Smaato adds OTT to its ad tech platform

Smaato’s Digital Ad Tech Platform Launches OTT Solution Giving Publishers Complete Control Over Their OTT Monetization Strategy

SAN FRANCISCO — Smaato’s omnichannel platform is a self-serve ad server built with a mobile-first mindset. After successfully beta testing Smaato’s OTT platform with five global streaming platforms, two OTT aggregators, two broadcasters and a smart TV manufacturer, the company is proud to announce the launch of OTT inside its Smaato Publisher Platform (SPX).

OTT publishers can now make just one request to Smaato and access built-in DAI (Dynamic Ad Insertion) controls, Smaato’s free ad server and programmatic buyers – all on one platform. Smaato’s seamless UI gives customers the ability to monetize both their video-on-demand (VOD) and live video and audio content, automate ad fill for live-streaming and create tailor-made user experiences. In addition to DAI, Smaato’s key OTT features include dynamic ad breaks, ad pod bidding, ad pod auction types, creative deduplication and competitor separation.

Alongside Smaato’s OTT features, publishers can deliver immersive and engaging viewer experiences by choosing where ad breaks occur and how to auction them, whether through open or private exchange, or programmatic direct buying (PDB).

“Marketers can choose to bid by slot or by pod programmatically, extending their reach and simplifying the entire buying experience by allowing us to solve complex buying with simple controls and automation,” says Smaato CEO Ajitpal Pannu.

Smaato’s dynamic fill capabilities for live TV maximize where users spend their time by matching ad content to the viewer’s context. The result is a personalized experience for the user.

“As traditional TV takes a back seat to VOD and live TV, publishers need better controls that allow the buying experience to target and reach attentive audiences, creating optimal viewing experiences as the spending shift continues,” adds Pannu.

When it comes to OTT and CTV, the biggest challenge advertisers face is getting access to quality ad inventory from publishers. Smaato’s built-in DAI solution eliminates the middleman, significantly reducing the high risk of DAI fraud while reducing latency and dependencies on third parties. Plus, Smaato’s baked-in market-quality tools protect advertiser integrity and ensure a brand-safe viewer experience. Traffic-quality scanners validate bundle IDs, device IPs and user agents to verify that incoming traffic is from a user rather than a data center or bad actor.

With personally identifiable information (PII) and privacy at the forefront, publishers will be able to enrich their OTT ad strategy with Smaato’s Customer Data Platform (CDP) for a better personalized experience while protecting user privacy. In parallel, marketers can better evaluate the performance of their campaigns with more powerful data by reaching viewers based on what they’re watching versus who they are. These capabilities allow both publishers and marketers to focus on the right ad, at the right time and to the right audience in order to deliver positive experiences. Smaato’s platform reporting will continue offering more granularity so publishers and marketers alike can optimize with controls at their fingertips.

Smaato’s digital ad tech platform is a completely omnichannel, self-serve monetization solution and ad server. Our controls make monetization simple. Publishers can bring their first-party data and manage all inventory in one place. Marketers get access to the highest-quality inventory so they can reach audiences around the world and on any device. Smaato is headquartered in San Francisco, with additional offices in Hamburg, New York City, Beijing and Singapore.