DFP (DoubleClick for Publishers), now known as Google Ad Manager, is a platform for publishers to manage and sell their ad space, while DSP (Demand-Side Platform) is software for advertisers to automatically buy ad inventory across various exchanges.
DFP (DoubleClick for Publishers / Google Ad Manager)
- Role: Manages the publisher's side of the advertising transaction.
- Function: Helps publishers manage their ad inventory, serve ads, and optimize ad delivery to maximize revenue.
- User: Publishers (website owners, content creators).
DSP (Demand-Side Platform)
- Role: Manages the advertiser's side of the advertising transaction.
- Function: Provides a centralized platform for advertisers to programmatically buy ad space from multiple sources (ad exchanges and Supply-Side Platforms or SSPs). It enables automated bidding on ad inventory to reach specific audiences at the right time within a set budget.
- User: Advertisers.
Key terminology includes ad inventory (the available ad space on a website), direct sales (selling ads directly to advertisers for higher rates), and programmatic (automated ad buying and selling). While the name has changed, the core functions of managing and monetizing ad space remain the same, with Google Ad Manager now incorporating the functionalities of both DFP and Google Ad Exchange into one platform.
Key DFP/Google Ad Manager terminology
- Ad Inventory: The ad space available on a publisher's website or app.
- Ad Server: A technology that manages the selling, delivery, and tracking of ads.
- Ad Exchange: An online marketplace where publishers and advertisers can buy and sell ad inventory, often using automated bidding.
- Direct Deals: Selling ad space directly to an advertiser, bypassing intermediaries.
- Programmatic Advertising: The automated buying and selling of digital ad space in real-time.
- Header Bidding: A technique where publishers offer ad inventory to multiple ad exchanges simultaneously before calling their ad server, aiming to increase revenue.
- Line Items: A specific line of an advertisement order, which can have its own targeting, pricing, and creative settings.
- Ad Tags: Snippets of code that are placed on a website to request and display ads.
- Ad Serving Rules: Rules that can be set up to control how and when ads are displayed, such as by location, device, or frequency.
- Creative Optimization: The process of testing and optimizing different ad designs to improve performance.
- Ad Exchange: A type of marketplace for buying and selling ad space.
- DFP API: An application programming interface that allows for programmatic access to DFP data and functionality.
