Key Points

  • Jounce's latest report reveals dramatic traffic pattern shifts heading into election season, with some publishers seeing up to 1,282% increases in specific verticals
  • Their research shows the average publisher is managing 24.4 direct sell-side platforms while authorizing 15.2 partners for resold auctions
  • According to the report, premium publishers continue to dominate RTB spend, with the top 89 portfolios capturing 59% of all DSP dollars
  • Jounce data indicates massive CTV growth, but raises red flags about multiply-resold inventory

The Traffic Surge Tsunami: Not All Waves Are Worth Riding

Jounce's November report pulls back the curtain on traffic surges, and spoiler alert: they're not all created equal. Their data reveals five distinct patterns in today's RTB landscape, and knowing which is which could mean the difference between revenue gold and monetization mayhem.

The report highlights everything from seasonal surges (as predictable as your aunt's holiday fruit cake) to new market entrants bursting onto the scene like an energy drink-fueled teenager at a LAN party. Take 270towin.com for example - Jounce's data shows it's about to become a top 10 global site as election fever kicks in.

But here's where Jounce's findings get interesting (and by interesting, we mean potentially problematic): their research exposes rampant auction duplication, especially in CTV. Imagine telling three different people to buy you coffee, and they all show up with the same cup. That's essentially what's happening with some inventory – it's getting resold so many times, it's like a digital game of hot potato.

The Publisher Juggling Act: Managing Multiple Partners

The numbers from Jounce's report are enough to make your head spin: publishers are managing an average of 24.4 direct sell-side platforms while simultaneously authorizing 15.2 partners to resell their inventory. That's more partners than a square dance convention.

Their analysis shows this isn't just about having multiple demand sources (though that's certainly part of it). It's about managing what Jounce reveals to be an increasingly complex ecosystem where each partner needs to pull their weight without stepping on each other's toes. Think of it like conducting an orchestra where every instrument is also trying to be the soloist.

The real kicker? Jounce's data shows rebroadcasting accounts for 41% of display auctions and 37% of video auctions. That's a lot of middlemen trying to get their slice of the pie. And while some intermediaries add value, others are just adding complexity and reducing your take-home revenue faster than a crash diet.

Premium Publishers: Still Kings and Queens of the RTB Castle

Another interesting finding from Jounce's November report: premium publishers are still where the money is. Their data shows the top 89 premium portfolios are capturing 59% of all DSP spend. That's like being the cool kids' table in the high school cafeteria, but with way better ROI.

According to Jounce's analysis, this concentration of spend isn't just about brand recognition – it's about trust, quality, and consistency. Their research shows major platforms like Magnite, Google, and Xandr maintaining 80-90% market coverage because they've built the infrastructure to support premium inventory at scale. It's like they've built a highway system while others are still paving dirt roads.

The report also spotlights some fascinating movement in the space, with platforms like Seedtag growing their coverage by 10% in a single month. That's the kind of growth that makes venture capitalists weak in the knees. But remember: growth without quality is like a sugar rush – exciting at first, but followed by a crash.

The CTV Gold Rush: Fool's Gold or Real Revenue?

Jounce's data on CTV is particularly eye-opening. Take a set of top Weather apps - the report shows they've seen 5x growth in the past year. If you're thinking "that's impressive," hold onto your hat, because there's more to this story.

Here's the catch that Jounce's analysis reveals (because there's always a catch): much of this growth is coming through resold inventory. Their data shows the resold inventory portion of WeatherNation's revenue dramatically outpacing direct sales. It's like someone buying tickets to a hot concert just to scalp them outside the venue. Sure, the tickets still get sold, but everyone's paying more and the artist (that's you, publisher) is making less.

The report makes it clear: direct supply paths in CTV are where the real opportunity lies. When you cut out the middlemen, you're not just increasing your revenue – you're also maintaining control over your inventory and ensuring a better experience for both advertisers and viewers. It's like farm-to-table, but for ad impressions.

What This Means for Your Revenue Strategy

As we analyze Jounce's findings ahead of the 2024 election cycle, their traffic predictions are particularly noteworthy. Their data shows election-related sites like 270towin.com already seeing surges that would make a pop star's streaming numbers jealous. And according to their research, this is just the beginning.

The report's findings make it clear: it's not just about riding the wave – it's about surfing it skillfully. Jounce's analysis points to several critical factors: monitoring seasonal patterns, watching for auction duplication (their data shows it's more prevalent than you might think), and focusing on direct supply paths whenever possible. Think of it as spring cleaning for your ad stack, except you should be doing it year-round.

Looking at Jounce's comprehensive data, one thing becomes crystal clear: the publishers who will win in 2024 are the ones who treat their inventory like the premium product it is. Their research shows being selective about partners, vigilant about supply paths, and ruthless about optimization isn't just good practice – it's essential for survival in today's RTB landscape.

How Playwire's QPT Approach Makes All The Difference

Speaking of treating inventory like the premium product it is – this is exactly where Playwire's maniacal focus on Quality, Performance, and Transparency (QPT) comes into play. While others are playing quantity games with resold inventory and auction duplication (we see you, supply chain shenanigans), we're taking a dramatically different approach.

Here's how our QPT initiative tackles the exact challenges highlighted in Jounce's report:

Quality: While the report shows many publishers drowning in a sea of 24.4 sell-side platforms, we're strategically curating demand partners based on their ability to deliver premium demand. Our publishers are seeing an average 58% increase in revenue by focusing on fewer, better-quality placements rather than playing the volume game. Because sometimes less really is more (especially when "more" means more middlemen taking a cut of your revenue).

Performance: Remember that Weather app example, where resold inventory was creating a messy web of supply paths? That's exactly what we help publishers avoid. Our platform gives you direct access to premium demand partners, cutting through the noise and eliminating unnecessary links in the supply chain. It's like having a FastPass at Disney World – you're skipping the lines and getting straight to the good stuff.

Transparency: Improving transparency between players in the ecosystem means we can all play better together. The results from our QPT initiative have shown that our publishers have been heavily rewarded for this approach.

The best part? This isn't just theory – our publishers are seeing the results. When you combine strategic demand curation with proper supply path optimization and real-time analytics, magic happens. And by magic, we mean cold, hard cash in your pocket.

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