In the fast-paced world of digital advertising, efficiency and scalability are essential for success. Ad ops professionals play a pivotal role in streamlining processes and workflows to ensure that ad campaigns are executed flawlessly, from setup to optimization.

The ad ops workflow encompasses a series of interconnected processes and tasks involved in the setup, management, and optimization of ad campaigns. Ad ops professionals use a combination of tools, automation, and best practices to streamline operations and maximize efficiency.

Pre-Sales Process: RFP & Inventory Availability (Yield)

During the pre-sales phase of digital advertising, ad ops professionals provide invaluable support to sales teams, particularly during the Request for Proposal (RFP) process. As the experts in ad specifications and product offerings, ad ops teams ensure that sales proposals are both technically feasible and optimally structured to meet client needs. This role extends to managing yield and inventory for sponsorship or programmatic direct deals (Programmatic Guaranteed and even Non-Guaranteed but High Priority Private Marketplace Deals or “PMP”), where ad ops experts are crucial in evaluating inventory availability and strategizing to secure the highest possible price for the available ad slots. Their deep understanding of the advertising landscape allows them to forecast inventory effectively, ensuring that sales teams can confidently negotiate deals that maximize revenue without overpromising on deliverables. This integration of ad ops expertise into the pre-sales process not only enhances the accuracy and attractiveness of proposals but also ensures that the inventory is utilized efficiently, supporting sustainable business growth.

Post-Sales Process: Campaign Setup

After the deal is closed, then the campaign is ready to be activated. One key aspect of ad ops workflow during post-sales is campaign setup, where ad ops professionals define campaign objectives, targeting criteria, and ad creative according to the agreed upon media plan. They leverage ad servers, DSPs, and other ad tech platforms to traffic ads and ensure they are delivered to the right audience segments.

Once campaigns are live, ad ops professionals monitor performance in real-time, using advanced analytics and reporting tools to track key performance indicators (KPIs) and identify areas for optimization. They make adjustments to targeting, pacing, and creative as needed to maximize campaign results.

Additionally, ad ops professionals leverage automation tools and workflows to streamline repetitive tasks and free up time for strategic activities. By automating processes such as ad trafficking, reporting, and optimization, ad ops teams can operate more efficiently and scale their operations effectively.

By streamlining processes and workflows, ad ops professionals can ensure that ad campaigns are executed flawlessly, delivering maximum impact and ROI for advertisers and publishers alike.

Stay tuned for part 2 as we dive deeper into specific tools both publisher-side and buy-side ad operations teams use to automate and streamline their workflows.