Ad Trafficking

Ad trafficking serves as the focal point within the ad operations process as it involves planning, managing and optimizing ad campaigns with the goal of reaching the correct audience for the most successful performance possible.    

There are two ways to serve creative assets: either through an ad server platform, such as Campaign Manager 360, in which the creative is uploaded within the tags and then shared with the publisher, or via publisher, in which the creative is served directly through the platform that the campaign runs on and basic click-tracker tags are implemented.   

Each method has pros and cons, but leveraging an ad server allows for flexibility when it comes to testing and learning and provides centralized management for greater control. Ad servers also allow for ease of optimizations, such as making ad rotations, which can be necessary for boosting the effectiveness of the campaign. Rotating ads can either be made through a weighting method, in which some ads are weighted heavier than others if they are stronger and want to be displayed more often, or an objective-based method, in which ads are prioritized based on how well they are predicted to align with driving the campaign objective.

Both methods are reliable for improving campaign performance, so the choice depends on the focus of the campaign. A combination of options can also be implemented.    

Validation & Verification

We use validation to refer to validating delivery and verification to refer to the substance of the delivery. Both validation and verification are crucial components of ad trafficking that ensure accurate data is being delivered. Data validation is especially important when it comes to billing because costs are based on ad delivery, so it is necessary that the delivery being reported is completely accurate, or else it could potentially lead to over or under delivering, which has cost implications. To ensure validation, reported data must be up to date and include delivery metrics (impressions, video views), engagement metrics (clicks, video completion rate) and conversion metrics (purchases, ROAS) if applicable. Working closely across internal teams and having transparent communication with clients about performance helps establish trust, strengthen partnerships and avoid costly mistakes.

In today’s world, data verification is also very important due to the increase of fraud and bots. We perform verification via tracking that ensures the ads are reaching real, relevant consumers alongside trustworthy content. We leverage verification partners, such as MOAT, to track invalid traffic and ensure ads are being shown as intended. Nielsen enables us to verify that the ads are reaching the correct age and gender target. Additionally, IAS can be used to ensure that ads are showing up on reputable websites alongside appropriate content by avoiding made-for-advertising sites. 

Ensuring Quality   

All advertisers should implement some form of validation and verification within the data reporting process to ensure accuracy and reliability, which leads to higher campaign quality. Quality can include anything from delivering engaging creative to targeting the right audience. Focusing on ensuring quality in every step of the advertising process leads to maximizing client goals and delivering the message to the consumer in the most efficient way. Having a strong focus on quality, combined with attention and impact, improves the longevity of a brand as it helps to continually build trust with consumers, leading to a high return on investments, and therefore achieving long-term success.

We believe that the key to delivering excellence for clients is through establishing a strong ad-trafficking team to efficiently manage campaigns, focusing on validation and verification to ensure accuracy and ensuring quality in every step of the advertising operations process.