Beyond SPO: how publishers can take control of their supply chain

When people talk about Supply Path Optimization (SPO), they usually mean buyers cutting out the middlemen to get better prices and cleaner routes to inventory.

But there’s another side to this story — one that often gets left out. SPO can be just as powerful when publishers use it for themselves. Done right, it’s not just a technical clean-up. It’s a way to see exactly who’s touching your inventory, make smarter decisions about who gets access, and keep more of the revenue your content earns.

Why publishers can’t afford to ignore SPO

Programmatic is a huge opportunity. It brings more reach, more demand, and more ways to monetize. But it also means your inventory can bounce through multiple resellers before an ad is actually served.

Every extra hop can add fees, slow things down, and blur the picture of who’s buying and for how much. Without control, you risk:

• Losing revenue to hidden mark-ups
• Not knowing the advertisers using your space
• Damaging your brand if ads appear in the wrong context
   

A publisher-first SPO approach changes the dynamic. Instead of letting the market decide the route, you decide it.

Start with full visibility

You can’t control what you can’t see. The first step is knowing exactly who’s selling your inventory, in what way, and to whom.

That means keeping your ads.txt and app-ads.txt clean. No outdated partners, no “just in case” entries. Only trusted sellers who bring real value. It also means checking sellers.json and SupplyChain objects — they’re there for a reason. They show you exactly who’s in the chain so you can spot and remove unnecessary resellers.

And don’t be afraid to ask questions. Good partners will tell you who their buyers are, how they structure fees, and what their buying patterns look like. If the answers are vague, that’s a red flag.

Choose partners like you choose collaborators

SPO isn’t about cutting everyone out. It’s about choosing the right people to work with. People (and companies) you trust, who are transparent, and who consistently deliver results.

That might mean:

• Building direct relationships with strong demand sources
• Working with fewer, but better, resellers
• Using private marketplaces (PMPs) or programmatic guaranteed deals for predictable pricing and brand safety
   

The cleaner the path, the better your yield and the more you know about who’s on the other side of the deal.

Use tech to lift your yield

Once you’ve cleared and tightened your supply chain, the next step is making every impression work harder.

Look at your header bidding reports to see which partners bring in the highest CPMs and consistent performance. Adjust your floors dynamically based on real-time demand. Add audience data where you can to make your inventory more attractive to buyers.

And stay flexible with formats. From display to in-stream video, OTT, and CTV — the more you can match the right format to the right user, the more value you’ll see.

Why CTV should be part of your SPO strategy

Connected TV is one of the most profitable environments for publishers right now. View-through rates often hit 90%+, ads are non-skippable, and audiences are engaged for longer sessions.

For publishers, CTV isn’t just “extra revenue”, it’s a magnet for premium advertisers who want brand-safe, high-attention inventory. Bringing it into your SPO strategy ensures you’re not only cutting waste but also aligning with the highest-value demand.

Keep it moving

SPO isn’t a “clean it once and forget it” job. The market shifts. New partners emerge, some fade, and technology evolves. Make reviewing your partners, fees, and performance a habit. Keep your ads.txt current. Stay on top of new IAB Tech Lab standards and adapt early.

The more attention you give it, the more efficient — and profitable — your supply chain becomes.

Final word

When publishers take ownership of SPO, they move from being passive sellers to active managers of their own value. You decide how your inventory gets to market, you know who’s touching it, and you make sure your revenue isn’t slipping away along the way.

In today’s programmatic world, that level of control isn’t just nice to have — it’s essential for sustainable growth.