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Educational Resources

The Complete Ad Server Resource Center

Browse all of our educational resources about Ad Server.

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Ad Server

What is Ad Server?

An ad server is a piece of advertising technology that places digital ads in front of digital readers or viewers.

To do that, the ad server has to process a lot of information about the ads themselves, the publishers and buyers involved, the user and their data, and much more — in real-time. Ad servers fit squarely into the programmatic ecosystem, so they have to operate as massive decision engines that can facilitate the results of potentially thousands of real-time programmatic auctions per minute.

Guide

The Complete Guide to Ad Servers

Read all about ad servers from A-Z with this guide from our experts.

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Articles

Read More About Ad Servers

8 Types of Ad Servers and the Advantages and Disadvantages of Each

Like any piece of ad technology, every ad server type comes with its own advantages and disadvantages. Here's a breakdown of the 8 types of ad servers.

First-Party Ad Server vs. Third-Party Ad Server

Both first-party and third-party ad servers serve distinct and important functions in the ad tech ecosystem. Learn everything you need to know about each.

What Is an Open-Source Ad Server?

Open-source ad servers allow for near-infinite customization. But they require a lot more technical lift and management than hosted ad servers. Click below to learn why.

Video Ad Servers vs. Display Ad Servers

Video ad servers and display ad servers are often one and the same. However, the capabilities of dedicated video ad servers can be stronger. Read on to learn more.

Best Ad Servers for Publishers

Ad servers are the primary mode of delivering digital ads so choosing an ad server must be handled with care. Here’s a list of the best ad servers.

Ad Servers: Build vs. Buy

When it comes to ad servers, should you build your own or work with a partner to handling your ad serving needs? Read on to help decide, which strategy is the best option for you.

The 8 Most Popular Ad Servers for Video Ads

When it comes to video ad servers, you have to consider your unique audience, platform, and needs. If you're searching for the right video ad server for you, read on for a complete breakdown of the 8 most popular.

Ad Serving with Google Ad Manager

As part of its many offerings, Google Ad Manager provides a premier ad server that could be the perfect fit for your website or app. Read on to learn everything you need to know about ad serving with GAM.

Ad Server vs. Ad Network

Despite what you may hear people say, ad servers and ad networks are not the same thing. Each one is a distinct piece of online advertising technology. However, most publishers do use both of them. Learn more about the purposes of ad servers vs. ad networks.

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How LEVVVEL doubled their ad revenue with Playwire

2X Daily Ad Revenue

645% Higher CPMs for directly sold inventory

“ It’s simple: you’ll get lots of emails from vendors making promises they can’t keep, but it’s what goes on behind the scenes that counts. And Playwire puts in the work behind the scenes that drives higher ad revenue for us. ”

Deni Latic

CEO

Quality content deserves quality monetization. Your audience deserves respect. Your revenue deserves transparency.

Start Building Better Revenue