Reviews
Part of Why programmatic advertising reviews need a scoring method
How to shortlist programmatic advertising best providers
A practical method for English agencies comparing programmatic advertising best providers, with inclusion criteria, data rules and a scoring checklist.
What to take away
A programmatic provider is a business that buys, sells or operates automated ad inventory on a client's behalf, usually through a demand-side platform, supply-side platform or managed trading desk.
- This is a shortlisting method, not a ranked list of best providers.
- Set inclusion criteria before you look at any providerwritten scope, verified data handling and a named commercial owner.
- Score every provider on the same rubric so a preference for one sales team cannot decide the outcome.
- Check data processing against the Data Protection Act 2018, which underpins how UK ad data can be handled.
- Treat format standards as a screening question, not a tiebreaker, using the IAB UK explanation of the new online ad portfolio.
What inclusion criteria should you apply?
Write the criteria down before you take a single call. A provider qualifies only if it can show contracted inventory sources, a named trader or account lead, and a route to your own reporting data.
Candidate types include DSPs such as Google Display & Video 360 and The Trade Desk. SSPs include Magnite and PubMatic, while managed trading desks include GroupM Nexus, Publicis Media and Omnicom Media Group.
Inclusion criteria to apply
- Contracted inventory sources shown
- Named trader or account lead
- Route to your own reporting data
- Buying team and data location
- Contracting entity confirmed
- One test from your client list
Geography matters. Ask where the buying team sits, where data is stored and which entity signs the contract. Verify the UK contracting entity at Companies House before you sign. A provider serving England under a UK contract carries a different risk profile from one invoicing from another jurisdiction.
Then add one test drawn from your own client list. Sector experience, brand-safety controls or a named escalation contact will separate providers that look alike on a slide.
Media owners and platforms publish their own format rules. IAB UK sets standard ad units for UK display and video, while LinkedIn's native advertising format guidance describes its native ad option. Your shortlist questions should mirror that level of precision.
How should you score providers?
Use a fixed rubric with weighted sections: commercial terms, data handling, reporting, service model and exit. Illustrative rubric: Give each section a weight and record the evidence beside it. Confidence in a meeting is not evidence.
| Section | Weight | Sample score | Weighted score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial terms | 25% | 7 | 1.75 |
| Data handling | 25% | 8 | 2.00 |
| Reporting and service | 30% | 6 | 1.80 |
| Exit and data portability | 20% | 5 | 1.00 |
| Total | 100% | 26 | 6.55 |
How to score providers
- Use fixed rubric with weighted sections
- Record evidence beside each score
- Agree weights before seeing scores
- Lock weights for whole comparison
- Ask same questions in same order
- Record zero if provider refuses
Our programmatic advertising review methodology sets out how weighting, evidence and re-scoring work in practice, so two buyers reach the same number from the same documents.
Keep scores comparable by asking every provider the same questions in the same order. If a provider refuses to answer, record a zero rather than an assumption. The reviews and comparison methods pillar explains why an unweighted comparison flatters the loudest pitch.
Which commercial terms decide the shortlist?
A provider is only as good as its contract. Check the fee basis, the minimum spend, the notice period and who owns the data at the end.
For example, a team paying a £2,500 monthly management fee on a twelve-month term is carrying £30,000 of committed cost before any media spend. Label that as an illustrative example, not a market rate.
Ask what happens if you leave. Export rights, historical reporting and audience segments should be listed in the agreement, not promised verbally.
What does a data and format check cover?
Data questions are legal questions. Ask for the lawful basis for processing, retention periods and whether any data leaves the UK. Get the answer in writing from the entity that signs the contract.
Format questions are commercial. Confirm which ad units the provider can trade, how viewability is measured and which third party counts the impression.
Provider shortlisting checklist
- Contracting entity and buying location confirmed in writing.
- Data processing basis identified, with retention and transfer detail.
- Format and viewability rules matched to the campaign.
- Fee basis, minimum spend and notice period stated in the agreement.
- Exit terms covering data export and reporting history.
- Written confirmation of who answers for errors and make-goods.
- One named owner inside your agency for the decision.
Common questions
Should I rank providers for money?
No. Ranking by fee tells you which provider is cheapest, not which one fits the brief. Score against weighted criteria and keep the fee as one input among several.
How many providers belong on a shortlist?
Three to five is usually workable. Fewer limits comparison; more makes consistent scoring hard to sustain within one decision cycle.
Do I need a review before every renewal?
Run a light re-score at renewal and a full review when scope, ownership or data flows change. Record the reason either way.
