Smaato Introduces Native Mobile Ads, Private Marketplace To SPX Platform

Smaato, a mobile ad exchange and supply-side platform (SSP), has introduced a native mobile ad-building function into its SPX platform, as well as a private marketplace for premium programmatic deals.

Their platform previously supported native ads, but the “point and click” nature of the update allows publishers to create ads themselves in different sizes and formats.

Smaato hopes the new functions, which allow publishers to design and sell their ads however they see fit, will boost monetization for publishers in Q4.

Smaato says the native ads drive four times higher click-through rates, although the use of CTR as a metric is considered by many in the industry to be inaccurate. A representative from Smaato says the new native ad builder is not centered entirely on CTR. The ads are viewed 53% more frequently by consumers.

With the recent announcement from Apple about the iOS 9 ad blocker, many companies are considering more deeply how to advertise on mobile. After all, poorly managed mobile ad campaigns and creatives have been shown to worsen brand and ad interaction.

Smaato doesn’t foresee much of an impact on their business from the ad-blocking update.

In an email, a company rep said: “We've been in this industry for 10 years, throughout which we've seen this topic [ad blocking] rise and fall in terms of perceived urgency. Meanwhile, our business has continued to grow steadily -- now reaching 6 billion impressions daily.”

Smaato announced an ad server for mobile publishers in January, which pits publishers’ real-time buying demand, direct sold and ad network demand against each other to find the highest eCPM. The addition of a private marketplace adds one more component to that competition.

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