Key Points

  • Jounce's January report identifies the top 100 trusted bellwether sellers that collectively control 73% of web spend, 46% of mobile app spend, and 97% of CTV spend
  • The average RTB-enabled publisher manages 23.7 direct sell-side platforms while authorizing 14.8 partners to resell their inventory
  • Rebroadcasting supply chains account for 41% of display auctions and 32% of video auctions
  • Premium publishers continue to dominate RTB spend, with bellwether portfolios capturing 62% of DSP spend

The Great Supply Chain Simplification

If you've ever felt overwhelmed trying to track the thousands of sites and apps in your programmatic campaigns, you're not alone. According to Jounce's January report, the average DSP campaign sprays investments across 44,000 different properties. That's like trying to keep track of every person at a Taylor Swift concert - technically possible, but not exactly practical.

But here's where it gets interesting: Jounce's research reveals that this seemingly infinite complexity can actually be collapsed into something more manageable. Instead of vetting individual properties, smart buyers are shifting to a seller-based approach. 

Rather than scrutinizing allrecipes.com in isolation, they're evaluating Dotdash Meredith as a whole. It's like reviewing a restaurant group instead of individually inspecting every location - if you trust the management, you can trust the execution.

This shift has massive implications for publishers considering whether to join a sales house. Here's why: When buyers focus on seller-level decisions rather than property-level decisions, they're more likely to extend their spending across a sales house's entire portfolio. 

Think about it - if an advertiser trusts a sales house's quality standards, they'll confidently buy across all properties under that umbrella instead of cherry-picking the biggest names.

For smaller publishers, this is particularly powerful. Jounce's data shows that when buyers make seller-oriented decisions, they expand delivery to high-quality sites in the long tail of the internet, finding less competitive auctions and better rates. 

It's like getting VIP access to the premium advertiser club just by having the right membership card. And for mid-sized publishers, joining forces with a trusted sales house means immediate access to premium demand that would take years to develop independently.

The numbers tell the story: The top 50 web portfolios span more than 40,000 websites and capture 82% of DSP gross ad spend. For publishers, the question becomes less about whether to join a sales house and more about which one will provide the best path to that premium demand pool.

The Power of Premium

The data shows this isn't just a theoretical exercise - premium publishers are where the money is. The January report reveals that bellwether portfolios absolutely dominate RTB spend:

  • 73% of web spend
  • 46% of mobile app spend
  • 97% of CTV spend

But perhaps most telling is what's happening in the supply chain itself. Publishers are now juggling an average of 23.7 direct sell-side platforms while authorizing 14.8 partners to resell their inventory. If that sounds like a recipe for inefficiency, that's because it is - rebroadcasting supply chains now account for 41% of display auctions and 32% of video auctions.

The CTV Revolution Continues

Speaking of supply chains, the CTV landscape is showing some fascinating shifts. The report highlights Roku's move toward non-exclusive SSP partnerships, with Index Exchange becoming their eighth authorized monetization partner. This continues the trend we've been seeing of CTV providers embracing multiple demand sources rather than exclusive relationships.

But it's not all sunshine and rainbows in CTV land. The report flags concerning growth in resold inventory from smaller streaming services. Take Gusto TV for example - their bid request volume shot up 10x in late 2024, but 99% of those requests are coming through resold supply chains. 

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What This Means for Your 2025 Revenue Strategy

As we start 2025, the report's findings point to several critical considerations for publishers:

  • The trend toward seller-based evaluation means your corporate reputation matters more than ever and being a part of a reputable sales house is an increasingly viable strategy
  • Supply chain transparency is becoming a key differentiator
  • The real money is increasingly in direct, premium supply paths rather than resold inventory

The kicker? Jounce's analysis shows that most advertisers could actually achieve better reach by focusing on a curated set of premium sellers rather than spraying budgets across tens of thousands of properties. It's like discovering you can get better coverage from a few strategically placed billboards than from plastering flyers on every telephone pole in town.

How Playwire's QPT Approach Makes All The Difference

This report validates exactly what we've been preaching with our Quality, Performance, and Transparency (QPT) initiative. While others are playing supply chain gymnastics, we're focusing on what matters:

  • Direct paths to premium demand
  • Transparent supply chain relationships
  • Strategic demand curation

The results speak for themselves - our publishers are seeing average revenue increases of 58% by focusing on quality over quantity. Because sometimes less really is more (especially when "more" means more middlemen taking a cut of your revenue).

Looking to simplify your supply chain while maximizing revenue? Apply now to learn more about putting these insights into action.

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