As publishers strive to future-proof their businesses, Snopes’ Chief Revenue Officer, Justin Wohl, offers insights on the dynamics between buyers and sellers, the impact of AI on ad ops, and future-proofing your ad tech stack.
Digital advertising has presented challenges and opportunities for publishers looking to future-proof their businesses. In a recent LinkedIn Live event, I sat down with Justin Wohl, the Chief Revenue Officer of Snopes, to discuss the key trends and strategies shaping the future of ad ops and the ad tech stack.
Wohll offered a unique perspective on the shifting dynamics between buyers and sellers. For instance, the supply side has been catching up to the buy side, becoming more sophisticated and aware of their value. This newfound empowerment is crucial to the industry’s evolution as publishers strive to optimize their partnerships and drive greater efficiency in their ad tech stacks.
Beyond the changing publisher-buyer relationship, Wohl also delved into the potential impact of emerging technologies, such as AI and generative AI, on the future of ad ops.
But he heeds a warning about Google’s trial with the DOJ. Wohl explains that the decisions made in this case could profoundly influence the future of pre-bid and header bidding, potentially unlocking more efficient and pure programmatic opportunities for publishers. “Should that unlock for us, it’ll create plenty of movement and opportunity for publishers to, like better, optimize and become more efficient with how we run our auctions and sell our inventory.”
Want to get the full scoop? Watch the full live below:
Publishers Grow More Sophisticated as Ad Tech Evolves
Over the years, the ad tech industry has significantly transformed, and publishers are still learning to find their footing. According to Wohl, the dynamic between the buy-side and sell-side has been shifting, with publishers playing a more active role.
“I think that the experience of always being on the supply side, always being on the publisher side of this business, has been one of catching up to the buy side,” he explains.
Wohll notes that publishers are becoming more sophisticated and aware of their value proposition, leading to a more balanced understanding of the tech stack between buyers and sellers.
“We’ve become smarter, more sophisticated, more aware of our value proposition. As tech understanding comes to parity on both the buy and sell sides, we should keep seeing this evolution of more sophistication and self-determination on the supply side, where we know the value of our inventory and can sell it successfully,” said Wohl.
Snopes FactBot: Integrating AI in Ad Tech
Interest in integrating AI and generative AI technologies is growing. Wohl points out the difference between traditional machine learning, which has been valuable for data analysis, and the new opportunities generative AI presents for publishers.
One example of Snopes’ use of AI is its fact-checking bot, designed to be transparent when it doesn’t have an answer. Rather than generating inaccurate responses, the bot informs users when it cannot address a query. Snopes then logs those unanswered questions and uses large language models to analyze recurring topics, providing valuable insights for the editorial team to expand their fact-checking coverage.
This strategy helps Snopes understand audience interests while expanding its content. However, Wohl also emphasizes the high costs of using generative AI. The expense per query, he explains, is significantly higher than the revenue generated from those queries — about five times more. As publishers consider adopting these technologies, Wohl advises carefully evaluating the potential benefits and costs, focusing on practical applications that can optimize efficiency and revenue.
Practical Strategies for Optimizing the Ad Tech Stack
Drawing from his own experiences, Wohl urges publishers to understand their programmatic partners’ contributions to revenue versus the opportunities provided.
“One of the recurring conversations I have with our SSP partners is about their performance. We run a direct-only auction with no reselling, involving around 20 SSPs, each with a direct seat. Every quarter, they all ask where they rank—whether they were our third-largest or smallest buyer.”
Wohl suggests that publishers should come prepared for industry events, such as the upcoming Pub Forum Scottsdale conference, with this level of partner analysis.
“I want to optimize my partners and know who sits where so we can talk about the business and why that is.” By understanding the nuances of their ad tech stack, publishers can make informed decisions about optimizing their partners, determining which ones to include or exclude from their auctions, and ultimately driving greater efficiency and revenue.
During his session at AdMonsters PubForum Scottsdale, Wohl plans to explore this concept of partner optimization.