Best Publisher Ad Server Software
Publisher ad servers, commonly referred to as ad servers, help website publishers earn money from their websites through online advertising. It allows publishers to generate revenue from their content by selling ads on their site while keeping that content free for their audiences.
Publishers use ad servers to manage ad operations such as creating ad units, setting inventory price minimums, trafficking ads, and tracking conversions and advertisers’ budgets.
Ad servers are complemented by advertiser campaign management software that marketers use to buy the ad inventory made available by publishers. Publisher ad servers make inventory available to sell through ad networks software, which packages ad units from multiple publishers together to sell to advertisers.
Publisher ad servers commonly function as supply side platforms (SSP) as well, and many products in the ad server category are also in the SSP category. Ad servers may also provide functionalities otherwise found in mobile app monetization software.
To qualify for inclusion in the Publisher Ad Server category, a product must:
Best Publisher Ad Server Software At A Glance
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- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Google AdSense is a program run by Google that allows publishers in the Google Network of content sites to serve automatic text, image, video, or interactive media advertisements, that are targeted to
- Manager
- Owner
- Marketing and Advertising
- Entertainment
- 81% Small-Business
- 14% Mid-Market
32,750,646 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
DoubleClick for Publishers is a complete ad revenue engine that helps publishers capture the full value of every impression across demand sources and channels. Seamless integration with DoubleClick Ad
- Marketing and Advertising
- Publishing
- 43% Mid-Market
- 36% Small-Business
32,750,646 Twitter followers
- Overview
- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
AdButler is a comprehensive AdTech platform with a host of solutions for enterprise and SMB clients. We are a one-stop-shop for publishers, networks and marketers to realize their digital advertising
- Marketing and Advertising
- Publishing
- 87% Small-Business
- 13% Mid-Market
9 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Sizmek Ad Suite gives you everything you need to create, distribute, and optimize your messaging, including ad serving, creative authoring, and industry-leading dynamic creative optimization. Harness
- Marketing and Advertising
- 45% Small-Business
- 36% Mid-Market
6,008,346 Twitter followers
- Overview
- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
SAS Customer Intelligence 360 is a Customer Engagement Platform that transforms insights into action, delivering seamless, personalized customer experiences. Our technology empowers marketers to repla
- Marketing and Advertising
- Banking
- 48% Mid-Market
- 31% Enterprise
61,921 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Media.net is the world's second largest contextual advertising platform. We offer cutting edge ad tech with server to server technology for publishers looking to monetize their audiences as also a fre
- 59% Small-Business
- 35% Mid-Market
260 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
MonetizeMore is a Google Certified Publishing Partner that has built an award-winning ad tech platform (PubGuru) to empower web publishers and app developers. 1000+ digital publishers trust us to mana
- 67% Small-Business
- 26% Mid-Market
4,022 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Broadstreet is an Ad Manager that caters specifically to the needs of direct, digital ad sales. It's a platform best suited to city and regional magazines, local news websites, trade journals, and rad
- Owner
- Publisher
- Publishing
- Online Media
- 98% Small-Business
- 2% Mid-Market
587 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
At Insticator, we’re on a mission to create a smart, unified platform built to collect, aggregate and monetize all of a publisher’s first-party data. Our suite of engagement products empowers publishe
- 57% Small-Business
- 43% Mid-Market
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Kevel offers the infrastructure APIs needed to quickly build custom ad platforms for sponsored listings, internal promotions, native ads, and more - allowing brands to drive new revenue in a user-firs
- Marketing and Advertising
- 49% Small-Business
- 42% Mid-Market
1,936 Twitter followers
- Overview
- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
EXADS is a White-label Ad Serving Technology provider that has been developing platforms for advertisers, publishers, ad networks and agencies for over 10 years. At EXADS, we build scalable solutions
- Marketing and Advertising
- 75% Mid-Market
- 19% Small-Business
90 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Sophisticated self-serve media technology. DanAds is the leading provider of self-service advertising technology. We provide publishers with their own customizable, scalable, white-labeled self-ser
- Marketing and Advertising
- Online Media
- 41% Enterprise
- 34% Mid-Market
1,558 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
OpenX’s vision is to unleash the full economic potential of digital media companies through superior advertising technology.
- Marketing and Advertising
- 37% Mid-Market
- 32% Enterprise
17,546 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
AdPushup is a revenue optimization platform that helps web publishers sustainably grow their advertising revenue by using a combination of cutting-edge technology, premium demand partnerships, and pro
- 96% Small-Business
- 4% Mid-Market
1,621 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Adaptive Medias, Inc. is a full end-to-end platform solution for digital monetization.
- 36% Small-Business
- 36% Mid-Market
50 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Ezoic is a machine learning based advertisement testing and optimization platform.
- 93% Small-Business
- 7% Mid-Market
14,421 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Seller Cloud is the leading independent advertising marketplace that connects sellers across a global landscape of trusted, high-quality buyers. Maximize yield for your inventory and audiences across
- Marketing and Advertising
- Internet
- 55% Mid-Market
- 30% Enterprise
36,726 Twitter followers
- Overview
- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Epom Ad Server is a cross-channel and cross-platform ad serving solution tailored to the needs of publishers, advertisers, and ad networks. It enables display, mobile app, mobile web, and video ad cam
- Information Technology and Services
- Marketing and Advertising
- 71% Small-Business
- 29% Mid-Market
1,133 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Integrated ad management platform: RTB, Video, Mobile.
- 58% Small-Business
- 25% Mid-Market
2,375 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Adtelligent is a sell side ad technology company providing holistic demand management and intermediation solutions for publishers.
- 50% Small-Business
- 38% Mid-Market
2,342 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
TargetSpot is a digital audio ad platform.
- Marketing and Advertising
- 57% Small-Business
- 33% Mid-Market
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Playwire is dedicated to helping publishers and app developers accelerate their business by amplifying ad revenue and operating more efficiently. The company’s portfolio includes management of over
- Computer Games
- 89% Small-Business
- 11% Enterprise
1,594 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
PubMatic (Nasdaq: PUBM) delivers superior revenue to publishers by being an SSP of choice for agencies and advertisers. PubMatic’s cloud infrastructure platform for digital advertising empowers indepe
- 36% Mid-Market
- 36% Small-Business
24,367 Twitter followers
- Overview
- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Quantcast is a pioneer in programmatic advertising and the leader in applying AI to the digital advertising landscape. Founded in 2006, the company’s mission is to radically simplify advertising on th
- Programmatic Manager
- Marketing and Advertising
- Retail
- 44% Mid-Market
- 32% Small-Business
10,390 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
AdPlugg is a next generation, cloud based ad manager and ad server system for the blogger generation. Easily manage, schedule, rotate and track all of your ads from any source by using your dashboard
- 40% Mid-Market
- 40% Small-Business
810 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Browsi is first to introduce AI-powered ad inventory solution. Browsi puts AI between ads and content to let publishers create, optimize, predict and price their ad inventory at the ad-call level, in
- 40% Mid-Market
- 40% Small-Business
857 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
PubNative is a mobile native mobile publisher platform that lets you create relebant ads to fit your apps design.
- 60% Small-Business
- 40% Mid-Market
- Overview
- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Founded in 2016, AdPlayer.Pro is a global provider of advanced SaaS video advertising tech solutions, specifically developed to address a series of industry challenges and dramatically improve the cur
- 60% Small-Business
- 40% Mid-Market
58 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Smaato's digital ad tech platform is the only omnichannel ad server and monetization solution with controls to make monetization simple. Publishers can bring their first-party data and manage all inve
- 46% Mid-Market
- 23% Small-Business
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Sovrn provides products and services to thousands of online publishers to help them understand, operate and grow their business. Sovrn is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, with offices in New York,
- 100% Small-Business
6,185 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Sulvo is an ad server, a marketplace and a pricing engine in one. Sulvo's pricing tools help publishers discover the true value of their inventory so they can prevent underselling valuable ad inventor
- 100% Small-Business
289 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Pure performance driven technology for results oriented publishers. Publisher Edge allows you to close the loop, connecting all aspects of your business by solving your everyday challenges. At the hea
- 67% Small-Business
- 33% Mid-Market
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
AdGlare Ad Server is an ad serving platform that helps digital publishers and advertisers manage, serve, and track their online advertising campaigns. It provides a suite of tools and services that al
- 100% Small-Business
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
AdSpeed Ad Server combines the latest ad serving technologies with advanced web analytics to maximize your advertising revenue.
- 100% Small-Business
85 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Automatad is a digital media products co, that provides a suite of programmatic monetization solutions that drives efficiency and superior monetization at scale. Using our platform digital publishers
- 57% Small-Business
- 33% Mid-Market
297 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
MAX, our mediation solution, was the first real-time auction platform that enabled all the key market players to bid for a mobile ad impression. Now with an industry-leading selection of bidders and n
- Computer Games
- 67% Mid-Market
- 29% Small-Business
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
TV Ads Trafficking, Billing and Sales supporting any Sales Model in a Single Integrated Platform
- 100% Mid-Market
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Passendo is the leading European platform commercialising newsletter inventory. Founded in 2016 by two digital advertising pioneers, our award-winning email ad server and SSP provides value for publis
- 67% Small-Business
- 33% Enterprise
587 Twitter followers
- Overview
- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
SpringServe is an open video ad serving platform.
- 50% Mid-Market
- 50% Small-Business
36,726 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
TripleLift is a native advertising and technology company that helps brands tell engaging stories through the use of visual content.
- Marketing and Advertising
- 62% Mid-Market
- 31% Enterprise
2,080 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Adform’s Ad Server enables brands to own, manage, create and activate your ads to engage with the consumer on any ad format, and on all devices and channels, by harnessing intelligent data and creativ
- 100% Small-Business
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
The Integrated Advertising Platform provides a centralized command center for creating, activating, and managing campaigns across all channels and the corresponding media in one place with a unified e
- Marketing and Advertising
- 55% Small-Business
- 45% Mid-Market
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
SaaS ad server and ad manager. Comprehensive product for publishers, advertisers, agencies, and ad networks.
- 100% Mid-Market
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
C1Exchange is a global full stack programmatic solution (SSP/DSP).
- 100% Small-Business
120 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
DecenterAds is a company that operates in programmatic advertising. We have our own Supply-Side Platform (SSP) for publishers (website owners and app developers) and own Demand-Side Platform (for dir
- 50% Mid-Market
- 50% Small-Business
267 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
DistroScale, through its video platform, works directly with publishers to create & deliver the most highly customized, highly viewable and engaging rich video experiences across all device platfo
- 100% Small-Business
172 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
NitroPay is a managed data-driven platform for publishers. Boost your revenue with our industry leading ad technology.
- 100% Small-Business
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
PubGalaxy is a 360° Ad Revenue Optimization Platform We help publishers in maximizing ad revenue and streamlining all their advertising operations under a single platform, designed by professionals wi
- 50% Enterprise
- 50% Small-Business
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
VASTify.io is a VAST Video Ad Server for Advertisers and Publishers (2023). It handles decisioning, event tracking, transcoding, targeting, budget capping and realtime reporting. A fully featured vide
- 100% Small-Business
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Vibrant Media, the leaders of contextual marketing, enables brands to deliver digital experiences that are relevant to what people care about in that very moment. Vibrant's products lead the industry
- 100% Small-Business
1,631 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
YuktaOne is the Media industry's first ERP to enable end-to-end automation of Ad and Revenue Operations across Display, Mobile, Video, OOH, OTT, CTV, and Social. Publishers, Brands, Ad Networks, SSP's
- 50% Mid-Market
- 50% Small-Business
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Ad6 Media is an advertising network offering publisher networking and advertisement optimization solutions.
- 100% Small-Business
853 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Content-Style Ad Platform
- 100% Enterprise
4,077 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Adhese is an independent ad server for publishers.
- 100% Enterprise
169 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Adition unified adserving platform provides advertisers, agencies and publishers/marketers with individual, custom-fit solutions.
- 100% Mid-Market
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Admixer.Publisher is a full-scale ad serving solution for publishers of all sizes looking for ad serving, ad campaign management, and revenue optimization. Admixer.Publisher helps publishers monetize
- 100% Small-Business
142 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Adomik helps digital publishers by improving programmatic and RTB yield management.
- 100% Mid-Market
753 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
AdSparc is a decade-old ad tech company that empowers publishers by fostering partnerships and encouraging meaningful interaction between advertisers and consumers. AdSparc is a Google MCM partner and
- 100% Small-Business
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
AdSpirit offers an ad serving system that allows flexible and efficient ad management.
- 100% Small-Business
- Overview
- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
ADvendio is the only Salesforce-powered solution that brings together media selling and media buying technology on one complete platform. Global media, retail, agency, internet, and outdoor advertisin
- 67% Small-Business
- 33% Enterprise
- Overview
- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
AOS is an AI-powered converged media platform for companies to automate advertising sales across digital and linear channels. Unlike other revenue management systems, AOS unifies data and assets to in
- 100% Mid-Market
1,907 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
BiddR Connect provides publishers seamless access to EMXs marketplace of unique demand, to increase bid competition, CPMs, and maximize revenue across all demand partners.
- 100% Small-Business
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Bidmatic is a US-based adtech company focused on helping publishers maximize ad monetization revenue. We provide advanced advertising technology, expert strategy, and hands-on support to boost adverti
- 55% Small-Business
- 45% Mid-Market
2 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Bidscube Community is the final stage of our ambition to create the most profitable cooperation between publishers&advertisers, WLS Partners, and AdTech companies with the goal to create more valu
- 100% Mid-Market
7 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Brightcom is a publisher side platform whose compass proprietary technology and teams of trusted advisers across the globe turn Brightcom into an entry point for all the best the programmatic world ha
- 100% Small-Business
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
BuySellAds is a contextual advertising platform that helps brands and publishers grow easily and efficiently. We help marketers reach their target audience online with contextual advertising campaign
- 75% Small-Business
- 17% Mid-Market
28,621 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Carambola is a unique, publisher focused platform that creates new revenue streams for premium publishers, while enhancing the experience on their pages - rather than damaging it.
- 100% Small-Business
398 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
ClearPier is Canada’s Leading Premium Performance Marketplace. Our mission is to bring efficiency, transparency, and quality back into the ad-trading ecosystem. We offer advertisers a robust programma
- 100% Enterprise
234 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Getintent. AI-powered bidder, service powered by people. Getintent is the platform that fuels programmatic business. The Getintent highly customizable AI-powered programmatic suite empowers agencies,
- 100% Small-Business
89 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Premium site-specific marketing solutions for advertisers and publishers.
- 100% Small-Business
4,077 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Jubna is an Arabic content recommendation and amplification network.
- 100% Small-Business
115 Twitter followers
- Overview
- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Kritter Software Technology Kritter's ad trading stack enables organizations to run their own campaigns, manage publisher inventory, and integrate demand and supply partners of all kinds. Our highly c
- 50% Mid-Market
- 50% Small-Business
160 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
MediaAlpha offers real-time programmatic technology platform for vertical search media.
- 100% Enterprise
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
MediaVoice is used to create, present, service and report your direct-sold native and programs with CMS, ad server and the ability to be used across all devices.
- 100% Small-Business
2,472 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
OIO Publisher sells and serves ads on any website, using php ad management script.
- 100% Mid-Market
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
OrbitSoft allows you to manage and review the inventory of all your ad space from one convenient, uniform management interface: - Create all of your website lists, channels, and ad codes easily in on
- 100% Mid-Market
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Launched in early 2012, PopCash is a highly specialized popunder network, with global coverage and a dynamic bidding system, ready to help advertisers get valuable traffic and publishers monetize thei
- 100% Small-Business
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Publift is a programmatic advertising technology partner that helps digital publishers grow ad revenue with cutting edge tech and dedicated service focus.
- 100% Small-Business
344 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Revive Adserver is a free, open source ad serving system that enables publishers, ad networks and advertisers to: Serve ads on websites, in apps, and in video players, and collect detailed statistics
- 100% Small-Business
471 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Roxot provides publishers with the technology they need to protect their position on the global ad market and to make informed decisions, it has a machine-learning algorithm to analyzes incoming data
- 100% Mid-Market
220 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Now you can go from data to insight to action with a single platform that lets you manage it all. Inventory and order management. Forecasting and optimization. Reporting and visualization.
- 100% Mid-Market
61,921 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Setupad is a comprehensive monetization platform designed to help publishers maximize ad revenue with flexible solutions and industry expertise. As a Google Certified Publishing Partner (GCPP) and
- 100% Small-Business
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
"Publishers can now take back control of their ad stack. Spartan ensures you only monetize real people. Improve your site's quality score and attract higher paying campaigns. It's a win-win scenario.
- 100% Small-Business
- Overview
- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
TrafficHaus is proud to use a platform built for publishers by publishers to give them greater control of their inventory and ultimately help them increase traffic.
- 100% Small-Business
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
- 67% Small-Business
- 33% Enterprise
16,587 Twitter followers
- Overview
- Pros and Cons
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Vistar Media is the home of out-of-home – providing brands, marketers and media owners with the world’s first truly intelligent platform for buying and selling OOH. Vistar hosts the world’s most exten
- Marketing and Advertising
- 75% Small-Business
- 25% Enterprise
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Viztrade makes complex digital advertising simple. Our fully customisable, white label, self-serve advertising platform makes selling ad inventory easy. We work with media owners across the world to
- 100% Mid-Market
1 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Admixer.HB+ is a header bidding platform that empowers publishers to maximize their ad revenue. With its competitive marketplace, streamlined management tools, and focus on user experience, Admixer.HB
142 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Adoppler is the product of Geomotiv, inheriting its experience, skills, and, what is more important, people. The companies provide a combined offering which has not been available on the market before
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
AdOpsOne is an AI-powered ad operations assistant for digital content publishers using Google Ad Manager (GAM). AdOpsOne manages all the day-to-day ad operations - setting up new demand partners, inve
- 100% Mid-Market
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Aysling Vendor Management is the cloud-based Vendor Management System that puts you in control of your vendors and freelancers. It streamlines your vendor contracts, payments, and projects. With no st
315 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
The company enables brands to scale native advertising campaigns across premium and niche publishers, while publishers benefit from access to ADYOULIKE’s marketplace.
- 50% Enterprise
- 50% Mid-Market
2,032 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Kiosked is a publisher monetization platform for mobile and desktop.
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
ad.agio is a muli-channel ad server enabling brands to deliver advertising across all platforms and devices.
148 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Brightcove Ad Monetization is our monetization service for organizations that want to generate revenue with an advertising strategy. Using the latest yield optimization tools, we support both live and
18,421 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
We are a team focused on providing developers with innovative app monetization solutions. By integrating our SDK, your app can realize a steady passive income without compromising the user experience.
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Connatix is the next-generation video technology company that empowers publishers and advertisers to deliver successful video experiences to audiences at scale. We believe in the power of engaging con
921 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
The ConvertMedia PACT sell-side platform (SSP) enables publishers to manage Revenue Per Session for multiple instream and outstream units via a single tag. Publishers can easily configure ConvertMedia
- 100% Enterprise
436 Twitter followers
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
Deepintent is a data and programmatic buying platform. It gives the ability to discover the content that engages the audience.
- Overview
- User Satisfaction
- Seller Details
diDNA is an ad tech provider for the publisher ecosystem. To maximize advertising revenue, publishers need to go beyond the basic monetization platforms and find a tool that optimizes the full bid str
Learn More About Publisher Ad Server Software
What is an Ad Server?
An ad server is a fundamental advertising technology responsible for placing ads on websites and apps. It manages and delivers digital ads, ensuring they reach the right audiences. Publisher ad servers store ad data and distribute ads across multiple platforms, tracking impressions, clicks, and other vital statistics. They can also target specific ads to users based on predefined criteria, enhancing relevance and engagement.
Two main types of publisher ad server software exist: hosted solutions, which are maintained by a third party, and self-hosted solutions, managed in-house on a private server. Selecting the top publisher ad servers depends on your business needs, considering factors such as scalability and user features. The best publisher ad server software offers seamless integration with ad networks, robust analytics, and advanced targeting, positioning it as a critical tool in optimizing ad effectiveness and revenue.
Why do Publishers Need Ad Servers?
Ad servers are essential for publishers aiming to monetize digital content effectively. Here’s a closer look at why publishers rely heavily on ad server technologies.
- Efficient ad management: Ad servers automate the delivery and tracking of ads, enabling publishers to manage diverse ad formats with ease and precision. This automation ensures that advertising efforts are both scalable and efficient.
- Maximizing revenue streams: By connecting with a larger pool of advertisers and managing inventory effectively, ad servers help publishers increase their revenue potential through targeted ad placements and competitive pricing strategies.
- Real-time analytics and reporting: Ad servers provide detailed insights into campaign performance, allowing publishers to make data-driven decisions. This real-time feedback loop helps optimize ad strategies for better engagement and profitability.
- Inventory control and pricing: With an ad server, publishers can maintain control over their ad inventory and set pricing strategies that align with their financial goals, ensuring transparent and profitable ad operations.
- Integration with ad networks and exchanges: Ad servers support seamless integration with various ad networks and exchanges, broadening exposure to potential advertisers and enhancing ad fill rates, which boosts overall revenue.
- Strategic advantage: Ad servers enable effective app monetization strategies, ensuring publishers remain agile and competitive.
What are the Common Features of Publisher Ad Server Software?
The following are some core features within publisher ad server programs that can help users identify if this type of software will meet their business needs:
- Ad creation and management: Publisher ad servers enable efficient creation and management of ads and campaigns. They facilitate inventory sales through ad networks, bundling ad units across publishers for advertisers.
- Third-party integrations: The best ad server software integrates easily with third-party ad networks and exchanges, offering proprietary ad inventory. They often function as SSPs, allowing real-time, impression-based marketplace transactions.
- Ad automation: Top publisher ad servers automate ad deployment to achieve campaign goals such as views and clicks. They have customizable settings (e.g., time frame, location) that align with business objectives and require minimal user intervention.
- Tracking and analytics: Publisher ad server software provides robust analytics for tracking ad performance and revenue generation. These tools offer insights into audience behavior to inform future ad strategies and enhance effectiveness.
What are the Benefits of Publisher Ad Server Software?
Ad server software has many benefits, whether for a small company with a limited budget or large conglomerates. Below are some examples:
- Easy implementation: This software often requires little setup. Once bought, the total onboarding to publishing time is relatively short. This helps the publisher move quickly and efficiently in starting revenue flow.
- Simple publishing tools: Publisher ad server software's goal is to generate revenue from advertisements. However, the goal is also to save time and effort to maximize profit. Therefore, the simplicity of a single dashboard to run all elements of a campaign is preferred.
- Diverse revenue stream: Publishers are often reliant on a singular method of income. These tools allow them to incorporate different types of ads digitally (also in multiple formats) to bring a more consistent revenue stream.
Who Uses Publisher Ad Server Software?
While multiple stakeholders can use publisher ad server software, its purpose is very specific.
- Marketing professionals: The entire purpose of this software is to create an easy and accessible way to manage advertisements across a variety of channels, regardless of industry. This could mean anyone with the ability to learn how to use the software can, but more often than not, a marketing or social media professional would be tasked with this role.
- Growth marketing managers: Creating and publishing ads that meet the requirements, publication on an ad exchange, plus formatting and creating the content for them can be a large job. This responsibility will often fall to a marketing manager or a growth marketing manager. They have the skill set to run said ads while maintaining them and tracking their analytics.
Challenges with Publisher Ad Server Software
Below are the top challenges of using these tools:
- Finding the right publisher: It’s common experience to look for the right fit for any software that is well-trusted and has a good reputation. Publisher ad servers are no different, especially since they are attached to revenue goals. Be sure to check if the functionality suits the business needs and that the server is financially stable to facilitate a smooth payout.
- ROI: Since an ad server is used to create an alternative revenue stream, the main goal is actually to make money. One should ask if the return on investment (ROI) is worth the software. It’s crucial to monitor the targeting and performance, which can affect revenue goals.
Which Companies Should Buy Publisher Ad Server Software?
- Digital marketing agencies or services: Creating advertisements (via native or mobile) costs time and money. Some agencies and independent services provide end-to-end creation, campaign deployment, and monetization services, so they’ll need to utilize publisher ad servers to generate additional revenue for clients. Depending on the type of agency and the type of ad goals one is trying to accomplish, it could be more cost-effective to use this type of service.
- Any business looking to increase digital ad revenue: Because of its simplicity, a publisher ad server can be utilized by many different industries and businesses. Any type of digital ad (mobile, native, digital, out-of-home, display, etc.) can be created and run from a publisher ad server. Finding software solutions to speed up that process without compromising the product can be invaluable.
How to Buy Publisher Ad Server Software?
Start by systematically approaching the purchase of top publisher ad server software to ensure alignment with business goals and requirements. Follow these steps for gathering requirements, comparing products, and making informed decisions.
- Requirements gathering (RFI/RFP): Identify software that enables digital publishers to monetize their websites effectively through online ads. Ensure the product aligns with core business objectives.
- Create a long list: Start by understanding which products don't meet your key needs. Focus on essential features—like publishing channels and content types—and exclude options lacking these. Remember, if a product offers non-essential, unique features that don't align with primary goals, it's prudent to exclude it.
- Create a Shortlist: Select products that closely match your necessary features and business requirements. Utilize reviews and third-party evaluations to refine your choices further and ensure reliability.
- Conduct Demos: Opt for free trials, often between one week and a month, to evaluate how the software suits your needs. Use this period to assess features and prepare questions crucial to your purchasing decision. Review tiered pricing plans to ensure they align with your business size and needs during discussions with sales contacts.
How to choose the best Publisher Ad Server Software?
Selecting the best publisher ad server software involves careful consideration and collaboration with internal teams to match the software's capabilities with business needs. Follow these outlined steps to make a wise investment.
- Choose a selection team: Involve key internal stakeholders, like managers and department heads, in the purchasing decision to align strategy and ensure transparency in cost and implementation. Consider both financial implications and implementation timelines.
- Negotiation: While negotiation may not always be necessary, never compromise on essential features, add-ons, or services. Evaluate extra costs for potentially beneficial features and attempt to include them in the base package where possible.
- Final decision: Base the decision on aligning with business objectives and staying within budget. Ensure all stakeholders agree on how this software will enhance business outcomes.
Researched and written by Victoria Blackwell
