Display ads bought programmatically,
checked for where they actually ran
Programmatic display has a reputation for opacity, ads running on low-quality inventory nobody checks. We run it with placement-level visibility and brand safety rules set before launch, because an impression nobody can verify is not worth buying.
Where programmatic budgets quietly leak
A DSP can place your ads across thousands of sites at once. That scale is the appeal, and it is also the problem. Without placement-level reporting, you can pay for impressions on low-quality or even fraudulent inventory and never know it.
The second common failure is retargeting with no frequency cap. The same visitor sees the same ad dozens of times, and it starts to read as harassment, not a reminder.
The third is buying broad audience segments with no contextual or supply-path filter. Cost per impression looks low. Where the ad actually appeared often is not.
We treat verification as a core part of the job, not an extra. Sometimes that means a smaller campaign we can fully verify instead of a bigger one on inventory nobody inspected. We pick the smaller one and tell you why, even when it means a smaller invoice for us.
What we actually do
- Placement verification. Reporting down to the domain or app level where the platform allows it. You can check spend against where ads actually ran, not just what was bought in aggregate.
- Brand safety rules set before launch. Category exclusions and inventory quality filters configured up front, not bolted on after a bad placement turns up.
- Frequency capping. Retargeting sequences built with sensible caps and sequencing, so a visitor sees a reminder, not a flood.
- Audience precision. Site-visitor pixels, CRM-based segments and contextual targeting combined, so reach does not come at the cost of relevance.
- Supply path checks. We review which exchanges and resellers the DSP buys through. Shorter, cleaner supply paths generally mean better inventory.
What you hand us to start
- A DSP account, or your agreement on which platform fits your market and budget.
- Pixel or tag access on your site for retargeting audiences.
- CRM or customer list segments, if you want first-party audience targeting.
- Clear brand safety guidelines: which categories or content types to avoid.
- A bit of patience. A verification-first setup takes slightly longer than an unchecked, fully automated launch.
How you will know it is working
We report viewable impressions and verified placements alongside cost per impression, so the number reflects quality, not just volume. Retargeting is reported separately from cold-audience display. The two behave differently and averaging them hides which part is doing the work.
Every monthly report includes a brand safety and placement quality check, flagging anything to exclude going forward.
We also review supply path depth on a regular basis. Shorter paths from advertiser to publisher usually mean less of your budget lost to intermediary fees along the way.
Price and timeline
| Option | Price | What’s included | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch or audit | from $800 | DSP setup, brand safety rules, frequency caps, first campaigns verified. | 2 weeks |
| Monthly management | from $800 / month | Ongoing placement verification, audience refinement, monthly viewability report. | monthly, no lock-in |
| Full control, handover to your team | from $1,800 | DSP setup, brand safety and verification playbook documented and handed to your team. | 4 to 5 weeks |
Related
This page sits under our Performance marketing and Analytics work. See also Retargeting and remarketing setup, Media mix and budget planning, Ad account audit and recovery for adjacent paid-channel services.
For the automation side of reporting and budget decisions, see ad performance reporting. For real numbers behind these benchmarks, read the analytics hub with an AI analyst case study.
Ready to see what this would look like for your account? Get in touch and we will look at your current setup in the first call.
FAQ
How much does this cost?
Both launch and monthly management start from $800. The price scales with how many audience segments and DSP platforms you run.
How long until we see results?
Launch takes about 2 weeks for setup and verification rules. A reliable read on quality-adjusted performance takes 4 to 6 weeks.
What ad budget do we need alongside this?
Programmatic generally needs a few thousand dollars a month to reach quality inventory at scale. Smaller budgets can still work, with a narrower, more targeted audience to compensate.
What do you need from us?
DSP account access, or agreement on platform choice. Site pixel access and CRM segments if you have them. Clear brand safety guidelines before launch.
How do you report on performance?
Monthly reports cover viewable impressions and verified placements alongside cost per impression. Retargeting is reported separately from cold-audience display.