Tailored Support: How SSPs Help Different Streaming Publishers Win

Ryan Kenney, Senior Vice President, Streaming Platform

July 18, 2024 | 5 min read

As streaming platforms scale, SSPs play an increasingly critical role in helping publishers leverage programmatic ad buying for monetization. SSPs empower a wide range of publishers, from traditional TV networks to digital-first streaming services, by providing solutions tailored to their specific challenges and goals.

In the streaming landscape, there are a myriad of publisher types, ranging from OEMs, vMVPDs, FAST services, and programmers/broadcasters -- all with their own unique monetization models and needs.

Here's a look at how Magnite works with various publishers to help them scale and monetize their inventory in the surging streaming market.

OEMs

Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) can be viewed as the home screen of television.

As leading OEMs transition from hardware and device companies to entertainment companies, many seek to leverage valuable audience and ACR data, all while protecting user privacy and experience. Meanwhile, OEMs face unique challenges when it comes to balancing user experience with ad monetization. For example, OEMs may require different kinds of ad breaks for linear and FAST services depending on the type of inventory, such as live content or video-on-demand. Each type of inventory requires different technical support and business rules. Magnite addresses these challenges with technical solutions to ensure data privacy and prevent leakage. We also provide enterprise tools for frequency capping and ad break management, as well as support for both linear and on-demand content monetization.

As Jeremy Straight, vice president of TCL FFalcon CTV Ads, put it, "Magnite has been instrumental in helping us balance user experience with effective ad monetization. Their privacy-focused solutions and advanced tools for ad break management have allowed us to more seamlessly transition to compete with the big names in the entertainment industry as a content platform."

vMVPDs

Virtual Multichannel Video Programming Distributors (vMVPDs) are services that allow users to watch their favorite TV channels through the internet without cable connections. They're like a super-powered cable box for the internet age. However, they encounter their own set of specific challenges, including fluctuating subscriber numbers for some providers and managing the shifting ad monetization rules associated with being a distributor. They must also maximize ad fill rates for live content like sports and news, which is a goldmine for advertisers looking to reach highly engaged audiences.

However, they can also bring technical hurdles. Large numbers of viewers hitting a commercial break simultaneously strain ad servers. That's where Magnite's Live Stream Accelerator (LSA) steps in. When a wave of ad requests hits at once, LSA distributes requests smoothly for better ad response and viewer experience.

To support vMVPDs, Magnite offers tools to optimize fill rates and manage linear ad insertion, as well as support maximizing revenue from traditional pay-TV services.

As Andrew Tint, head of programmatic partnerships at DISH Media, shares, "Magnite's tools and tailored solutions have significantly optimized our ad fill rates, particularly for Sling's live sports and news, which experience substantial viewership spikes. This partnership has enabled us to capture additional revenue and meet the diverse needs of our advertising audience. We are excited to continue innovating and scaling our inventory in the dynamic streaming market with Magnite's support."

FAST Services

Over half of US households now use a Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television (FAST) service on a weekly basis, and FAST, which can be an entertainment treasure chest for the budget-conscious consumer, continues to be the fastest-growing streaming type.

However, FAST services still struggle with limited first-party data due to a lack of authentication. They also must differentiate ad experiences for various content types (linear vs. on-demand) for a better user experience.

Magnite helps support high-quality ad delivery for FASTs with contextual targeting solutions based on content and genre, along with tools for managing ad experiences across different content formats.

As Josh Sharma, vice president of Ad Partnerships at Allen Media Digital, shared, "Magnite's contextual targeting and flexible ad management tools have enabled us to deliver tailored ad experiences, driving greater engagement with our audiences."

Programmers/Broadcasters

Programmers and broadcasters are the cornerstones of the media entertainment world. Broadcasters' role in the fast-evolving streaming landscape comes with its own set of challenges-all while keeping their audience front and center. Programmers must manage the distribution of their content, which creates unique considerations for managing streaming inventory across various distribution channels with different ad rules, balancing inventory sold directly vs. through the SSP, and handling complex advertiser relationships involving Upfront commitments.

Magnite's tools for managing inventory across diverse platforms and support for establishing and enforcing ad delivery rules across channels help programmers scale. Furthermore, the white-glove service provided by our Demand Facilitation team helps programmers and broadcasters drive growth in areas they may have overlooked, delivering major results for their partners.

As Tyler DeNicola, vice president of A&E, shared, "Magnite's advanced inventory management and optimization tools have streamlined our ad operations across multiple platforms, allowing us to meet our Upfront commitments and grow our advertiser relationships."

Ultimately, as streaming continues to surge, more ad dollars will likely flow programmatically to drive monetization. As publishers look to capture the streaming moment, they can look to their SSP as a partner to help them grow. Across all publisher types, Magnite offers a robust infrastructure for managing inventory and deals, comprehensive support for ad delivery rules and frequency capping, and access to an expansive advertiser network.

Magnite invites streaming publishers of all types to explore how their SSP solutions can help them scale and monetize their inventory more effectively in the evolving streaming market.

Tags: CTV, Publisher, Seller, Streaming