Why Brands Aren’t Buying Self-Service

With all the buzz about self-serve ad platforms, it might seem as if everyone is using them. But, as the saying goes, appearances can be deceiving.

I recently spoke with 10 peers who run ad-tech companies serving agencies and big brands. Most of these people said their companies either offer a self-service option or are in the process of building one. However, those already offering self-service said less than 10% of their customers use it.

So while plenty of different players — including vendors, publishers and ad-tech companies — are exploring self-service options, it appears that only a small portion of advertisers are actually using them, especially when it comes to the larger brands. The people I spoke with said their clients asked for the option, then ended up rarely using it.

Read the whole piece in AdExchanger’s Data Driven Thinking section.