You are a blogger who has built a thriving website that attracts thousands of visitors every day. You have invested time and energy into creating content that resonates with your audience, and now you are ready to monetize that traffic by selling ad space on your website.
But here comes the big question: How do you find advertisers willing to pay for those prime spots on your website? And how can you be sure you are getting the best price for that ad space?
Your answer is the supply-side platform.
Supply Side Platform in Simple Terms
So, now you may be asking yourself the question: What is an SSP? Think of SSP as your behind-the-scenes partner, working to connect your website’s available ad slots with advertisers who are willing to get to those who visit your website regularly.
A supply-side platform does all the thinking and decision-making for you. What does it do? In simple terms, an SSP:
- finds advertisers,
- manages bids, and
- sells your ad space to the highest bidder.
It all happens without you having to negotiate deals or manage the process yourself.
The Function of a Supply-Side Platform: How an SSP Works for You
So, again you run a popular blog or a news website, and you have decided it is time to start making money from the ads you can place on your website. You know there are advertisers out there willing to pay good money to reach your audience, but you simply have no idea how to connect with them.
As you know now, an SSP (Supply-Side Platform) is here to help you exactly with that task. And it does it in the following way:
Supply-Side Platform Function #1: Connecting with Advertisers
The first job of the SSP is to connect your website’s ad spaces with a network of advertisers who are interested in your audience. The SSP opens up your ad inventory to a broad pool of potential buyers, automatically putting your ad spaces up for auction to the highest bidder.
Supply-Side Platform Function #2: Running Auctions
Every time someone visits your website, an auction happens in milliseconds. Advertisers bid on your available ad space in real-time. The SSP handles this entire process for you. Simply put, it picks the highest bids. This way, you always get the best possible price for your ad space.
Supply-Side Platform Function #3: Growing Your Revenue
It’s worth realizing that SSP finds advertisers who are willing to pay top dollar to reach your audience. It is constantly optimizing the process, working for you so that you are making as much money as possible from every ad that appears on your website. This means way more revenue for you, with less work done on your side.
Supply-Side Platform Function #4: Managing Ad Quality
Another amazing function of the SSP is the following: The ads appearing on your website are relevant and high-quality. It filters out low-quality or inappropriate ads, so you don’t have to worry about what is showing up next to your content. This keeps your website professional.
