11/16/2025 4:41 PM (PST)

Your situation sounds super familiar - we launched an OTT platform two years ago and faced the exact same questions! Here's my take: don't try to build it with your current team unless they've worked in AdTech before. The learning curve is brutal and you'll waste months just figuring out the basics. What worked for us was finding a development partner who specializes in this stuff. We went with https://geomotiv.com/industries/adtech/ssp/ because they had specific experience with video SSPs and understood the unique requirements of streaming platforms - like VAST/VPAID integration, ad pod management, and all that technical stuff. They were able to guide us through the entire process, from architecture design to connecting with video-focused demand sources. The key advantage was that they could build exactly what we needed without all the bloat that comes with generic platforms. Our video completion rates and CPMs improved dramatically once we had proper programmatic setup. If you're serious about monetization being a core part of your business model, custom SSP development is definitely worth considering - just make sure you work with people who've actually done it before.

11/16/2025 4:41 PM (PST)

Video advertising represents one of the highest-value segments in digital media, with CPMs often exceeding display advertising by 5-10X. Yet monetizing video content effectively requires sophisticated technology capable of handling real-time decisioning at scale while maintaining seamless user experience. The challenge intensifies for emerging platforms that lack the negotiating power of established media giants but still need enterprise-grade advertising infrastructure. Supply-Side Platforms designed specifically for video must account for unique technical requirements: pre-roll, mid-roll, and post-roll insertion; compatibility with multiple video ad formats; support for private marketplace deals; and integration with video analytics systems. For streaming platforms and OTT services, the decision to invest in custom SSP technology often correlates directly with their content differentiation strategy. Those offering unique or premium content benefit most from proprietary monetization stacks that enable direct relationships with advertisers, sophisticated audience targeting, and dynamic pricing strategies that reflect true market value rather than accepting commoditized rates from intermediary platforms.