Glossary

Supply Path Optimisation

The practice of analysing and consolidating the number of intermediaries (exchanges, resellers, curators) an impression passes through between publisher and buyer, in order to reduce cost and improve transparency.

SSP & Ad SupplyAdvancedAlso called: SPOSource: Industry consensus

Definition

The practice of analysing and consolidating the number of intermediaries (exchanges, resellers, curators) an impression passes through between publisher and buyer, in order to reduce cost and improve transparency.

Why it matters

Every intermediary an impression passes through typically takes a fee — SPO is directly about how much of a media budget actually reaches working media versus the supply chain around it.

Key consideration

Fewer hops is not automatically better if it means losing access to genuinely valuable curation or quality filtering along the way. SPO should optimise for value per hop, not just hop count.

Related terms

Practitioner notes

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