow centralizing bidding, purchase and reporting of media. Ad Exchanges allow Advertisers the opportunity to buy media at auctions. Thrid party data can also be included when collected by DSPs, thus optimizing ad campaigns.

Agency Trading Desks (ATDs)

Agency Trading Desks are specialized media buying groups. Most ATDs are part of large advertising groups or function within the framework of such agencies. They mostly rely on proprietary technology or demand side platforms (DSP) to purchase and optimize media campaigns on ad exchanges, ad networks, and other resources.

Proprietary technologies often lie at the heart of many Agency Trading Desks, allowing them to buy media for ad campaigns.

Agency Trading Desks often use Ad Servers for additional metrics data on campaigns.

Retargeting

Retargeting is an online advertising strategy by means of which advertisements are displayed to users based on actions they have made on various websites.

Retargeting companies are often present at several Ad Exchanges and buy inventory using proprietary media. Applying collected user activity data allows them to track users, thus increasing the efficiency of monitoring page visits and user retargeting. DMPs often act as additional sources of information on user behavior in purchases, allowing effective retargeting and ad servicing.

Ad Exchanges

Ad Exchanges are platforms that facilitate the programmatic purchase and sales of ads in various formats.

SSPs receive their inventory from various Publishers and serve the data to Ad Exchanges. Ad Exchanges also gain inventory from Ad Networks.

Ad Networks

Ad Networks

Ad Networks represent companies bearing exclusive rights for the sale of ads from select groups of Publishers.

Transparency for ads and site placement for campaign purposes is ensured by purchasing media from Vertical Ad Vendors. The downside of Ad Vendors is their high price, but it ensures higher quality and performance of ad campaigns.

Supply Side Platforms (SSP)

Supply Side Platforms facilitate the management and sale of ads for Publishers on multiple Ad Exchanges and Ad Networks.

SSPs provide Ad Exchanges and Ad Networks a platform for transparent purchase and sales of ad inventories. Publishers can set various sale parameters for inventories once they are placed on an SSP.

After inventory is placed on an SSP by a Publisher, the SSP then adjusts the inventory parameters to ensure higher reach and sale opportunities.

As you can see, the world of advertising and publishing is quite complex and involves a huge number of intermediaries. Intermediaries that Ubex seeks to eliminate and make the process as simple as clicking a few buttons and letting the AI do the rest.