An ad server provides you with an interface to monitor essential metrics, set frequency capping, optimize all ad activities, track performance, and generate valuable reports based on parameters such as conversions, impressions, clicks, conversions, ROI, ad size, and formats, etc.
Check out our list of the top seven most preferred ad servers for advertisers (third party ad servers) and publishers (first party ad servers).
Table of Content
For advertisers (third party ad servers)
1. OpenX
This is one of the most well known and popular ad servers among the advertisers. Open X can execute campaigns directly or through built-in programmatic tools.
Key features:
- Has the ability to micro-target the audience.
- Powerful built-in data analytics.
- Easy access to 12 months of previous data.
- Customization of campaign reporting.
- Integrated with OpenX Ad Exchange, where the users can sell unsold space.
- Automatic optimization and real time reporting.
2. Sizmek
The company spent the last fifteen years of its business in industry innovations like video, rich media, and multi-channel advertising.
Sizmek is the world’s largest third-party ad server, equipped with all essential tools and features for multi-channel advertising.
Here the pricing is dependent on the number of users involved.
Key Features:
- Offers a high degree of creative control over the campaigns.
- Automatic optimization.
- Equipped with specific tools such as Ad Builder for HTML5.
- An all-inclusive platform where all tools and equipment are enabled for creating and managing the data.
- Robust analytical tools to analyze the user data in real-time.
- Have 24×7 customer support.
- More emphasis on collaborative data-information collected within the platform and is viewed as a whole.
- Excellent for larger companies to collaborate across multiple users.
3. DoubleClick Campaign Manager (DCM)
DCM works best in serving ads across a multitude of devices in various dimensions. This is one of the most widely used demand-side ad servers.
The platform works efficiently in simplifying ad campaigns for advertisers.
Key Features:
- Have integration with double click verification.
- Easy to use interface.
- Have centralized campaign management.
- Real-time updates through insights derived from cross channel targeting.
- Excellent fraud protection features.
For publishers (first-party ad servers)
1. AppNexus
Recently rebranded as ‘Xandr,’ this is one of the leading ad-tech companies in the advertising world. AppNexus has a built-in marketplace, server, and SSP where you can run a unified auction for all your buyers.
It has a powerful data analytics tool that analyzes two years’ previous data to give you the inventory and estimated yield.
Key features:
- Provides premium support.
- Equipped with SSP.
- Supports native ads, display ads, and highly interactive video ads.
- Can be used to deliver video for all screen sizes.
2. DoubleClick for Publishers (DFP)
Owned by Google, this is one of the most popular ad servers among publishers.
DFP is equipped with cross-platform support and has a multitude of programmatic options to serve ads across apps, desktops, mobile sites, tablets, and desktops from a commonplace.
Key Features:
- Excellent reporting and analytics tool.
- Highly intelligent and intuitive interface.
- Easy to use interface for non-advertising professionals.
- Powerful analytics tools.
- Integrated into the rest of Google’s ad network, including AdSense.
- Highly reliable with excellent customer care support.
3. Broadstreet
This platform is designed for serving ads mainly in local magazines and newspapers. Broadstreet is mainly designed for local publishers, but it works best even for small and medium-sized businesses that focus directly on sales.
The user interface is designed simple and user-friendly, making it easier for nonusers to work on it without any specific ad ops knowledge.
Key Features:
- Broadsheet provides a large library of ad formats for the marketers to create an ad of their choice with ease.
- The platform also enables the users to integrate their ads with WordPress, serve ads in email newsletters, automated reporting, and manage all the ad activities through a dashboard.
- Excellent customer support.
- Very reasonable pricing.
4. AdGlare
This platform works as an excellent cookie-less ad server for publishers as well as advertisers and has a global infrastructure across three continents.
AdGlare supports rich media, even in-stream video ads, and banner displays. The advertiser can see a live demo on the ad server if they choose to.
The platform is equipped with all the functionalities of an ad server, from ad setting up to targeting across multiple geographical locations.
Key Features:
- Keeps a cap on the frequency of visitors.
- Enables geo-targeting even in small locations such as towns and cities.
- Excellent dashboard for users to track and manage the advertising campaigns
- Easy integration with several subsystems such as content management.
- Conversion features such as geo-targeting and browser targeting help to interact with the most relevant audience group.
To Wrap Up
While choosing an ad server, it is vital to keep in mind that the choice is completely dependent on individual needs. Just because an ad server gave great results for some business doesn’t mean it will work effectively for yours.
It is important to carefully evaluate your advertising goals and research thoroughly before finalizing an ad server.
This article is a part of our comprehensive guide on “What Is An Ad Server And Why You Should Use It?“
