A clear-eyed guide to the platforms, tools, and services driving smarter app growth in 2025 and beyond.
Read the full article at Business of Apps.
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Skipping supply-path layovers to maximize ROAS
You wouldn’t book a flight with three layovers if you could fly nonstop, right? So why settle for a multi-stop journey in your ad-buying strategy? As a programmatic trader, your job is to get from Point A (the media budget) to Point B (real outcomes) as efficiently and transparently as possible. But many programmatic paths are anything but direct. They’re littered with stopovers — DSPs, resellers, fraud filters, measurement layers — that drain fuel from your budget and delay arrival to your audience. Let’s walk through the programmatic journey — and how supply-path optimization (SPO) is your ticket for a direct flight to better return on ad spend (ROAS). What’s in your programmatic itinerary? Every trader knows that costs come with scale, data, and automation — but how much of your media dollar actually makes it through the entire journey? According to ANA’s 2024 benchmarks, only $0.44 of every ad dollar reaches the end destination: a real, viewable impression served to a human in a brand-safe environment. The rest of your budget? Waiting in line at security or stuck on the tarmac. Here’s the breakdown of that rocky route: Programmatic hop % of ad spend What it means Ad tax 29.8% Multiple intermediaries (DSPs, resellers, etc.) add markup and fees for each transaction — even if they add little value. Ad waste 26.3% This includes non-viewable impressions, invalid traffic (IVT), unmeasurable placements, and fraud. It’s like landing in the wrong airport entirely. Net effective spend 44% What actually delivers outcomes — aka the clean, final destination your campaign was targeting. Breaking down the ad tax What determines how much you spend on ad tax? An analysis of $235 million in ad spend found that well over half of transaction costs (56%) were charged by demand-side platforms (DSPs). How supply-path optimization (SPO) can boost ROAS This is where supply-path optimization (SPO) comes in. Think of SPO as your GPS for programmatic: it helps you plot the most efficient, cost-effective, and direct route between budget and performance. With SPO, you can eliminate advertising layovers and transfers like resellers and unnecessary intermediaries. Finding a more direct path for ad budgets to reach audiences creates efficiencies and offers major benefits for advertisers, including: Reduced costs: Fewer programmatic layovers means less fees. Transparency: Clearer insights into bidding, pricing, and inventory. Brand safety: Direct supply paths offer more control and reduce the risk of fraud. Sustainability: Fewer hops in the supply chain inherently reduces how much energy is used to deliver an ad. These efficiencies ultimately improve ROAS because more ad spend actually reaches your audience. So, what’s the easiest SPO route? Buying direct from a premium SSP. Direct flights only: Why SSPs are the express lane Working directly with an SSP is like flying business class, no layovers. No chaos, no mystery charges, and no detours through out-of-the-way airports. With SSPs that are validated by independent authorities (like Pixalate’s SPO Rankings or Jounce Media’s supply path reports), you can trade with confidence knowing the path is clear. As a media buyer, you’re the pilot of every campaign — and your passengers are ad dollars. You control the route, manage the fuel, and are responsible for a smooth, safe landing. So why take the long way? To ensure a smooth, profitable journey for your media dollars, work directly with a trusted SSP like Verve to reduce turbulence and eliminate hidden fees. Ready to skip the programmatic layovers and fly direct? Let’s optimize your programmatic flight plan. Book a strategy session and we’ll help you map it.
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