Who is winning the never-ending turf war between DSPs and SSPs?

Summary

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MarTech Podcast Episode Summary

Episode Title: Who is winning the never-ending turf war between DSPs and SSPs?
Release Date: October 7, 2025
Host: Benjamin Shapiro
Guest: Amanda Martin, Chief Revenue Officer at mediavine

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Overview

This episode of the MarTech Podcast dives into the ongoing competition and relationship between Demand-Side Platforms (DSPs) and Supply-Side Platforms (SSPs) within the programmatic advertising ecosystem. Amanda Martin, CRO of mediavine, shares her expertise on where the balance of power is shifting, how the market is evolving (especially for niche DSPs), and strategies publishers can employ to future-proof their ad monetization efforts.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Balance of Power: DSPs vs. SSPs

• Amanda Martin discusses the dynamic, ongoing "turf war" between DSPs and SSPs, ultimately suggesting that the competition is nuanced and outcome depends on stakeholder priorities.
  • "Depends on the day and the headline, but I think ultimately it's going to be brand's affinity of what path they choose and what relationship they value the most." – Amanda Martin [01:44]
• She acknowledges the commoditization of the SSP market—suggesting it is no longer significantly differentiated.
  • "I definitely think the SSP market is commoditized and that not all will win. My concern is that will the DSPs take out the advocates of the publishers?" – Amanda Martin [01:44]
• The ultimate winners will enable more directness and transparency, benefiting both buy- and sell-sides.
  • "I would say that directness is going to win in the end, and I think DSPs and SSPs alike will win in that battle." – Amanda Martin [01:44]

2. Clarifying the Roles of DSPs and SSPs

• The host asks for clarification on the nature of each side and how commoditization has impacted them.
  • "There's the supply side and you're saying that's been commoditized... You didn't say that the buy side was commoditized. Who are the players and what are some of the differences between them on the DSP side?" – Benjamin Shapiro [02:25]

3. Major DSP Players and Market Landscape

• Amanda lists the major players:
  • Google (the incumbent)
  • The Trade Desk (successful independent)
  • Amazon (the challenger; "I wouldn't bet against Amazon in any race.")
  • Other longtime platforms like Yahoo, Basis, Viant
• She notes a significant shift: niche, vertical-specific DSPs are expanding, offering tailored solutions for specific advertiser segments.
  • "There's actually been a lot of development in niche vertical-specific DSPs...which is actually a nice expansion for us to see, because publishers getting revenue from more than a few sources is a safer space for us." – Amanda Martin [02:49]

4. Niche DSPs: Examples and Benefits

• Examples:
  • PulsePoint: "You're going to see a ton of pharma come through."
  • Viant: "You're going to see a lot of local, regional, independent agency spend come through those pipes."
• These platforms provide diversification for publishers by bringing in revenue from vertical- or region-specific sources not necessarily reached by larger, generalist DSPs.
  • "No buyer is only buying in one seat...you have a lot of revenue coming from 4 to 5 to 10 DSPs all at the same time. So it definitely diversifies where you're getting your paycheck." – Amanda Martin [03:49]

5. Best Practices & Takeaways for Publishers

• Diversification is key: publishers should establish relationships with multiple DSPs, including niche players, to safeguard revenue and reduce dependency on a single platform.
• Directness and transparency in deals will likely determine long-term success in this evolving landscape.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Market's Complexity:

  "Depends on the day and the headline, but I think ultimately it's going to be brand's affinity of what path they choose and what relationship they value the most."
  — Amanda Martin [01:44]

• On Commoditization:

  "The SSP market is commoditized and that not all will win. My concern is...will the DSPs take out the advocates of the publishers?"
  — Amanda Martin [01:44]

• On Growth of Niche DSPs:

  "...there's actually been a lot of development in niche vertical-specific DSPs...publishers getting revenue from more than a few sources is a safer space for us."
  — Amanda Martin [02:49]

• On Diversification:

  "No buyer is only buying in one seat...you have a lot of revenue coming from 4 to 5 to 10 DSPs all at the same time."
  — Amanda Martin [03:49]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:44] – Amanda introduces her take on the DSP vs. SSP turf war
• [02:25] – Benjamin presses for clarity on buy- vs. sell-side commoditization and players
• [02:49] – Amanda details key DSP players and the evolution of niche DSPs
• [03:49] – Specific examples of niche DSPs and impact on publisher revenue streams

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Final Thoughts

The episode concludes with practical advice for publishers and marketers: diversify your monetization stack, prioritize transparency and directness in deals, and keep an eye on both industry giants and emerging niche players to future-proof your business.

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For more on Amanda Martin or to explore publisher solutions, visit mediavine.com.
Find more episodes and resources at martechpod.com.

Transcript

[Podcast Announcer]

The Martech Podcast is a proud member of the I Hear Everything Podcast Network. Looking to launch or scale your podcast, I Hear Everything delivers podcast production, growth and monetization solutions that transform your words into profit. Ready to give your brand a voice? Then visit iheareverything.com.

[Benjamin Shapiro]

From advertising to software as a service to data across all of our programs and clients, we've seen a 55 to 65% open rate. Getting brands authentically integrated into content performs better than TV advertising. Typical lifespan of an article is about 24 to 36 hours. We're reaching out to the right person with the right message and a clear call to action. Then it's just a matter of timing.

[Podcast Announcer]

Welcome to the Martech Podcast, a member of the I Hear Everything Podcast Network. In this podcast, you'll hear the stories of world class marketers that used technology to drive business results and achieve career success. Here's a host of the Martech Podcast. Benjamin Shapiro.

[Benjamin Shapiro]

I'm Benjamin Shapiro and joining me today is Amanda Martin, the Chief Revenue Officer at mediavine, the largest independent ad management firm in the US that helps publishers maximize revenue through advanced monetization and data solutions. And today Amanda will reveal which strategies are actually working for publishers and how to future proof your monetization stack in 2025. Who is winning the never ending turf war between DSPs and SSPs?

[Amanda Martin]

Depends on the day and the headline, but I think ultimately it's going to be brand's affinity of what path they choose and what relationship they value the most. I think in a perfect world neither one wins over the other, that there's a balance of both. But I definitely think the SSP market is commoditized and that not all will win. My concern is that will the DSPS take out the advocates of the publishers? And so we, we have an arm in both fights and I would say that directness is going to win in the end And I think DSPs and SSPs alike will, will win in that battle.

[Benjamin Shapiro]

All right, so it's always confusing to me to define what the DSPS and the SSPS do. There's the supply side and you're saying that's been commoditized. So there's not a huge difference between who you're selling your ad inventory through. You didn't say that the buy side was commoditized. Who are the players and what are some of the differences between them on the DSP side?

[Amanda Martin]

Well, on the DSP side you have obviously the incumbent, which is Google, you have the successful independent, which is the trade desk, you have the challenger, which is Amazon, and I would say I wouldn't bet against Amazon in any race. And then you have kind of some of the longstanding, the yahoos of the world, you have the basis, you have the viance, and then you have the niche DSPs, which is actually something that's expanding rather than retracting instead of them saying, oh, there's a fight with five clear, you know, front runners. There's actually been a lot of development in niche vertical specific DSPs where the buying is very specific to the vertical of advertiser they serve, which is actually a nice expansion for us to see because publishers getting revenue from more than a few sources is is a safer space for us.

[Benjamin Shapiro]

Give me some examples of niche DSPs.

[Amanda Martin]

If you look at the buying pattern of like a pulse point, which is an SSP/DSP experience, you're going to see a ton of pharma come through. You're going to see a ton of specific vertical spend. If you look at a vayant, you're going to see a lot of local, regional, independent agency spend come through those pipes. So spend you're not competing for necessarily somewhere else. And then the reality is that no buyer is only buying in one seat. And so you have a lot of revenue coming from 4 to 5 to 10 DSPs all at the same time. So it definitely diversifies where you're getting your paycheck.

[Benjamin Shapiro]

All right, that wraps up this episode of the Martech Podcast. Thanks for listening to my conversation with Amanda Martin, the Chief Revenue Officer at mediavine. If you'd like to contact Amanda, you could find a link to her LinkedIn profile in our show notes or on martechpod.com or you could visit her company's website, which is mediavine.com if you haven't subscribed yet and you want a daily stream of marketing and technology knowledge in your podcast feed, hit the subscribe button in your podcast app or Visit us on YouTube and we'll be back in your feed next week. All right, that's it for today, but until next time, my advice is to just focus on keeping your customers happy.

[Amanda Martin]

Foreign.

[Podcast Announcer]

Thanks for listening to the Martech podcast and I hear everything. Production Looking to launch or scale a podcast like this one for your brand? Then visit iheareverything.com.