Supply Side Optimization: Smarter Buys Start Before the DSP Even Bids

Kyle Kuchera
6 days ago
3 min read

If you’re still relying on the DSP to fix performance problems, you’re playing defense.

Every day, programmatic teams waste time chasing down why a campaign underdelivered, why CPMs spiked, or why ads ran on sites no one approved. The truth? Most of those issues aren’t downstream, they’re supply-side problems.

Enter Supply Side Targeting and Optimization (SSTO): a better way to buy programmatically by starting upstream, before the DSP even gets a shot at decisioning.

What’s Wrong With the Old Way?

Let’s call it what it is: the “spray-and-pray” era of programmatic is expensive, opaque, and full of waste. Here’s why:

You’re bidding into a mess. Dozens of SSPs pushing the same impression. Everyone taking a cut. CPMs getting inflated for no reason.
You’re blind to the path. You think you're buying from Publisher A, but it's really five hops away through a reseller.
You’re fixing problems too late. By the time your DSP sees the bid, the junk inventory already snuck in.

What SSTO Does Differently

Supply Side Targeting & Optimization is simple: take control of what goes into your buying pipe.

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

Be selective with SSPs. Work with partners who provide real transparency, clean auction mechanics, and proven performance. Not just anyone with scale.
Streamline your supply path. Cut the excess. Go direct or as close as possible to the source. Avoid resellers and shady intermediaries.
Target with smarter inputs. Instead of relying on backend fixes, use contextual and page-level signals to pre-filter for brand safety, relevance, and audience fit.

This isn’t about adding more layers—it’s about removing the noise before it ever hits your DSP.

Who’s Already Doing It Right

Some major players are setting the bar on supply-side strategy:

OpenX is working with data partners like Attain to enable smarter audience targeting straight from the SSP level—no dependency on downstream matching.
PubMatic is all-in on SSTO, giving buyers tools to shape the supply path based on transparency, not just reach.
The Trade Desk continues to prioritize direct pipes to quality publishers, allowing buyers to skip the junk and bid where it counts.

This isn’t a trend, it’s the evolution of how smart programmatic buying gets done.

Why It Matters More Than Ever

Here’s what buyers get when they invest in SSTO:

✅ Time savings

Fewer bad impressions in the mix = fewer issues to troubleshoot. Teams can focus on strategy, not cleanup.

✅ Lower costs

Cutting middlemen reduces auction duplication and CPM bloat. You pay for the impression, not the chain of hands it passed through.

✅ Better performance

Cleaner supply means higher match rates, stronger viewability, and more relevant placements. SSTO feeds the DSP better inputs, which leads to smarter decisions.

✅ Cleaner media supply

Optimizing your path also helps reduce excess auction traffic—which means lower energy use and a lighter carbon footprint. It's efficient and sustainable.

Getting Started with SSTO

You don’t need a new platform or massive overhaul, just a shift in approach:

Audit your SSP stack. How many partners are you running with? Who actually delivers value?
Cut what you don’t need. Remove resellers, paths that duplicate inventory, or those with poor transparency.
Lean into curated deals. PMPs and custom supply allow you to filter for quality before the DSP even bids.
Use contextual signals early. Tap tools that pre-score inventory based on page content, quality, and alignment—not just IDs.

Don't Let the DSP Do All the Work

The DSP is a tool. It’s only as smart as the input you give it. When the supply is cleaner, the machine works better, and your team spends less time chasing ghosts in reporting dashboards.

At Mavern Media, we build curated supply paths, layered with contextual signals and real-time scoring, so our buyers don’t have to settle for “whatever’s available.” That’s what SPO is really about: control, efficiency, and performance that starts before the bid even fires.

Clean supply in. Better outcomes out.