At A Glance
Curation is changing how media is bought and sold, moving beyond open auctions and static site lists to more efficient deals. By combining unique data, real-time supply connections, and continuous optimization, curated PMPs reduce waste and improve results. Audigent's, a part of Experian, solutions help marketers achieve measurable outcomes with curated strategies that deliver better targeting, higher engagement, and improved ROI.If you buy media today, you’re already feeling the shift: the best results don’t always come from broad, open auctions or static “safe site” lists; they’re coming from deals that combine the right data with the right inventory and let algorithms optimize in real time. That’s curation. And when it’s done right, it reduces data and media waste for buyers and raises eCPMs (effective cost per thousand impressions) and win rates for publishers.
As part of our Cannes Content Studio series, leaders from Butler/Till, Index Exchange, OpenX, PubMatic, and Yieldmo discuss how curation cuts waste and lifts results.
What is real curation?
Real curation isn’t “packaging inventory.” It’s a strategic framework built on three pillars:
1. Unique data
Privacy-compliant and accurate.
2. Strong supply connections
Access to quality inventory from publishers at scale.
3. Optimization tools
To measure, refine, and improve performance throughout the campaign lifecycle.
Why it matters: Manual approaches hit a ceiling. They can’t react quickly to shifting content, identity signals, or auction dynamics. That’s where technology partners come in, keeping the optimization loop running continuously.
Intelligence at every touchpoint
Curation isn’t about shifting control between platforms. It’s about better brand decisions, connecting opportunity-rich supply to the brand’s preferred buying platform and enriching each buy with audience data. In practice, supply-side platforms (SSPs) are ingesting richer signals to route inventory more effectively and support frequency caps and deal prioritization, in collaboration with demand-side platforms (DSPs).
“I think we’re seeing a shift toward bringing more DSP capabilities into the SSP, like supply-side targeting and data driven curation. Advancements in areas like CTV are enabling targeting based on content signals, and SSPs are pulling in more data to inform which supply is sent to the DSP, helping with things like frequency caps.”
OpenXMatt Sattel
Why page-level targeting beats static lists
Static domain lists were a useful first step for quality control. The intent was sound, but the approach was too cumbersome for today’s signal-rich buying. Today, AI and contextual engines read the page, not just the site, and adapt in real time.
Page-level logic delivers three key benefits:
- Accuracy by targeting high-intent, page-level content.
- Relevance by matching the creative to both the content and the audience context.
- Speed by enabling campaigns to move away from underperforming pages in real time, without waiting for a manual trafficking change.
“AI-driven contextual engines evaluate the page, not just the domain, to curate inventory in real time. That moves curation from static allowlists to adaptive logic for greater accuracy, relevance, and speed.”
YieldmoSophia Su
Partnerships broaden who influences the buy
Curation works when publishers, agencies, data partners, and platforms share signals and KPIs.
- Horizontal curation (across multiple SSPs) assembles broader, higher-quality reach and resilience, ideal for scale and diversity of supply.
- Vertical curation (an SSP’s in-house product) provides deep controls within a single exchange, useful for specific inventory strategies.
- Creative and data now shape supply and demand: better creative decisioning, tested against richer signals, improves outcomes.
DSPs remain central for activation and pacing. But the sell-side’s growing intelligence means more accurate inventory routing and signal application before a bid ever fires.
“Curation will continue to evolve through deeper data partnerships and expanded use across publishers and agencies, with more sophisticated types of optimization. DSPs will remain critical to activation, even as sell-side decisioning plays a larger role in identifying and shaping the supply to select.”
Index ExchangeMike McNeeley
Curation delivers access and measurable performance
Here’s what curated deals are delivering.
For buyers
| Result | Type of result |
| 36-81% | savings on data segments |
| 10-70% | lower cost per click (CPCs) |
| 1.5-3x | higher click-through rates (CTRs) |
| 10-30% | higher video completion rates |
For publishers
| Result | Type of result |
| 20% | bid density |
| 118% | win rate |
| 10% | revenue on discovered inventory |
| 25% | eCRM on incremental impressions |
Why it works: When data, supply, and optimization are integrated, you reduce waste, surface better impressions, and let algorithms compound your advantage. That’s why curated private marketplaces (PMPs) have grown at ~19% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) since 2019.
“Publishers using supply-side curation see ~15% more diverse buyers and 20–25% better performance than buy-side-only targeting. Smarter packaging and signal application tighten auctions and strengthen outcomes.”
PubmaticHoward Luks
Holistic curation streamlines planning and outcomes
Curation adds the data layer earlier in the buying process, starting at the supply-side. This creates more opportunities to reach the right audience and improves scale and performance. By replacing multiple line items with a single curated deal, campaign setup becomes faster and less error-prone. Curated deals also simplify measurement by including the necessary context for accurate attribution, while dynamic adjustments ensure campaigns remain optimized without requiring manual updates.
“Publishers using supply-side curation see ~15% more diverse buyers and 20–25% better performance than buy-side-only targeting. Smarter packaging and signal application tighten auctions and strengthen outcomes.”
Butler/TillGina Whelehan
It’s much more streamlined, bringing more pieces together so we’re thoughtful and holistic. Adding the audience and data element creates more scale and strategy in how we curate supply and data, and ultimately better results for clients.
The bottom line
Curation has matured from buzzword to performance system. DSPs still anchor activation and pacing, but better sell-side pipes now pre-route inventory and apply signals before any bid starts, making the whole system faster and more accurate. When you combine unique signals, tight supply connections, and always-on optimization, you gain addressability, reduce waste, and achieve better business outcomes for both buyers and sellers.
Curation isn’t just a trend; it’s where programmatic advertising is headed. Start testing curated PMPs today to see the difference for yourself.
Explore curated PMPs with Audigent
FAQs
Curation in performance marketing is the process of combining data, inventory, and optimization to deliver better results. Audigent supports curated strategies through privacy-safe data and advanced integrations.
Curation reduces wasted spend by targeting high-quality impressions and optimizing campaigns in real time. Audigent’s solutions help marketers achieve higher click-through rates, lower costs, and better engagement across channels.
Curated PMPs are deals that use curated data and inventory to deliver measurable results. They help buyers save on data costs, improve ad performance, and achieve better video completion rates, while publishers see higher win rates and revenue.
Audigent provides unique data assets, privacy-safe integrations, and optimization tools that help marketers and publishers create curated deals. Our solutions ensure campaigns are more efficient, targeted, and effective from start to finish.
Horizontal curation combines inventory across multiple platforms for broader reach and diversity, while vertical curation focuses on deep control within a single platform. Both approaches can be tailored to specific campaign goals with Audigent’s expertise.
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Curation — the intelligent packaging of data and inventory actionable in a private marketplace deal — can no longer be considered a trend or buzzword. With over 66% of all open exchange – representing $100 billion in annual spend – being transacted through private marketplace deals (PMPs), curation is a key part of how data and identity are addressed and actioned in programmatic media. Programmatic advertising is certainly known for big shifts, but as shared by Index Exchange CEO Andrew Casale, “Curation will be bigger than header bidding and as big as programmatic or real-time bidding (RTB) – that’s our bet.” And we agree. But why has curation become a critical component of brands and media agencies' digital advertising strategies? Put simply, the math. Case study after case study empirically shows curation performs well for both the buy and sell-sides. 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Curation allows platforms to target first-party, third-party, contextual, indexed and modeled audiences. This alleviates the dependence on any one identifier and boosts the relevant bidding opportunities for brands and media agencies to target audiences. Not all curation is created equally As with any hot innovation, AdTech is notorious for companies jumping on the bandwagon of the largest trends. Curation is no different, with seemingly everyone now claiming to be a “curator.” As the industry works to define what is and isn’t “curation," we are uniquely positioned to define this as Audigent has pioneered curation for seven years and is the industry leader. The definition of curation is the intelligent packaging and optimization of data curated against the inventory supply path. There are three definitional elements to any curation product: Unique audience data Curation must include first-party, third-party, contextual, indexed and/or modeled data. Robust SSP integration To apply data in real-time to the inventory supply path, a curator must have deep partnerships and integrations that enable the combination of data and inventory into a single package. Optimization The whole point of curating data against the supply path is that it opens the door for robust real-time optimization to drive performance. If the solution ticks all three boxes, then brands and agencies should test curation and gauge its results firsthand. Curation done right drives results for brands, agencies, and publishers When done well, curation improves media buying efficiency and performance for brands and agencies. Importantly, it also drives results for publishers and content creators. 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These results aren’t outliers—they’re proof that curation is no longer a nice-to-have; it’s a must-have for marketers who want performance, precision, and scale working in lockstep.”Amanda DeVito, Butler/Till Industry-leading curation with Experian Tapping into an end-to-end solution that enables marketers to understand and reach their desired customers across channels through curation is a win-win for all parties. In the past three years, Experian and curation company Audigent have delivered a range of industry-leading innovations together, including the integration of Experian data into Audigent’s PMPs. As one company now, Experian's unique identity and data capabilities amplify how curation activates on the buy-side at scale, setting a new standard for audience targeting with added benefits like audience customization and flexible activation through Audigent’s PMPs or demand-side platforms. Connect with us Latest posts
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Once these insights are established, DAX takes over, activating consistent, controlled engagement with tailored messaging. Detailed performance metrics throughout help optimize strategy along the way, ensuring campaigns remain impactful and cost efficient. DIOS in action DIOS eliminates guesswork, combining Experian’s data with advanced analytics to create precise audience models. This capability enables Fusion92 to define customer segments with accuracy, providing businesses with a roadmap to success from the outset. While currently in use as a managed service by Fusion92, a public-facing SaaS version is expected to be released in 2025. Activating every channel through DAX The campaign execution phase is pivotal, and DAX ensures smooth delivery and transparent measurement across channels. By incorporating Experian’s identity graph, DAX provides a clear picture of cross-channel behaviors and preferences, and how they impact business goals. This holistic approach enhances personalization, connecting online and offline interactions to create campaigns that resonate with consumers and drive ROI. Getting to know NoMi NoMi offers next-generation audience intelligence, empowering businesses with audience profiles built from behavioral insights, like transactional activity or in-market signals. This ensures that campaigns connect with people authentically and at scale. With NoMi, Fusion92 clients streamline targeting efforts, improving efficiency while reducing wasted spend. Thinking about your own transformation? Whether you’re tackling siloed activation, enhancing attribution models, or aiming for improved targeting, Experian’s data solutions can help amplify your efforts – just ask Fusion92. Explore how we can help you target smarter, engage better, and measure success confidently. Connect with an Experian representative today About our experts Dave Nugent, EVP of Data Science & Strategy, Fusion92 Dave Nugent, EVP of Data Science & Strategy at Fusion92, has over 27 years of experience in data-driven services, helping organizations better understand and target their audiences through predictive modeling and segmentation. Before joining Fusion92, he spent 11 years at American Spirit Corporation as VP of Data Solutions and co-founded Market Reason, where he secured a patent for an identity technology known as "identity solutions." Dave’s expertise bridges traditional, digital, and social advertising, offering innovative approaches to data utilization. He also shares his knowledge as a guest lecturer at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Crystal Jacques, VP of Enterprise Partnerships, Experian Crystal Jacques is the VP of Enterprise Partnerships, leading Experian's go-to-market team across all verticals. With over ten years of experience in the Identity space, Crystal brings a wealth of expertise to her role. She joined Experian in 2020 through the Tapad acquisition, following her successful stint as the head of Global Channel Partnerships for Adbrain, which The Trade Desk later acquired.