SUPPLY SIDE (Sell Side) – Actor Tables
1. PUBLISHERS
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Actor | Publisher (Content Owner) |
| Role | Create content and audiences; provide advertising inventory (impressions) |
| Goal | Maximize revenue per page view (RPM/CPM); balance UX with monetization |
| Top 5 Companies | Google (YouTube), Meta, Amazon, News Corp, Condé Nast |
| Business Model | Ad revenue (CPM/CPC/CPA share), subscriptions, hybrid. Typically keep 60-80% of programmatic revenue after tech fees |
| Software Components | CMS (WordPress, Drupal), audience development tools, DMP/CDP for 1st party data, consent management |
2. PUBLISHER AD SERVER
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Actor | Publisher-Side Ad Server |
| Role | Manage, prioritize, and deliver ads across direct-sold and programmatic demand sources |
| Goal | Maximize yield by selecting the highest-paying ad for each impression; enforce business rules |
| Top 5 Companies | Google Ad Manager (GAM), Xandr Monetize, Kevel (self-serve), Smart AdServer, Equativ |
| Business Model | CPM-based serving fees (GAM free tier, then volume-based); SaaS subscription for smaller players |
| Software Components | Commercial: Google Ad Manager, Xandr, Equativ, Smart. Open Source: Revive Adserver (legacy). Modules: Trafficking UI, ad decisioning engine, forecasting, reporting, unified auction |
3. HEADER BIDDING WRAPPER / PREBID
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Actor | Header Bidding Wrapper |
| Role | Run parallel auctions across multiple SSPs before calling the ad server; maximize competition |
| Goal | Increase publisher yield by enabling simultaneous bidding; reduce SSP monopoly power |
| Top 5 Companies | Prebid.org (standard), Amazon TAM/UAM, Google Open Bidding, Index Exchange Wrapper, PubMatic OpenWrap |
| Business Model | Prebid.js is free/open-source. Managed services charge fees or require using their SSP. Prebid Server hosts charge tech fees |
| Software Components | Open Source: Prebid.js (client), Prebid Server (server-to-server). Commercial wrappers: TAM, OpenBidding. Modules: Adapters (per SSP), currency conversion, consent modules, analytics adapters, user ID modules |
4. PUBLISHER MONETIZATION PLATFORM
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Actor | Monetization Platform / Yield Management |
| Role | Manage entire programmatic stack for publishers: header bidding, SSP connections, floor optimization |
| Goal | Simplify complexity; optimize yield across all demand sources; provide analytics |
| Top 5 Companies | Freestar, Mediavine, Raptive (formerly AdThrive), Snigel, Playwire |
| Business Model | Revenue share (15-30% of programmatic revenue); some charge flat fees for enterprise |
| Software Components | Commercial: Freestar, Mediavine, Snigel, MonetizeMore, Setupad. Modules: Prebid.js management, floor price optimization (ML-based), layout optimization, A/B testing, reporting dashboard, GAM integration |
5. SUPPLY-SIDE PLATFORM (SSP)
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Actor | SSP (Supply-Side Platform) |
| Role | Connect publisher inventory to programmatic demand (DSPs); run auctions; optimize yield |
| Goal | Maximize publisher revenue; maintain demand relationships; provide transparency |
| Top 5 Companies | Google AdX, Magnite (Rubicon + Telaria), PubMatic, Index Exchange, OpenX |
| Business Model | Take rate (5-20% of transaction); platform fees; some offer SaaS pricing |
| Software Components | Commercial: Magnite, PubMatic, Index Exchange, OpenX, TripleLift. Open Source: None fully featured. Modules: RTB auction engine, bid request generation (OpenRTB), yield optimization, private marketplace (PMP) management, supply path optimization |
6. AD EXCHANGE
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Actor | Ad Exchange |
| Role | Neutral marketplace connecting multiple SSPs and DSPs; facilitate real-time auctions |
| Goal | Maximize liquidity; enable price discovery; provide transaction infrastructure |
| Top 5 Companies | Google AdX (dominant), Xandr (Microsoft), Magnite, OpenX, Smaato (Verve Group) |
| Business Model | Transaction fee (often bundled with SSP); typically 10-20% |
| Software Components | RTB auction engine, QPS infrastructure, fraud filtering, OpenRTB/oRTB 2.6 compliance, deal management. Note: Exchange vs SSP distinction has blurred; most SSPs function as exchanges |
7. CONSENT MANAGEMENT PLATFORM (CMP)
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Actor | CMP (Consent Management Platform) |
| Role | Collect, store, and signal user privacy consent for GDPR/CCPA/GPP compliance |
| Goal | Ensure legal compliance; maximize consent rates; pass signals through supply chain |
| Top 5 Companies | OneTrust, Cookiebot (Usercentrics), TrustArc, Quantcast Choice, Didomi |
| Business Model | SaaS subscription (based on page views or domains); free tier common for basic use |
| Software Components | Commercial: OneTrust, Cookiebot, Sourcepoint, Didomi. Open Source: Klaro, Osano (limited). Standards: IAB TCF 2.2, GPP (Global Privacy Platform), USPrivacy string. Modules: Consent UI, preference center, signal propagation (via Prebid CMP module) |
8. IDENTITY SOLUTIONS (Cross-Ecosystem)
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Actor | Identity Provider |
| Role | Provide persistent user identifiers for targeting/measurement in a post-cookie world |
| Goal | Enable addressability across domains/devices; replace 3rd party cookies |
| Top 5 Companies | LiveRamp (RampID), The Trade Desk (UID2), ID5, Criteo (CORE ID), Lotame (Panorama ID) |
| Business Model | CPM-based resolution fees; licensing; bundled with other services |
| Software Components | Commercial: LiveRamp ATS, UID2, ID5. Open Standards: UID2 (open-source framework), SharedID. Modules: Identity graph, resolution API, Prebid User ID modules, first-party data onboarding |
9. VIDEO / CTV SPECIFIC
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Actor | Video Ad Server / CTV Platform |
| Role | Serve and measure video ads (instream, outstream, CTV); handle VAST/VPAID |
| Goal | Deliver video ads with proper tracking; manage pods; measure completion rates |
| Top 5 Companies | Google Ad Manager (video), FreeWheel (Comcast), SpringServe, Magnite CTV, Innovid |
| Business Model | CPM-based serving fees (higher than display); SaaS subscription for ad servers |
| Software Components | Commercial: FreeWheel, SpringServe, Innovid. Standards: VAST 4.2, VPAID (deprecated), SIMID, OMID. Modules: Video player integration, pod management, server-side ad insertion (SSAI), frequency capping across screens |