SSAI & DAI: A guide to smarter streaming ads

More users are streaming more hours of ad-supported content than ever before, and advertisers are racing to keep up. As viewers hop from app to app, they expect an ad experience that’s as seamless as their favorite show. This has created an ad tech challenge: keeping binge-worthy content free without giving audiences ad fatigue.

Enter SSAI/DAI.

These two acronyms are quietly powering the best ad experiences on the biggest screens. Whether you’re a publisher looking to maximize monetization or an advertiser aiming for higher engagement, understanding SSAI/DAI is your ticket to winning in the CTV space.

In this article, we’ll break down what these technologies are, how they work, and why they matter. Let’s dive in — no buffering required.

What is SSAI? What is DAI?

SSAI stands for server-side ad insertion, and is often used interchangeably with Dynamic Ad Insertion (DAI). SSAI and DAI describe the process of stitching ads into content before it is streamed to the user.

Bonus: Bye-bye, ad blockers.

SSAI is great at bypassing ad blockers (in fact, that’s why it was originally created). Because SSAI serves ads as part of the content stream itself, the ad blocker loses the ability to distinguish between the content and the ad.

Key advantages of SSAI/DAI

SSAI delivers real, tangible benefits for everyone in the digital advertising ecosystem. From smoother streaming to smarter targeting, SSAI brings value to the whole chain. Here’s how:

For users: Seamless, buffer-free viewing

One of the main advantages of dynamic ad insertion is a smooth, seamless viewer experience. SSAI eliminates buffering, which can both irritate viewers and encourage bounce. Another key advantage is that the quality of the ad will match the quality of the content. With quality matching, advertisements are less jarring, and the ad is more likely to hold the viewer’s attention.

The main advantage of SSAI is that ads are stitched directly into the stream. This means viewers enjoy smooth, uninterrupted content without awkward transitions or sudden quality drops.

• No buffering between ads and content
• Ad creatives match the stream quality
• No jarring cutaways or app UI interruptions

The result? A viewing experience that feels premium, even when the ad is showing. And when ads match the quality and context of the content, the ad is more likely to hold the viewer’s attention.

For publishers: More revenue, less churn

SSAI offers publishers a smarter way to monetize, especially for live and OTT content.

• Higher fill rates with dynamic, real-time ad stitching
• Works across platforms and devices (even CTVs and consoles)
• Reduced ad blocking = more impressions served
• Dynamic ad pods can be inserted based on SCTE markers (perfect for live content)

It’s a win-win: better user experience, plus more monetized impressions with fewer tech hurdles.

For advertisers: Relevant, privacy-first targeting

SSAI opens the door to contextual advertising at scale — a huge win in today’s privacy-first world. Because ads are inserted based on content, marketers can always reach viewers with relevant messages.

• Contextual targeting based on what the viewer is watching
• Ads appear naturally within the viewing experience
• Great for brand safety and creative alignment (no off-brand ad surprises)
• Real-time updates mean ads stay timely, seasonal, and relevant

Picture this: A road trip scene cuts to an ad for an SUV or trail mix. It’s relevant, non-intrusive, and it works. Ads don’t feel like ads — they feel like part of the story.

VAST vs. SSAI

We often get asked if we still support VAST tags too. Yes, we do. But there’s the catch: While VAST (Video Ad Serving Template) tags are a reliable standard, they can feel a little clunky.

Traditional VAST delivery pauses the content mid-stream, calls in an ad, waits for it to load, and then resumes playback. The result? Jarring transitions, inconsistent resolution between the ad and the content, and plenty of opportunity for the dreaded buffering wheel to make an appearance.

With SSAI/DAI, you can ditch the pause-and-pray method. Instead of inserting ads on the fly with VAST tags, SSAI uses stream tags that pre-integrate ads directly into the video stream before it reaches the viewer. This means no buffering, no awkward quality mismatches, and no interruptions.

Challenges of SSAI (and how we solve them)

As powerful as SSAI is, it’s not without their pitfalls. SSAI is essentially a third-party service that sits between the publisher and the ad server. This extra link in the chain can open the door to fraud. Here’s how: bad actors can spoof legitimate publishers, request ads from servers, and then report back fake “views.” The advertiser pays up, but the ad was never actually seen by a real human.

At Verve, we don’t allow that to happen. We built our OTT platform with SSAI fully in-house. By owning the ad stitching process end-to-end, we eliminate the risk of fraud that comes with external SSAI vendors, and help publishers keep their ad revenue where it belongs.

There’s another perk, too: less latency. Since everything runs through our own infrastructure, we can deliver stitched ads faster, resulting in smoother playback and a better viewing experience.

Fewer middlemen. More transparency. Happier audiences.

Ready to get started?

Whether you’re a publisher looking to deliver a premium viewing experience or an advertiser eager to reach engaged audiences with seamless delivery, SSAI is the key to unlocking smarter streaming monetization. And with Verve’s in-house SSAI solution, you get speed, security, and simplicity — all stitched together.

Want to see it in action? Get in touch with our team today.