The main fear of a network owner: “auctions will push me out”

 

If you manage a network of screens—indoor or outdoor—you already have a classic sales model in place. You sell inventory directly: by calendar, packages, locations, through agencies, or via long-term contracts. This system is clear, predictable, and gives a sense of full control over pricing and fill rate.

 

And it is exactly at this stage that pDOOH appears, often causing caution. The network owner thinks: “It’s complicated,” “Algorithms will take my inventory,” “I’m losing control over price and the client.” These concerns are logical, but in practice they are not confirmed.

 

In a real-world scenario, programmatic does not replace direct sales. It works as an additional monetization channel that allows you to sell impressions that remain unused in the calendar. Moreover, it opens access to advertisers who previously simply did not reach you through classic buying schemes.

 

The key task for the owner is to integrate programmatic correctly so that direct deals remain “first class,” while automated buying works as a smart and controlled inventory filler.

 

 

What Programmatic DOOH is and how it differs from the classic approach

 

In the classic DOOH model, you sell placements via a contract or an insertion order. You fix the period, locations, formats, frequency, or a package of impressions, and then manage the launch manually or semi-automatically. This approach works well with large clients, but it requires time and human resources and is not always effective for small or short campaigns.

 

Programmatic DOOH works differently. Planning, buying, delivery, and measurement of campaigns are automated through the adtech stack (DSP, SSP, and related systems). For the advertiser, this means faster access to inventory and more flexible buying conditions. For the network owner, it means the ability to sell impressions more precisely and more оперативно.

 

Practically speaking, it is a way to connect your network to a demand market where an advertiser can buy impressions based on specific parameters—time, audience, geography, context. At the same time, you define the rules yourself: minimum prices, priorities, and restrictions.

 

It is fundamentally important that programmatic does not take away your calendar and does not cancel direct contracts. It only adds transaction speed and new sources of demand that organically complement the existing sales model.

 

Programmatic as part of the DOOH ecosystem, not a standalone tool

 

Today, Digital Out Of Home (DOOH) and video advertising are increasingly perceived as a single digital ecosystem, where screens are not just carriers but full-fledged media channels. In this context, programmatic becomes a logical stage of development rather than a radical restructuring of the business.

 

The technical foundation of such a model is provided by software for video walls and centralized content management systems. It is these systems that make it possible to flexibly distribute impressions, observe priorities, and run both direct and programmatic campaigns without conflicts between them.

 

For large operators, it is especially important that DOOH networks can scale without complicating processes. New screens or locations are connected to a unified logic, and programmatic becomes a tool for optimization rather than a source of chaos.

 

 

A mini-dictionary for network owners: SSP, DSP, Trading Desk — in plain language

 

To communicate confidently with agencies, integrators, and adtech partners without confusion in terminology, a network owner only needs to understand three basic concepts. They form the foundation of the programmatic ecosystem and directly affect how digital signage is monetized.

 

 

SSP (Supply-Side Platform) — the “showcase” of your inventory

 

An SSP is a platform on the network owner’s side that is responsible for selling advertising impressions. This is where your inventory becomes available to the market: with defined formats, timings, locations, and minimum prices.

 

For a DOOH operator, this is a tool of control, not a loss of influence. You decide which screens, time slots, or formats can be sold automatically and which remain exclusively for direct deals. In the SSP–DSP connection for DOOH, you always remain the party that sets the rules for access to inventory.

 

At the technical level, the SSP works together with the impression management system, receiving data directly from the screens or the network’s server-side logic.

 

 

DSP (Demand-Side Platform) — the advertiser’s “wallet and control panel”

 

A DSP is the tool used by advertisers and agencies to buy impressions. Through it, they set the conditions: in which cities, at what time, for which audience, with what frequency, and at what maximum price they are willing to buy advertising.

 

For a network owner, it is important to understand that a DSP does not “negotiate with you directly.” It only sends an impression request, while the decision—whether to accept it or not—is made by your SSP according to predefined rules. Therefore, programmatic does not mean chaotic dumping if the system is configured correctly.

 

Trading Desk — the agency-side “buying operator”

 

A Trading Desk is a service layer that operates on top of a DSP. It is used by large agencies and brands when campaign volumes become too complex for manual management.

 

A Trading Desk optimizes buying, distributes budgets across different DSPs, analyzes performance, and adjusts strategy in real time. For a network owner, this means more stable and predictable demand without the need to deeply dive into the logic of agency buying.

 

 

A short summary of the glossary

 

An SSP sells inventory, a DSP buys it, and a Trading Desk optimizes the buying process. Understanding this simple scheme removes most of the fears around programmatic.

 

 

How to combine direct sales and programmatic: calendar versus residual traffic

 

The most viable model for screen operators is a hybrid one. It allows you to retain control without sacrificing revenue and to gradually scale automated sales.

 

 

1. Calendar first — direct sales have priority

 

All premium placements remain within direct deals. These include special projects, seasonal campaigns, exclusives for specific locations, or long-term contracts with brands.

 

Such placements are strictly fixed in the schedule. They have the highest priority and never overlap with auctions. This is where the digital signage player plays a key role, ensuring precise schedule execution and eliminating overlaps between different types of campaigns.

 

 

2. Programmatic as a smart “filler”

 

All slots that were not sold directly become a resource for programmatic. These may include nighttime hours, off-peak periods, short windows between campaigns, or less popular locations.

 

You do not hand over all inventory automatically. On the contrary, you set clear access rules: where auctions are allowed, at what minimum price, and within which time frames. Here, the digital signage player plays an important role by synchronizing the schedule and guaranteeing that programmatic does not “intrude” into fixed direct impressions.

 

 

The key principle that protects revenue

 

Programmatic does not sell your business or your value — it sells your unused availability. It monetizes pauses rather than replacing core revenue.

 

When the schedule is disciplined and DOOH software is configured correctly, automated sales usually strengthen overall network monetization. They add a new stream of revenue where there used to be “dead air,” without devaluing direct contracts.

 

 

Interim conclusion

 

Combining a calendar-based model with programmatic is not a compromise but a growth strategy. With clear rules and a controlled technical infrastructure, programmatic becomes an optimization tool rather than a risk to revenue.

 

Monetization models: what CPM, CPV, AdPlays, and OTS mean

 

In the context of programmatic, it is important not to dive into “big math,” but to understand the basic logic of payment models. For a screen network owner, these are прежде всего tools for advertising monetization, not abstract media metrics.

 

 

CPM — cost per thousand impressions

 

CPM comes from classic digital advertising and is used in DOOH as a universal “market language.” It is convenient for agencies and brands because it allows DOOH advertising to be compared with online channels within a single media plan.

 

For a network operator, CPM is important because it simplifies integration with programmatic platforms and Supply-Side Platforms, but it requires a clear methodology for counting impressions to avoid questions about reporting.

 

 

CPV — cost per video view

 

CPV focuses on the fact of viewing the creative. In DOOH, this metric can be interpreted differently depending on the methodology of a specific vendor or technology partner.

 

For large formats, in particular LED billboards, CPV is often used as a conditional engagement metric, especially in video-focused campaigns. Here it is important to agree in advance on what exactly is considered a “view.”

 

 

AdPlays / Proof of Play — payment for actual playback

 

AdPlays or Proof of Play is one of the most “down-to-earth” and understandable models for network owners. It is based on the fact that the creative was played on the screen, as recorded by the system.

 

This model fits well with the real operational logic of DOOH, especially when a centralized video management system is used, which accurately records each playback and generates transparent reports.

 

 

OTS (Opportunity To See) — opportunity to see

 

OTS estimates potential audience contacts with advertising. These are not actual views, but the probability that a person could have seen the message.

 

The metric strongly depends on data sources, traffic models, and measurement methodology. It works well for large-scale campaigns where advertising screens are focused on reach, but it requires trust in the analytics.

 

 

Interim conclusion on the models

 

Choose not the “trendiest” model, but the one you can clearly and transparently confirm in reporting. It is transparency—not the name of the metric—that builds advertiser trust.

 

How to prepare a screen network for programmatic advertising: a step-by-step plan without pain

 

Launching programmatic is not a “turn on” button, but a preparatory process. Below is a practical sequence of actions that helps avoid revenue decline.

 

 

Step 1. Inventory audit: what exactly you are selling

 

Start with a clear description of your inventory. This is the foundation of any automated trading.

 

Fix a list of screens, locations, and formats; describe impression schedules (loops, slots, daily limits), as well as technical parameters—resolution, availability of sound, and allowable video duration.

 

It is at this stage that how your DOOH Display Solutions will look in the eyes of the market is determined.

 

 

Step 2. Access rules for programmatic

 

Next, you need to define boundaries. Not all inventory should be available for auction.

 

You decide in advance which locations are open to programmatic, within which time windows automated sales are allowed, and which creative formats are accepted. These are the rules that protect direct contracts.

 

 

Step 3. Pricing and floor price

 

Minimum prices are your main line of defense. Setting a floor price allows you to avoid dumping and maintain control over revenue.

 

Even in a programmatic environment, you remain the owner of the pricing logic rather than a passive participant in the auction.

 

Step 4. Moderation and brand safety

 

Automation does not mean a lack of control. Mandatory pre-moderation of creatives, prohibited categories, and requirements for legal disclaimers—all of this must be formalized.

 

This is especially important for networks with public locations and large LED formats.

 

 

Step 5. Technical stack: CMS, players, integration

 

Programmatic in DOOH always relies on technical infrastructure. The player or software for LED screens must correctly receive an impression request, execute it, and return delivery confirmation.

 

In industry guidelines, this is often described as a chain: player → CMS → SSP → DSP. The reliability of this chain directly affects advertiser trust.

 

 

Step 6. Pilot and “safety perimeter”

 

Start with a pilot. A limited group of screens, a short test period, and a clear “calendar first” priority rule make it possible to test the model without risking core revenue.

 

Separate reporting for programmatic will help you understand the real contribution of automated sales to the overall network economics.

 

 

Final conclusion

 

Preparing for programmatic is not a checkbox on a checklist, but the setup of trading rules, pricing, and control. When these fundamentals are in place, programmatic becomes a growth tool rather than a source of instability for the business.


Advision is a content management system for remote control, media planning of video and audio content broadcasting, and a supply-side platform for monetising advertising time. We also implement a Wi-Fi tracking system to measure quantitative indicators of the advertising audience. We help Digital Signage owners and DOOH advertising operators earn money from advertising, automate work processes, and build a reliable media infrastructure using AdTech and MarTech software solutions.

 

Contact us if you want to increase your profits and implement the latest technologies to solve your problems!