{{Short description|Technology for producers to market goods and services}} [[File:Ad serving square.svg|thumb|upright=1.2|Online advertising serving process]] A '''supply-side platform''' ('''SSP''') or '''sell-side platform''' is a technology platform to enable web publishers, connected TV (CTV) publishers, mobile app developers, and digital out-of-home (DOOH) media owners to manage their advertising inventory, fill it with ads, and receive revenue.<ref name="IAB1">{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Glgi9RRuJs |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/-Glgi9RRuJs |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=How an ad is served with real-time bidding |publisher=Internet Advertising Bureau }}{{cbignore}}</ref> Supply-side platforms are an integral part of the programmatic advertising ecosystem, enabling the automated selling and optimization of digital media space.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Programmatic Advertising Forecast and Ad Tech Trends H1 2025 |url=https://www.emarketer.com/content/programmatic-advertising-forecast-and-ad-tech-trends-h1-2025 |access-date=2025-10-15 |website=EMARKETER}}</ref>
A supply-side platform interfaces on the publisher side to advertising networks and exchanges, which in turn interface to demand-side platforms (DSPs) on the advertiser side.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iab.net/data/ecosystem.html | title=Advertising Ecosystem | publisher=iab.net}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Ryan Joe, provided by |url=http://adexchanger.com/ad-networks/dolan-iab-data-driven/ |title=DSPs, SSPs, DMPs, Ad Exchanges Help Inspire New, IAB Data-Driven Ads Site Says Exec Dolan |publisher=adexchanger.com |date=2014-02-07 |accessdate=2015-08-27}}</ref>
This system allows advertisers to put online advertising and DOOH advertising before a selected target audience.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.clickz.com/clickz/column/1728632/the-rise-demand-side-platform |title=The Rise of the Demand Side Platform |author=Rob Graham|publisher=ClickZ |date=August 25, 2010 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> SSPs send potential impressions into ad exchanges, where DSPs purchase them on marketers' behalf, depending on specific targeting attributes and audience data.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.iab.com/news/u-s-firms-to-spend-over-10-billion-on-third-party-audience-data-in-2017-even-more-on-third-party-solutions-to-use-that-data/|title=U.S Firms to spend over $10 billion on third-party audience data.|last=|first=|date=|website=IAB|access-date=}}</ref> By offering impressions to as many potential buyers as possible publishers can maximize the revenue. Therefore, SSPs are sometimes referred to as yield-optimization platforms.<ref>{{cite magazine|author=Jack Marshall, provided by |url=http://digiday.com/platforms/wtf-supply-side-platform/ |title=WTF is a supply-side platform |magazine = Digiday |date=2014-01-22 |accessdate=2016-07-29}}</ref> In recent years, supply-side platform technology has also been adopted by retail media networks, enabling retailers to monetize their owned digital properties by offering ad inventory to brands through programmatic channels.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.emarketer.com/content/programmatic-advertising-forecast-and-ad-tech-trends-h1-2025 |title=Programmatic Advertising Forecast and Ad Tech Trends H1 2025 |publisher=eMarketer |date=2025}}</ref>
Often, real-time bidding (RTB) is used to complete DSP transactions.<ref>{{cite web|author=Nick Saint, provided by |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2010/08/02/businessinsider-real-time-bidding-2010-8.DTL |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120919150147/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2010/08/02/businessinsider-real-time-bidding-2010-8.DTL |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 19, 2012 |title=The Rise Of Real-Time Bidding Is The Biggest Online Advertising Story Of 2010 |publisher=Sfgate.com |date=2010-08-02 |accessdate=2010-11-20}}</ref>
Unlike advertising networks that target buyers (advertisers), supply-side platforms provide services for publishers (website, app, and DOOH owners).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iab.net/data/ecosystem.html | title=Advertising Ecosystem | publisher=iab.net}}</ref> Supply-side platforms are often integrated into the structure of advertising and ad serving companies, as well as ad exchanges that work with both publishers (supply side) and advertisers (demand side).<ref>{{cite web|author=Susan Bidel, provided by |url=https://www.forrester.com/The+Forrester+Wave+SellSide+Platforms+And+Exchanges+For+Publishers+Q2+2014/fulltext/-/E-RES115689 |title=The Forrester Wave™: Sell-Side Platforms And Exchanges For Publishers, Q2 2014 |publisher=www.forrester.com |date=2014-05-29 |accessdate=2015-08-27}}</ref>
== Examples == *Equativ *OpenX *Sovrn *PubMatic *Magnite *Smaato (now part of Verve) *SpotX *Verizon Media *Xandr (formerly AppNexus) *Google Ad Manager *Media.net
==See also== * Ad exchange * Demand-side platform
==References== {{Reflist}}
Category:Online advertising