Greetings, I’m Jakub, an Adops specialist. In this episode, I’ll guide you through the key concepts of ad- serving, a critical component of digital advertising. It’s essential for everyone to grasp how our banners actually appear on websites. Without further delay, let’s delve into the detailed process together.
1. What is Ad-serving?
Ad-serving is the mechanism through which ads are delivered to users. It involves a combination of technology and systems that handle the process of ad distribution, targeting, tracking, and reporting. In simple terms, it’s like a bridge connecting advertisers (us) and the desired audience.
How does Ad-serving work?
In order to establish the connection, we need to conduct a trafficking procedure on chosen ad-server and deliver the ad-serving tags to the partners. Once the tags are implemented on the specific partner’s site, the ad-serving comes to life! Check out the infographic on the next page for a simplified explanation of how ad-serving works.
2. But what exactly is Ad-server?
Ad-server is the central software or platform responsible for storing, managing, and delivering ads to websites, mobile apps, or other digital channels. It acts as a traffic controller, ensuring that ads are displayed on the appropriate websites. The Ad-server also tracks important metrics like impressions, clicks, and conversions, providing valuable insights to advertisers.
Categorizing Ad-servers:
We should also know that there are two types of ad servers: 1st party and 3rd party. The first piece of software is used by publishers, the latter — by advertisers. Here, in Underscore, for trafficking and campaign management, we’re using Campaign Manager 360 (DCM) which is a 3rd party ad-server.
3. What about ad-serving tags?
Precisely speaking, ad-serving tags are small snippets of code provided by the Ad-server that are placed on the specific areas of a website where ads are intended to be displayed. In simple terms, they act as the communication link between the website, the ad server, and the delivery of the appropriate ad to the right audience at the right time.
4. Why is Ad-serving important for us?
Ad-serving allows us to target the right audience, optimize our campaigns, and deliver a better user experience. It also grants precise control over ad delivery, and gain valuable insights for continuous improvement.
