Supply Side Platform (SSP)

What is a Supply Side Platform?

A Supply Side Platform (SSP) is a type of advertising technology used by digital publishers to manage, sell, and optimize their available ad inventory. In the context of streaming TV, SSPs help content owners and platforms monetize their video streams—such as those on FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV) or AVOD (Ad-Supported Video on Demand) services—by connecting them with multiple demand sources, including Demand Side Platforms (DSPs), ad networks, and exchanges.

An SSP acts as the publisher’s gateway to programmatic advertising. It allows media sellers to make their ad space available to buyers in real time. By integrating with multiple demand sources, SSPs increase competition for ad impressions, which can lead to higher fill rates and more efficient monetization.
SSPs automate the process of selecting the best-paying ads to show in a given ad slot, based on auction dynamics, targeting parameters, and business rules set by the publisher.

How SSPs Work

SSPs sit on the supply side of the ad transaction, managing the flow of ad opportunities from a publisher’s inventory. The typical workflow includes:

1. The video player or playout system sends a request for an ad.
2. The SSP evaluates available ad bids from connected DSPs and ad exchanges.
3. The highest bid that meets the criteria is selected, and the corresponding ad is served.
4. The ad is delivered to the viewer in real time, often through server-side ad insertion (SSAI) or client-side ad delivery.

SSPs also support tools for ad trafficking, reporting, header bidding, floor pricing, and brand safety controls.

Role of SSPs in Streaming and CTV

In the Connected TV (CTV) and streaming environment, SSPs enable content publishers to monetize ad inventory within live streams, on-demand content, and virtual linear channels. They are a critical part of the infrastructure that allows streaming video to be monetized at scale through programmatic advertising.

Streaming-specific SSPs often support:

• Video ad formats such as pre-roll, mid-roll, and post-roll
• Ad podding (sequencing multiple ads)
• Real-time bidding (RTB)
• Audience targeting via first-party or third-party data
• Integration with ad decisioning engines and measurement tools

Why SSPs Matter

SSPs help maximize the value of available ad space by giving publishers greater control over their monetization strategy. They provide transparency, data insights, and access to a wide pool of advertisers, allowing publishers to optimize revenue performance across all available inventory.

In a competitive streaming market, SSPs are essential for enabling scalable, data-driven monetization of ad-supported content.