IAB Europe Guide to Supply Path Optimisation (SPO) - Updated June 2022

This Guide has been developed by experts from IAB Europe’s Programmatic Trading Committee (PTC) to educate all stakeholders on the importance of a good SPO strategy and implementation. The first edition was released in September 2020. 

“Supply Path Optimisation (SPO) & Demand Path Optimisation (DPO) is a valuable skill worth investing in, for any organisation across the supply chain. It ensures efficiencies right across the chain, from cost, an improved win rate, and a better yield right through to greater reach across quality inventory or audience. The key to success is to understand and own your SPO or DPO strategy and to place your business interests at the heart of the strategy."
Nick Welch, Head of Programmatic and Publisher Development, IAS, and Chair of IAB Europe’s Programmatic Trading Committee

The updated guide will take you through the requirements for, and the basics of, SPO and DPO, and will enable you to dig deep to ask the right questions, demand data, and challenge assumptions. It also includes practical steps on how to start your SPO or DPO journey, adding extra checks for those that already have these in place.

The updated guide also dives a little deeper into Demand Path Optimisation (DPO) for publishers, to enable publishers to better understand how their inventory is being bought and offer more transparency.

Members of IAB Europe’s Programmatic Trading Committee came together to review and update the guide. Contributors from CNN International Commerical, IAS, Index Exchange, Triton Digital and Xandr share their expertise on what SPO and DPO enable, demystify common misconceptions, highlight the importance of SPO for the different stakeholder groups, and provide a step by step guide on how to start and implement SPO and DPO.

Thank you to the following people who contributed to the updated guide:

• Ben Hancock, Global Head of Programmatic Trading, CNN International Commercial
• Akshay Bhattacharjee, Product Manager, IAS
• Nick Welch, Head of Programmatic and Publisher Development, Northern Europe, IAS and Chair of IAB Europe's Programmatic Trading Committee
• Samir Chabab, Head of Marketing and Communications, Index Exchange
• Alberto Sanchez, Partner Integration Manager, Triton Digital
• Michael Simpkins, Commercial Lead Marketplace & Xandr Curate, Xandr

View and download the guide here - IAB Europe Guide to SPO June 2022