Understanding Demand Partner Relationships
The Publisher’s Role
In the dynamic landscape of digital advertising, publishers often face challenges in navigating the complexities of demand partner relationships. To thrive, publishers must recognize their ability to negotiate and demand more from their demand partners. Sharing best practices among publishers is crucial for fostering a market that benefits both advertisers and publishers. Establishing standards in demand partnerships allows publishers to ensure alignment with their business objectives.
Data Ownership and Usage Rights
Protecting Your Most Valuable Asset
Clearly defining data ownership and usage rights from the outset of any partnership is essential. Publishers bear the greatest risk concerning compliance and reputation, as their brand is associated with any data misuse. Bid, audience data, and premium context, when used correctly, can be a publisher’s most powerful asset. Publishers should retain ownership and grant partners non-exclusive, revocable usage rights. For instance, a publisher might stipulate: “The Vendor acknowledges and agrees that the [publisher name]’s auction, bid, audience, and site data shall be owned by the [publisher name]”.
The Importance of Auditing Partners
Ensuring Honesty and Alignment
Regularly auditing partners is a sound business practice that keeps them accountable and provides opportunities to reassess and realign the partnership. While quarterly or yearly audits of every partner may not be feasible, having the right to audit is valuable. Publishers can include a provision like: “The Vendor acknowledges and agrees that [publisher name] will maintain full audit rights pertaining to the transactions carried out on behalf of [publisher name] and executed via the Vendor’s platform and agrees to store all auction records including events for a minimum period of 12 months”.
Implementing Accountability Measures
Practical Steps for Publishers
Putting these principles into practice involves sending a survey to new partners to initiate informed conversations and apply a quality scoring system. Incorporating these principles into a Master Demand Contract helps maintain consistent standards across all partners. Quarterly business reviews can assess partner performance and adherence to these principles, allowing publishers to address any shortcomings. Using headings (H1, H2, H3) correctly can improve the structure, relevance, and readability of your content. The first paragraph should introduce the topic, with subsequent paragraphs and sub-paragraphs exploring its nuances in depth.