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DSP marketing vs. SSP

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Ad buying and selling platforms heralded a transformative era, democratizing access to online advertising and speeding up campaigns processes. The ability to reach the right audience at the right time has become more accessible than ever, marking a paradigm shift in the way digital marketing is conceptualized and executed. Now, it is common to hear terms like “DSP marketing” or “SSP”.

That’s because this new landscape is shaped by two main types of programmatic ad buying platforms, DSPs (Demand-Side Platform) and SSPs (Supply-Side Platform).

They both allow for real-time bidding, selling, and purchasing of ad spots, but work differently and serve purposes that are slightly different. In this article we will explain in detail how they work.

What is the difference between DSP marketing and SSP?

The main difference is who they are designed for. Although they are actually complementary, their names explain the difference between them. DSPs (Demand-Side) are the platforms where advertisers can access programmatic buying inventory, while SSPs (Supply-Side) are designed to help publishers sell their inventory.

Together, both allow the programmatic advertising ecosystem to work seamlessly, benefiting both parties and saving valuable time, as both are involved in the real time bidding process, which we will explain later.

What is a DSP?

DSPs are digital ad buying platform that allow advertisers to easily access all of the available publishers and screen formats, buying ad spots for a very affordable price, across different websites, mobile apps, online games, social networks and even DOOH screens.

DSPs give advertisers access to each ad spot’s performance, allowing for precise segmentation, they also provide triggers for campaign activation, real-time campaign follow up, and overall flexibility in activating and pausing campaigns, with no minimum investment period required.

What is SSP?

SSP is also a digital advertising sales platform. However, the difference with DSPs is that they are designed to allow publishers to sell ad spots to advertisers in real time.

These platforms help publishers maximize their monetization because, contrary to traditional selling methods, SSPs work through bidding, therefore selling ad spots to the highest bidders. Meanwhile, DSPs bidding systems work to give advertisers the lowest price, making for a win-win situation.

Advantages of DSPs and SSPs

Advantages for advertisers include:

  • Accurate segmentation: Determine target users based on demographics and behavioral information.
  • Flexibility: Decide how much to pay per impression and activation period.
  • Measurable results: Track performance metrics such as impressions, clicks, conversions, cost per click (CPC), cost per impression (CPM) and return on investment (ROI) in real time.

The advantages for publishers:

  • Sales optimization: Maximize sales by selling previously unsold inventory.
  • Control inventory: Choose which advertisers and brands appear on your website or app, and limit which advertisers and brands you don’t want to partner with.

As you can see, both platforms are very effective in terms of programmatic buying. If you are looking for an SSP that meets your expectations and allows you to sell your inventory with the best results, Adport is the place for you. And if you opt for an SSP, Bidsmind will allow you to boost your marketing strategies.

Black Friday: its impact on digital marketing

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Black Friday, celebrated on the last Friday of November, has become a global phenomenon that marks the beginning of the holiday shopping season. Originated in the United States, this day is characterized by massive deals and discounts offered by physical and online stores, attracting millions of consumers eager to take advantage of the most tempting deals of the year. Therefore, it has also become one of the most important dates for digital marketing and has significantly impacted companies’ year round business strategies.

The Digitization of Black Friday

Technology has been a key catalyst in the transformation of Black Friday. The digital age has given rise to a new way of shopping, with e-commerces playing a crucial role. In fact, multiple studies show that online shopping accounts for more than half the purchases made during both Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The physical shopping experience has shifted to a virtual one, where consumers can purchase products not only from the comfort of their homes, but through their phones, avoiding long lines and crowds of people.

In this context, digital marketing becomes a fundamental tool for companies looking to boost their sales. Online marketing strategies, such as email marketing, social media ads and SEM, become essential to capture the attention of consumers and direct them to deals.

Strategic Planning

But to really stand out from all the deals promoted during shopping period, companies must plan their digital marketing strategies in advance to ensure sales. This means starting before Black Friday season, during what is now called Black Month. Optimizing websites to ensure a smooth and fast user experience, executing social media ad campaigns to reach a targeted audience, and implementing SEO strategies long before Black Month are essential to raise brand awareness.

In addition, personalization has become increasingly important. Targeted offers, taking into account user’s preferences and online behavior, increases the likelihood of conversion.

The Importance of Data Analytics

Data analytics plays a crucial role when it comes to personalizing marketing strategies and offering tailored promos.

In the new cookieless environment, collecting first-party data and learning to analyze it is one of the main (and most effective) ways to evaluate strategy efficiency.

Especially during Black Friday, when companies must adjust their advertising plan and make fast decisions, knowing your data, being able to view it, and analyze it in real-time means a huge advantage to maximize results.

The Impact on Consumers

While Black Friday has revolutionized the world of digital marketing, it has also influenced consumer behavior. Shoppers are more informed and aware of deals and discounts, making them more discerning. They expect a seamless shopping experience, compelling offers and high-quality customer service.

Black Friday has evolved from a traditional shopping event to a digital phenomenon that has a significant impact on companies’ marketing. Digital marketing strategies, strategic planning, data analytics and customer satisfaction are key elements for success on this day. Companies that take advantage of Black Friday’s digital marketing opportunities can experience a significant boost in sales and strengthen their market position, increasing brand awareness and brand loyalty.

At Kimia, our companies can help you boost your business during the shopping. With Tidart, you can quickly implement SEM and Social Ads campaigns, while Biddeo focuses on video ad campaigns. With our ad network, Adport, advertisers take things into their own hands and manage their own ad formats. Check them out and maximize your Black Friday profit.

Kimia Group buys Analyticae

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We proudly announce that Kimia Group has taken another step towards innovation: we’ve acquired Analyticae, a company specialized in Data Science and Big Data.

The alliance promises to fully leverage the benefits of data science in the online marketing and advertising ecosystem, offering companies a complete and detailed view of their customer lifecycle.

For Kimia’s CEO, Daniel Gómez-Rey, the acquisition shows the Group’s ongoing commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions for the digital marketing world: “Adding Analyticae to the Group represents a significant step in our growth strategy and will strengthen our market position. In a fast-changing environment such as ours, the ability to analyze and leverage strategic data is essential for success. We are very excited to be able to provide more advanced and customized solutions to our customers.”

Through the acquisition, Kimia Group is in a privileged position to provide exceptional support to its clients in understanding the customer journey. With Analyticae, the goal is to be able to offer services that lead to the construction of stronger and longer lasting relationships between companies and customers in a highly competitive environment. Through Analyticae’s knowledge and technology, we’ll be able to offer even more precise segmentation options, hyper-personalized communications and increase process’ automation when managing marketing campaigns.

“We are excited about this new stage in Analyticae’s journey. By joining Kimia Group, we open up a world of opportunities to transform the way companies leverage data and technology in the digital world. Our Data Science expertise will complement the skills and vision of a group of companies passionate about innovation. Together, we will be able to cover all stages of the customer lifecycle, focusing primarily on loyalty, with the commitment to strengthen long-term relationships and contribute to the continuous evolution of customer management and data-driven decision making. We are determined to take data science to new heights and make a lasting impact in the digital world,” said Rocio González Martinez, CEO of Analyticae.

Kimia Group’s CINO, Carlos Molina, also celebrated the alliance: “From the very first moment we saw in Analyticae’s management team an overwhelming talent and commitment, which made us see that they could be more than just a strategic partner. With this purchase, we will not only boost and provide Analyticae with the necessary resources to help them achieve exponential growth in their current business, but we will also be responsible for promoting those internal group projects in which their contribution will help us make a qualitative leap, either by complementing current services or improving the efficiency of processes.”

For more information about Analyticae, and to hire their services, check out their website here.

Digital Marketing: From birth to Web 4.0

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When the Internet was first introduced to society in the 1990s, it was never intended as an advertising medium, but rather as a tool for exchanging emails and digital information. It wasn’t long before marketing pioneers began to realize what a big business internet advertising could be, which marked a turning point in the history of advertising.

Let’s remember the history of digital advertising, from its beginnings to how we know it today.

The 1990s: The birth of digital marketing

The period between 1990 and 2003 was marked by Web 1.0, also called traditional web. The first search engines appeared, along with the first file transfer platforms. Companies then began to take advantage of this innovation to promote their brand and distribute information without the need for user intervention, who at that time only wandered the web as if it were a magazine.

When the first e-commerce sites appeared companies began to reconsider their strategy, at which point specialists in this field began to emerge, and companies started to consider ways to reach consumers directly. This was when the term “targeting” began to be used: creating personalized campaign strategies to achieve the desired objectives. This innovation led to new marketing techniques and introduced Marketing 2.0 in the early 2000s. The term “digital marketing” became a reality.

2004: The arrival of social networks

Between 2004 and 2008, Web 2.0 took center stage. The first communities and interactive platforms were born and the terms “social media” and “web blogging” with them. It became possible to establish communication both with brands and with other users online, sharing opinions about anything, including products and services.

This type of interaction started to encourage users to share concerns, needs, and desires. The Web continued to expand and consumers got called upon to socialize virtually through social networks, forums, SMS, etc. Companies realized they could get closer to users, while these realized their opinions could be heard, increasing brand-consumer interaction.

2009 – 2011: The native era

At the beginning of 2009, the use of social networks had increased by 508% among users aged 16 to 24 and by 361% among users aged 25 to 34.

During this and the following years, many companies began to experiment with new 2.0 tools such as those that allowed direct and instant communication with consumers. For the first time, brands could send promotional messages, at any time, to a group of users who had shown interest in such communications.

Internet users were already very receptive to commercial communications. Social networks went into integrated advertising. Advertising was well accepted, targeted to quality audiences, and at a low cost.

2012 – Today: Digital marketing as we know it

With the massification of new information and communication technologies, from 2012 onwards, digital marketing managed to spread in all its contexts. Web 3.0, the one we use today, is a “smart” web, which is especially evident in search engines. There are tools and algorithms that are closer to understanding human natural language.

However, we are currently experiencing the shift to Web 4.0, a more intelligent and predictive web. It is no longer about “what the user is looking for”, but “why the user is looking for it” and “what will they look for in the future”; in other words, we are moving from explicit “search” to “search intent”. To this end, artificial intelligence is beginning to be added to current technologies.

It is clear that we are heading towards a promising future for digital marketing. Therefore, having data optimization and machine learning tools in your online marketing campaigns can make a difference.

At our agency Tidart, we have tech tools and smart bots that will take your digital marketing campaigns to the next level. Don’t get left behind. Click here to learn more.

Meet Álvaro Salinas, Biddeo’s CTO

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“I could work in Kimia all my life”, that’s what Álvaro Salinas, Biddeo’s CTO, emphasizes when talking about his path within the Group. 

One of our longest-serving employees, Álvaro started in Kimia 13 years ago as a programmer, when the company wasn’t even a group yet, and had its main office in a flat in the center of Madrid. Now he’s CTO of one of our most promising companies and manages a group of six “techies”.

Get to know his journey

Let’s go back in time. Before you arrived at Kimia, what had been your trajectory?  

Well, I started working in 1999. My first job was assembling computers in Torrejon de Ardoz, which is where I come from, but I was quite clumsy with my hands so I wanted to do something different. I got into programming, which, at the time, was an unknown world. But it quickly grew and became more important. I found myself working for important companies even before finishing college. 

And how did you end up in Kimia? 

I was working at Amena [a Spanish telecom company] at the time, as Software Sharings Manager. I had been working there for five years, when I met one of Kimia’s ex-partners and one of its ex-co-owners, shortly after its foundation. They came to Amena as consultants and eventually asked to interview me for Kimia.

Suddenly I was programming from a flat, developing mobile applications for the first smartphones on the market.

How do you remember that time?

It was very dynamic! From working a lot in apps we went to portals, and all that meant a lot of money for the whole company. But then, because of the regulations that started being passed, our profits dropped severely. Many of my colleagues left Kimia.

Throughout my years here we’ve seen very high highs, and very low lows, always adapting and changing. And that taught me what today I think is my best quality: I may not be the most intelligent or the most creative person in the room, but I adapt really really quickly to whatever change comes my way.

And how did you end up in Biddeo?

Time passed and eventually, Kimia got to a point where it became clear that it should become a group of companies rather than just one big company, to also position itself in markets outside of Spain. One of the first steps to get there was acquiring another company, and so Kimia acquired Msales.

Msales was a lot of work, and I started feeling a bit misplaced, like my time at Kimia was possibly coming to an end.

It’s true that I didn’t have vision at the time, I couldn’t see that Kimia was evolving into what it is today. I just wanted to leave. But I spoke to Iván [Carrillo, the Group’s Managing Partner] and Charly [Molina, CINO] and they had a cool project going on. It wasn’t even a company yet, they just wanted to improve this software they had in Tidart that optimized video campaigns, and they could use my help. 

I jumped in and it turned out to be the best thing I ever did: it was like changing jobs without changing jobs.

So then what? 

I became Tidart’s CTO and started developing the software that would later become Biddeo’s software. It was just a whisper at the time, kind of like a Tidart spin-off, but it was very exciting: we saw that we could optimize videos better than everyone else. So that made us realize that an independent company could be created from it. So Biddeo came to be and they turned me into its CTO as well.

Around eight months later I left Tidart to dedicate myself exclusively to Biddeo and other ad tech development projects. Tidart also needed exclusive attention that I couldn’t give, so we hired Estefanía [Morales, the agency’s CTO], and that was one of the best hires we ever did.

The Biddeo tech: building LAIA

Getting into Biddeo’s technology, how did it start? 

We’ve always used, and keep using, Python as our programming language, but, in the beginning, it’s true that we had a very simple technology that has actually become a bit obsolete for what we need Biddeo’s platform to do nowadays.

The thing is, at Biddeo we manage large volumes of data. At first, it was fine to just monitor them for tendencies and insights, but, now, we really need to read that data. The only way to read it, being such a large volume, is through AI. 

And that’s crazy. I never thought that I’d be working with artificial intelligence, but since we figured out that these systems can do much more than just create statistics – learn from videos, understand and isolate the elements of a photo – programming becomes a no-brainer. It’s something truly amazing, and also a bit scary. 

What are you currently working on, then?

Right now, besides the normal flow of work here in Biddeo, we’ve been working for a few months now on LAIA. As you know, Biddeo’s main business line is to optimize video campaigns to make them more visible on the Internet with the best prices. Nowadays, companies want to be present on the Internet, but in a “gourmet”, surgical way.

Before if we would just get a video campaign and insert it in every video, but now advertisers want their ads to be featured in specific kinds of videos or don’t want them to show up in other types, but we can’t do that manually, it would take forever. That’s where LAIA comes in: she classifies and categorizes all of YouTube’s videos based on their description and what is said in their comment section. With that, we’re able to place a company’s ad exactly where they want it.

So, for example, if you’re selling shoes for kids, you might want your campaign to show in videos for children set outdoors. But let’s suppose that in one of them someone breaks their leg, that might not work for the advertiser anymore, we can filter that.

Does it have any similarity with ChatGPT?

Yes, they’re both language based. ChatGPT reads the internet to give you any and all kinds of answers, it’s like the sun, it’s huge. Our tool only reads YouTube and is much more precise.

And why is it called LAIA?

“La IA” [in Spanish, The AI]. Charly [Molina] and Diego [Rayón, Biddeo’s CCMO] came up with it.

Would you say that LAIA is the work of your life?

I mean, at least in terms of importance and scale it is. But, the truth is that, years ago, I spent four hours one night developing a system that divided information we collected between two databases because one alone couldn’t handle all the volume. I did it super fast, without really knowing what I was doing, after a long day of work, and we ended up using that system for four or five years. Although it didn’t have the same quality as other databases made by specialists in the matter – which I am not -, the fact that I did it in one night, exhausted, and that, not only it saved our day, but also ended up working for five years, was one of the coolest things I have ever made. 

It’s true that LAIA is awesome, I even told my family about it, but I’ve made lots of really cool stuff in Kimia.

We already know that LAIA is the next big step for Biddeo but, what are the company’s long-term plans?

Well, we are in the process of internationalizing Biddeo, making it available for the whole world but with an emphasis on being close to the client, very much like a multi-tenant company. We just opened an office in Miami which is slowly growing so we are going in the right direction. Also, we hope to, at some point, get our hands on Smart TVs and streaming services. 

If we get super ambitious, what would you like Biddeo to become?

Biddeo should grow into being the best ad tech in the world. 

The Biddeo team

Let’s talk about the team behind Biddeo. Since you are mainly an ad tech company, are there more technology-focused people or…?

Well, it’s surprising, because not all of our members are tech-related. In our team, we have data scientists and programmers, as one would expect, but we also have people whose profiles are not exactly technological. We have a journalist, for example, who specializes on text processing and who is educating and training LAIA. I never thought I’d have these kinds of people in my team but I must say that it’s invigorating. 

Your team knows you for your motto: “Taller towers have fallen”. Could you talk about that?

During all these years I’ve been in Kimia, I’ve seen us make a lot of money with a lot of clients, and I’ve seen it all vanish. That’s what the motto references to: I try to keep my feet on the ground even during times of success because I’ve seen bigger projects turn into dust in just a flick of an eye. I’ve seen taller towers fall. 

Have you ever flipped that coin? That you’ve come out of deeper holes?  

Yeah, but the Biddeo team consists of that type of really optimistic and happy people, so I’m the pessimist who balances it out.

Final thoughts

Now that you’ve told us everything, if you looked back on your journey, how would you think of it. You’ve been in Kimia for 13 years, it’s the job you’ve had the longest in your life, why? 

Truth is at Kimia I feel at home. I’m not saying it’s perfect all the time, nothing is, but here I get to work with friends that have helped me when I needed to, in my job and in my personal life. We say that this is a family and it’s true. 

I know that one day I won’t be here anymore, and if they decide at some point that it’s my time to leave, then I’ll accept it, but for now, this is a safe space for me, where I can be myself, where I can learn, work with an amazing team, get over the bad days together…

So, why 13 years? I mean, why not 20? I could work at Kimia all my life. 

This chat is part of a series of interviews with our team. Click here to check out all of them so far.

Meet Carlos Molina, Kimia’s CINO

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“Merging Tidart with Kimia was probably one of the easiest decisions I’ve ever made. And now I’m the Group’s CINO and work with incredible people from all the companies in everything related to AI, machine learning, technology, and tool development.”  

Meet Carlos – or Charly, as he likes to be called – Molina, Kimia’s CINO (Chief Innovation Officer). After joining the Group in 2018, when he merged his company, Tidart, created in 2010, with Kimia, he went from being the agency’s CEO to occupying one of the top chairs of the entire group in only eight years. 

Get to know his journey

Where did it all begin? 

I’ve created many companies in my life, Tidart was the last one, that I founded in 2010, before coming to Kimia, in 2018. But my story with Kimia didn’t begin there.

The whole media buying thing was new, Kimia was thriving, growing at such a fast rate they didn’t have time to find people who knew about online marketing. They would hire physicists and mathematicians and someone had to train them. So around 2015, 2016 they hired me as a freelance to teach those new potential candidates for two weeks about everything related to media buying and performance marketing. At the end of those two weeks, they’d ask me who I thought was actually cut for the job – not only in terms of knowledge but also in terms of teamwork and things like that. So, since I would counsel them on who I thought they should hire, I ended up becoming good friends with Daniel [Gómez-Rey, CEO] and Iván [Carrillo, Managing Partner].

At the end of 2017, years after I had already stopped teaching Kimia’s potential hires, I met up with both of them for lunch. I told them all about my agency, how well it was doing, but also the difficulties of me managing everything, and they suggested that we merged. The merger happened two or three months after that.

Was it an easy decision? 

For sure, because I already knew Kimia.

Also, Tidart was at a point where it had to become more efficient. And the only way to achieve that was if I had more people on my team, not only to develop technology but also to allow me to focus only on the business. At that time I only had one programmer and a small team. On top of being CEO, I was also a recruiter, an accountant… and Kimia had a team of almost 30 developers, on top of a Human Resources department, a Finance department, and a PR department. It was actually one of the things that convinced me to merge my company with Kimia.

I’ll never forget that, right after the merger, Dani simply asked me: “What have you always wanted to do but couldn’t? We’ll try to get it done”. That showed me that I had made the right decision. Since then, even if not every idea succeeded, things have been going really well for Tidart.

Talking about things going really well for Tidart, what changed in the agency by being a part of Kimia? 

The agency’s growth skyrocketed thanks to the level of service we managed to provide, and thanks to the people and the tech that we had access to. When the merger happened, we were ten people in Tidart, now we’re more than 50. Also, from 2018 to now, our profit quadrupled.

And what changed about you, from being Tidart’s do-it-all-CEO to Kimia’s CINO?

I feel like, in the beginning, the hardest part, and what I had to learn how to do, was to delegate. It’s difficult to delegate and I had a hard time, but, simultaneously, it was what took the weight off my shoulders, and what allowed me to fully mature in my role. I found in Kimia people that were very talented, who I learned to trust and, because of it, out of all the companies I’ve ever founded, Tidart is the most successful one.

Speaking of talented people, how’s your relationship with the team? 

It’s very easy to work with everyone. I actually had already met part of the team before the merger and it was one of the things that convinced me to go through with it. 

The cool thing about them is that everyone who works in the Group is very similar or shares the same values, based on teamwork, on helping out the person sitting next to you if they need a hand. So I feel very comfortable. 

And now that you’ve become a CINO, how do you like the change? 

Firstly, I want to say that this change doesn’t mean that I’ve closed the doors on Tidart. As Kimia’s CINO, I still work to develop technological solutions for them. But the agency does now have a new CEO [Antonio Ramírez] and he’ll take on all of my load regarding its business. 

Antonio was the agency’s first employee. He later left the company when we were six or seven people, and finally came back as COO, so he’s been in Tidart for a very long time, knows it very well, and was a fundamental part of the agency’s growth. I think he’s the best person to continue leading the company toward where we first imagined we wanted it to go.

I won’t say that this is like taking a weight off my shoulders because I loved being Tidart’s CEO. Still, I was already getting involved with other projects [like founding Biddeo], and I knew that I could give a more valuable contribution to the Group as CINO.

So I’m really excited about this new challenge I’ve been awarded. 

So what are you currently working on?

We have a few projects on the horizon, right now. All of them are related to AI and machine learning.

In our industry, many times companies say that they work with machine learning or that they have their AI tools, but upon further inspection, you realize it’s not true. In our case, it is true. We’re working with image classification, video filtering, and things like that, that are actually useful to clients. 

Biddeo has a really cool AI tool that will be launched shortly, so I’m very excited.

All those changes and new projects sound very exciting. Is that what you like the most about your job? What keeps you inspired? 

I think I’m one of those people who feel fulfilled by working. I’m actually very privileged to work with what I like and be able to make a living out of it. I don’t mind working as many hours as I have to because I’m that passionate about it. 

In fact, the day that this job no longer inspires me (if that day ever comes, and I hope it doesn’t), I’ll have to go find something else, because one spends too much of one’s time working, so you might as well enjoy it. 

This chat is part of a series of interviews with our team. Click here to check out all of them so far.

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