Key Points

  • Ad curation has evolved beyond basic audience targeting and contextual alignment, becoming a crucial strategy in the post-cookie landscape
  • Buyers are increasingly seeking specialized packages that leverage unique publisher data signals that DSPs simply cannot access
  • Understanding what buyers truly value helps publishers create more profitable curation packages and command premium CPMs
  • Most individual publishers lack the relationships and scale to effectively implement curation, making partners like Playwire essential
  • Publishers who implement the right curation packages can command significantly higher CPMs and drive substantial revenue growth

In today's post-cookie landscape, curation has become the critical bridge between publisher inventory and buyer demand. But not all curation packages are created equal. As traditional targeting options crumble under privacy regulations, advertisers are desperate for new signals that indicate quality, engagement, and intent.

The payoff for getting this right isn't trivial. Sell-side players who craft curation packages that actually resonate with buyers can command premium CPMs that are 2-3x higher than standard programmatic rates. Let's break down the curation packages that buyers are actually willing to pay top dollar for – and how you can deliver them.

Why Traditional Targeting Isn't Enough Anymore

The days of relying solely on standard contextual categories and broad audience demographics are rapidly fading into the rearview mirror. As third-party cookies become extinct and privacy regulations tighten, advertisers have lost visibility into who they're actually reaching.

Cookie deprecation has dramatically shifted buyer priorities. As third-party data dries up, buyers are increasingly seeking publisher-specific signals that indicate high-quality inventory and engaged users. The problem? Most DSPs can only access limited data points through bid requests, leaving them blind to the rich behavioral data publishers possess.

This data disparity creates both a challenge and an opportunity. DSPs have traditionally been the curators, filtering inventory based on the limited signals available to them. But publishers (and their partners) now have a unique advantage – they can see user behavior that DSPs can't, from scroll depth to sequential pageviews to engagement time.

Behavioral and engagement signals have become the new premium currency in ad tech. Buyers are willing to pay significantly more for inventory that comes with granular insights into user behavior, intent signals, and content consumption patterns. This is where true differentiation happens in a crowded market.

The publishers who understand this shift and leverage their first-party data advantage are the ones who will thrive in the post-cookie world. Everyone else will be left fighting for scraps in the rapidly commoditizing open exchange.

The Anatomy of a High-Value Curation Package

Creating a curation package that actually commands premium CPMs isn't as simple as slapping a fancy name on standard inventory. There are specific elements that every successful package needs to catch buyers' attention and deliver measurable value.

A high-value curation package begins with a clear, descriptive name that instantly communicates its value proposition. Rather than generic labels like "Premium Entertainment," successful packages use specific, action-oriented names that highlight the unique behavioral signals inside, such as "Active Content Completers" or "High-Intent Shoppers." Next, you'll need a concise but specific description that outlines exactly what makes this inventory special and why it performs for advertisers.

Beyond the basics, you'll need to establish transparent validation metrics. Buyers are skeptical of black-box solutions, so clearly articulate how you measure the behavioral signals in your package. Are you tracking scroll depth? Measuring content completion? Identifying users with multiple pageviews? Whatever your methodology, be upfront about it.

Finally, the most successful packages strike the perfect balance between scale and specificity. A package that's too narrow may have impressive performance but insufficient volume for buyers to spend meaningfully. Conversely, one that's too broad risks diluting performance and undermining the value proposition.

Here's where reality hits hard for individual publishers: creating effective curation packages at scale requires sophisticated technology, strong SSP relationships, and substantial inventory volume. Most individual publishers simply don't have the technical resources, direct SSP connections, or scale necessary to create and distribute these packages effectively. 

Partners like Playwire, who maintain direct relationships with major SSPs and have the technical infrastructure to identify and package behavioral signals across a network of publishers, provide the leverage needed to enter the curation game.

The right packaging strategy can make the difference between commanding premium rates and languishing in the commoditized open exchange.

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Package Idea #1: The Active Scrollers Package

When it comes to inventory quality, few signals are as powerful as active engagement. The Active Scrollers package identifies users who are genuinely consuming content, not just passively viewing a page with ads.

This package might target users who have actively scrolled to at least 50% of the page depth before an ad impression is served. This simple but powerful behavioral signal separates engaged users from passive ones, creating a significantly more valuable audience for advertisers.

Buyers value recognizing Active Scrollers because it directly addresses one of their biggest concerns: wasted impressions on disengaged users. By focusing on users who demonstrate active content consumption, advertisers can be confident their messages are being seen by an attentive audience. 

To implement something like this successfully, publishers need a technical solution that can accurately track scroll depth in real-time and pass this data to demand partners in a standardized format. This requires both frontend development resources and established relationships with SSPs who support this type of data passing.

Active engagement signals like scroll depth represent one of the clearest differentiators between premium and standard inventory in today's marketplace.

Package Idea #2: The Bounce-Proof Users Package

Single-page visitors have long been the bane of both publishers and advertisers alike. Recognizing Bounce-Proof Users solves this problem by specifically targeting users who demonstrate a clear intent to consume multiple pieces of content.

This package might identify users who are on their second (or later) page within a single session, indicating deeper engagement with the site. These users have already demonstrated a willingness to explore your content beyond their initial landing page. 

Advertisers prize this understanding because these users typically show significantly higher engagement metrics across the board. They typically spend 3-4x longer on site, view more pages, and are more likely to remember brand messages. 

To properly implement a package like this, publishers would need robust session tracking that works across different site sections and page types. They also need established technical connections to pass this data to SSPs in a format that can be surfaced to buyers.

The difference between a bounce and a multi-page visitor represents one of the most significant value divides in digital advertising, making this information consistently in demand among sophisticated buyers.

Package Idea #3: The Content Completers Package

In an era of declining attention spans, users who actually finish consuming content have become digital unicorns. Recognizing Content Completers would allow advertisers to identify and target these rare and valuable users.

A package like this would capture users who have demonstrably consumed a full piece of content, whether by scrolling to the end of an article, watching a video to completion, or engaging with interactive elements throughout a page. 

Buyers love Content Completers because these users demonstrate both attention and intent. Someone who reads an entire product review or watches a full how-to video is exhibiting much stronger purchase intent than someone who bounces after 10 seconds. 

Implementing a package like this would require sophisticated content consumption tracking that can account for different content types and formats. It also requires the ability to pass this data to SSPs in real-time to influence bidding decisions.

The ability to identify users who thoroughly consume content represents one of the strongest quality signals available in the post-cookie landscape.

Package Idea #4: The High-Intent Referral Package

Not all traffic sources are created equal, and savvy advertisers know it. High-Intent Referral traffic recognition leverages this reality by highlighting users arriving from sources that indicate strong purchase intent.

This package might identify users who arrive from high-intent referral sources like Google Shopping, Amazon, product comparison sites, or even specific search queries. By capturing and passing the original referrer information, you can segment traffic based on the likelihood of purchase intent. Implementing something like this would require preserving referrer data across the session and feeding it into your ad decisioning system.

Buyers value this information because these users are often much closer to making a purchase decision. Someone arriving from Google Shopping or a product comparison site is typically further down the purchase funnel than someone coming from social media.

To successfully deploy something like this, publishers would need systems that accurately capture and store referrer information, including from mobile apps and secure HTTPS sources. They also need the technical capabilities to associate this data with ad calls in real-time.

Knowing where a user came from often tells you more about their intent than any other signal, making referral data a goldmine for creating high-value curation packages.

Package Idea #5: The Sequential Engagement Package

User journeys reveal intent in ways that individual pageviews cannot. Recognizing Sequential Engagement signals capitalizes on this by identifying users following specific content consumption patterns that signal high interest.

This package might track users who follow particular content sequences that indicate heightened interest or purchase intent. For example, a user who views a product category page, then specific product pages, then comparison content is showing a clear purchase consideration pattern. Implementation requires session tracking across multiple pageviews and the ability to identify meaningful content sequences.

Advertisers value this information because sequence patterns often reveal intent much more clearly than isolated pageviews. Users following specific content journeys convert at significantly higher rates, especially when the sequence aligns with typical purchase consideration paths. 

Creating a package like this would require sophisticated session tracking and content categorization systems that can identify meaningful patterns in real-time. It also demands established relationships with SSPs who can ingest and activate this complex data.

The ability to recognize intent patterns across multiple content interactions represents one of the most sophisticated curation strategies available to publishers today.

Vertical-Specific Package Ideas

While the packages above work across most publisher verticals, certain industries have unique opportunities to create highly specialized curation packages that command premium rates from relevant advertisers.

Gaming Vertical

The gaming vertical offers unique engagement signals that advertisers covet. Some ideas for unique curation signals in this vertical might be:

  • "Achievement Unlocked" packages targeting users who have reached specific milestones in games demonstrate high engagement and persistence. 
  • "Competitive Player" packages identifying users who participate in tournaments or ranked play, showing dedication and higher spending potential. 

 

Finance Vertical

Financial publishers can leverage specific user behaviors that indicate high value. Some ideas for unique curation signals in this vertical might be: 

  • "Active Research" packages identifying users comparing multiple financial products, showing clear purchase intent. 
  • "Decision Stage" packages targeting users in late-stage consideration, such as those using calculators or viewing detailed fee information. 

Education Vertical

Educational content provides clear signals about user intent and engagement. Some ideas for unique curation signals in this vertical might be:  

  • "Learning Completion" packages identifying users who finish entire courses or lesson sequences, demonstrating commitment. 
  • "Subject Expertise" packages targeting users who consistently consume advanced content in specific subjects, indicating professional interest. 

Entertainment Vertical

Entertainment publishers can capitalize on consumption patterns that advertisers value. Some ideas for unique curation signals in this vertical might be:  

  • "Genre Affinity" packages identifying users with clear preferences for specific content categories, enabling precise targeting. 
  • "Binge Consumer" packages targeting users who consume multiple sequential pieces of content, showing high engagement. 

The most successful vertical-specific information leverages unique behavioral signals that only publishers in that industry can capture, creating truly differentiated inventory opportunities for advertisers.

Technical Implementation Guide

Creating high-value curation packages requires more than just good ideas—it demands robust technical implementation. For most individual publishers, this level of technical implementation presents significant challenges. 

Building the infrastructure to capture, process, and activate on behavioral data requires substantial development resources, specialized expertise, and established SSP relationships that many publishers simply don't have. Working with a partner like Playwire provides immediate access to the technology stack and SSP connections needed to create and distribute these curation packages effectively.

Without the right technical foundation, even the most innovative curation package ideas will struggle to deliver meaningful revenue results.

How Playwire Amplifies Your Curation Strategy

Creating effective curation packages requires more than just identifying valuable behavioral signals—it demands the scale, technology, and relationships that most individual publishers lack on their own. This is where Playwire delivers exponential value.

Playwire's RAMP platform provides publishers with turnkey access to sophisticated curation capabilities. Our technology automatically identifies and segments users based on the high-value behavioral signals that buyers actually want, from scroll depth and content completion to sequential engagement patterns. Unlike individual publishers working directly with SSPs, Playwire leverages relationships with all major demand partners to ensure entry into curated packages reach the widest possible pool of premium buyers.

Our SSP relationships are particularly critical in today's curation-focused marketplace. As individual SSPs continue developing their own curation offerings, publishers need a partner who maintains strategic relationships across the entire ecosystem. Playwire's direct connections to every major SSP ensure your inventory is included in the most profitable curation packages, regardless of which platform is creating them.

"We immediately doubled our daily ad revenue when we switched to Playwire," reports Deni Latic, Owner of Levvvel.com. "It's simple: you'll get lots of emails from vendors making promises they can't keep, but it's what goes on behind the scenes that counts. And Playwire puts in the work behind the scenes that drives higher ad revenue for us."

The curation landscape is evolving rapidly, and publishers need a partner who stays ahead of these changes rather than reacting to them.

Final Thoughts

The curation landscape represents both the biggest challenge and the biggest opportunity for publishers in the post-cookie era. Those who understand what buyers actually value—behavioral signals that indicate engagement, intent, and quality—will command premium CPMs while others struggle with commoditized inventory.

The potential packages outlined here—Active Scrollers, Bounce-Proof Users, Content Completers, High-Intent Referral, and Sequential Engagement—provide a roadmap for capitalizing on this opportunity. Each leverages data signals that only publishers, or a solution like Playwire, can provide, creating genuinely differentiated inventory that buyers value.

By working with a specialized partner like Playwire, publishers gain immediate access to the technology stack, SSP relationships, and expertise needed to create and participate in high-value curation packages without massive in-house investment. The competitive advantage of early adoption cannot be overstated—as more ad tech players enter the curation game, the window for capturing premium rates will narrow.

Ready to transform your inventory into the high-value curation packages buyers actually want? Apply to join Playwire today and discover how our curation expertise can amplify your ad revenue.

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