If you’ve ever ridden in a small, 2-4 seater plane, you’ll probably remember the experience for a lot of reasons. One thing you may have noticed with a smaller engine airplane is the instrument panel and other components around the pilot/co-pilot’s chairs that manage the operations of the aircraft.
In larger aircraft, the same core components can also be found, but with significantly more features and functions by virtue of the performance and capacity requirements that come with transporting people and things at a much larger scale.
It’s a similar situation when you compare Google Ad Manager (DFP) to most other ad servers. Many ad serving solutions for publishers offer the core features of inventory setup, ad delivery and some type of reporting; however, with Google Ad Manager, you get all of that and more in a comprehensive and feature-rich platform that sets the standard for small-to-enterprise level publishers.
One of the First!
In the mid-1990’s, when internet advertising was in its infancy, a few small enterprises like Focalink/SmartBanner, AdConductor, and NetGravity launched their respective versions of the banner-ad delivery software. NetGravity’s ad serving platform was acquired by DoubleClick when they bought NetGravity in 1999 and rebranded as the Dynamic Advertising Reporting & Targeting or “DART Enterprise” platform. DART Enterprise was then acquired by Google when Google bought DoubleClick in March of 2008. At the time, DoubleClick for Publishers (DFP) was already the standard-setting inventory management and ad delivery platform within the DART suite of solutions for digital marketers and web publishers.
Since Then
DFP has come a long way from its initial, basic banner ad delivery platform to the robust ad sales platform that it is today. In the premium and small business versions of DFP, its functionality and features include inventory management, ad delivery, reporting, forecasting, billing, audience data and sales operations. In addition to all of these features, larger publishers can seamlessly integrate the world’s largest, real-time-bidding (RTB) ad exchange—Google AdX—with their DFP to add more Open and Private Marketplace (PMP) ad selling capabilities to their website monetization efforts.
More Value, More Expertise Needed
As with flying a 747 (compared to a two-seater airplane), the level of expertise a publisher will need when moving from a basic ad serving platform like Google’s AdSense to DFP is significant. For this reason, it is in the publishers’ best interest to invest in using DFP to its maximum potential. The more expertise you have managing DFP, the more you will be able to get the most revenue from advertising on your website. This is where partnering with experienced and qualified Google Ad Manager experts—such as Sovrn’s Services team for training and/or management of your DFP network—can save you time and ensure that you’re not leaving money on the table.
Getting the most out of your website monetization with Google Ad Manager requires effective management of your website’s ad inventory, demand partnerships, and real-time selling strategies. To do these well, you need a responsive and thoughtful approach to the ever-changing dynamic of online advertising.
Whether it’s training, set-up, clean-up, help with day-to-day ad operations or all of the above, Sovrn Services is here to help! Contact us to learn more about our flexible DFP consulting and training packages that are customized to your unique needs. Here’s what Kevin Gentry, Product Manager at Ibotta, had to say about Ibotta’s DFP consulting and training experience:
“With their expert knowledge in the space, it was super helpful to get training and an in-depth tutorial on AdTech best practices and DFP. As a company that is making an effort to be in front of new trends and technologies in ad tech, Sovrn’s training efficiently brought the team up-to-speed and comfortable with using DFP. My team left Sovrn’s training session with a better understanding of the ad tech space and best practices in programmatic.”
