Should publishers commit to deals via PMP?

Committing to deals via Private Marketplace (PMP) can be a beneficial strategy for publishers in certain circumstances. PMPs offer a more controlled and curated environment for buying and selling advertising inventory. Here are some considerations to help you decide if committing to PMP deals is the right approach for your publishing business:

Advantages of Committing to PMP Deals:

Premium Advertisers: PMPs often attract premium advertisers who are willing to pay higher rates for exclusive access to quality inventory. By committing to PMP deals, you can secure partnerships with reputable brands and advertisers that align with your website’s content and audience.

Higher CPMs: PMP deals can lead to higher CPM rates compared to open exchanges or programmatic auctions. Advertisers are often willing to pay a premium for premium inventory and a controlled environment. This can increase your revenue per impression and improve overall monetization.

Brand Safety and Quality Control: PMPs offer greater control over the ads displayed on your website. By establishing direct relationships with advertisers, you can ensure that the ads align with your brand guidelines and maintain a high level of quality. This helps protect your brand reputation and provides a safer advertising environment for your audience.

Reduced Ad Fraud and Ad Blocking: PMPs can help mitigate the risk of ad fraud and ad blocking. Since PMP deals involve direct relationships with advertisers, the likelihood of fraudulent or malicious ads decreases. This improves the overall user experience and reduces the impact of ad-blocking software.

Targeted and Relevant Ads: PMP deals allow for more precise targeting and customization options. You can work closely with advertisers to deliver highly targeted and relevant ads to your audience, increasing the chances of user engagement and higher conversion rates.

Considerations when Committing to PMP Deals:

Inventory Commitment: Committing to PMP deals often requires a certain level of inventory commitment. Ensure that you have enough premium inventory available to fulfill the agreed-upon impressions or placements. Assess the potential impact on your overall ad inventory and availability for other monetization strategies.

Sales Effort and Relationships: PMP deals typically involve direct sales efforts and building relationships with advertisers. This requires investment in sales and account management resources to negotiate and manage the deals effectively.

Flexibility and Yield Optimization: Committing to PMP deals may limit your flexibility to optimize your yield by allowing real-time bidding or participating in open exchanges. Evaluate the trade-off between the guaranteed revenue from PMP deals and the potential revenue from programmatic auctions or open exchanges.

Monitoring and Performance Evaluation: Establish mechanisms to monitor the performance of PMP deals, including metrics such as fill rate, viewability, and revenue generated. Regularly evaluate the performance and return on investment to ensure the deals continue to deliver value.

PMPs can be a valuable strategy for publishers looking to maximize revenue, work with premium advertisers, and maintain control over their advertising environment. However, it’s important to carefully evaluate the specific opportunities, resources required, and potential trade-offs before committing to PMP deals.