WTF Is Supply Path Optimisation & Log-Level Data?

And why is it essential for ad transparency?

When advertisers run digital ads, their money passes through many companies before reaching the website or app showing the ad. This complex path hides where money goes and who profits.

We’ll cover what exactly SPO (supply path optimisation) & Log-Level Data is and why it is so important for improving the long-term future of programmatic advertising.

Look out for more from our Transparency Series in the coming weeks… The future of advertising requires facts.

The Current Programmatic Infrastructure Is Broken?

In programmatic advertising, an advertiser’s dollar passes through many opaque middlemen before publishers receive payment.

https://www.isba.org.uk/knowledge/second-programmatic-supply-chain-transparency-study

This complex supply path hides significant fees without accountability. Supply path optimisation (SPO) aims to simplify things by evaluating all vendors to cut unnecessary costs. This grants visibility into money flow to publishers.

However, visibility alone is insufficient. Granular log data tracks individual ads to validate supply sources. Detailed performance benchmarks prevent parties from hiding behind aggregate metrics.

Combined, supply chain transparency from SPO and impression-level analytics empower advertisers to optimise relationships and inventory routing based on genuine ROI analysis. The two advancements work in tandem to champion value-driven partnerships rooted in proof.

Supply Path Transparency and Log-Level Analysis

Supply path issues extend beyond high fees. Unclear relationships between intermediaries and inventory resales are also problems. SPO platforms provide transparency into this maze. Advertisers can now optimise based on actual value instead of guesswork.

This is why granular campaign data is indispensable. Tracking impression-by-impression logs validates exactly where ads appear. Reliable benchmarks prevent parties from hiding behind aggregate metrics.

Together, supply chain transparency from SPO and log-level data foster a genuine value exchange in programmatic advertising. Advertisers see the systems impacting ROI while publishers get fair compensation. This builds a sustainable ecosystem rooted in accountability.

Alkimi’s Ad Explorer — paving the way to an open, transparent future in Advertising

Alkimi’s ad exchange seeks to restore the value exchange between advertisers, publishers, and users while significantly reducing fees and carbon emissions.

We undergo financial audits for 100% of media spend. Our ad platform, built on blockchain technology, ensures that every transaction is independently validated and recorded on a transparent and immutable ledger — the Ads Explorer. This creates a trustworthy environment for both advertisers and publishers.

The Ads Explorer accompanies the exchange, providing real-time visibility into all transactions taking place across the platform. This transparency extends to GDPR compliance, with confidential data stored securely and displayed pseudonymously on the public Ads Explorer.

In summary, Alkimi’s Ads Explorer, coupled with supply path transparency and log-level analysis, marks a transformative shift towards a more efficient, transparent, and sustainable programmatic advertising ecosystem.

To find out more about Alkimi’s Ad Exchange, click here.