supply side platform (SSP)

Supply Side Platform (SSP) is the counterpart to Demand Side Platform( DSP). Both are software-basedplatforms for Real Time Advertising( RTA): one for offering free advertising space, the other for buying it.

On a supply side platform, website operators, which are the publishers, can offer their available ad spaces for Ad Exchange and for Demand Side Platforms. Publishers specify the time period, banner fomate, maximum number of page impressions and possibly the minimum price.

Automated e-auctions take place on the SSP platforms, in which the offered advertising spaces are auctioned off. Since the advertising spaces are often called up at extremely short notice, the SSP platform works in real time with Real Time Bidding( RTB). The bidding and placement of online advertising can take place in a fraction of a second while a web page is loading. The highest bidder wins the bid and can display his banner ad while the website is still loading. The greater the demand for a particular banner format, the higher the prices achievable for publishers.

Well-known supply side platforms (SSP) are Xandr, OpenX, SpotXchange and Google Double Click.