5 Top Video Demand-Side Platforms & Strategies

Video ads have become the heartbeat of digital marketing. They don’t just grab attention — they hold it. In a feed full of noise, motion still wins. A short, emotional video can tell your story faster than a thousand words ever could.

Today, brands compete not only with each other but with seconds of user attention. That’s why the tools behind your campaign matter as much as the creative itself. Choosing the right video DSP can be the difference between an ad that’s simply seen — and one that actually sells.

In this article, we’ll compare the top video demand-side platforms, explore their strongest sides, and share strategies that help advertisers get the most out of every impression.

What is a video DSP platform and why it matters in 2025

Video advertising isn’t slowing down — it’s scaling faster than ever. 2025 is the year when programmatic becomes the rule, not the option. Brands that adapt to smarter buying tools now will own the attention later. The numbers speak louder than words:

It’s clear — video is not just a format anymore. It’s the pulse of digital advertising. And the Video DSP is the brain that keeps it beating in rhythm — connecting data, targeting, and creativity in one place.

Definition of video demand-side platform

A video demand-side platform (DSP) is like a control room for your video ads. It’s where you plan, buy, and manage video campaigns across different channels — web, mobile, CTV, and OTT — all in one place.

Instead of manually negotiating with publishers, the DSP does the hard work for you. It uses data, algorithms, and real-time bidding to show your ad to the right person, at the right time, and on the right screen.

In simple words — it’s your smart assistant in the world of video advertising. It saves time, cuts guesswork, and helps every dollar work a little harder.

Key differences between video DSP and traditional DSP

A traditional DSP is like a multitool — it works with banners, native ads, display formats. A video DSP, on the other hand, is a specialist. It’s built for motion, sound, and storytelling.

While regular DSPs focus on clicks and impressions, DSP for video advertising goes deeper — they measure view time, engagement, and how people feel when they watch your ad.

Think of it like the difference between a photo and a short film. Both can tell a story, but only one moves, breathes, and truly captures attention.

Evolution: from desktop to CTV, OTT, mobile

Video DSPs have come a long way. What started with simple desktop pre-rolls has turned into a cross-screen universe where every moment matters.

Today, people stream shows on their TVs, scroll videos on their phones, and switch between devices without thinking twice. The best Video DSPs follow that rhythm — adapting to every screen and keeping the story seamless.

It’s like your campaign has learned to travel — from laptop to living room, from browser to smart TV — meeting your audience wherever they are, without missing a beat.

5 Best video DSP platforms in 2025 

The market for video DSP technology in 2025 is more competitive than ever. Each platform promises smarter automation, better targeting, and stronger cross-screen performance. Below, we’ve highlighted five leading players that stand out for their innovation, transparency, and results.

SmartyAds Video DSP

A full-stack programmatic platform known for its cross-channel reach and intuitive creative tools. SmartyAds DSP lets advertisers design, launch, and optimize video campaigns in minutes — no third-party integrations needed. With strong analytics, real-time bidding, and built-in Creative Builder, it helps brands scale globally while keeping control over every impression.

The Trade Desk

One of the most recognized names in programmatic, The Trade Desk offers vast inventory access and detailed audience insights. It’s ideal for brands seeking global scale and advanced measurement tools, though pricing can lean toward enterprise-level budgets.

Google Display & Video 360 (DV360)

DV360 remains a go-to choice for advertisers already in the Google ecosystem. It combines YouTube inventory with premium publisher access and detailed targeting capabilities. However, it’s often less flexible for independent agencies or smaller teams.

MediaMath

A long-time programmatic player focused on transparency and data-driven optimization. MediaMath supports strong omnichannel campaigns and provides in-depth analytics, though its interface can feel complex for beginners.

Xandr Invest

Xandr brings together premium video inventory and audience targeting within a single platform. It’s known for quality supply, especially in CTV and OTT, and for offering flexible deal options for buyers who value scale and control.

Comparison table 

Video DSP advertising strategies for 2025

Video advertising is no longer about simply running an ad — it’s about how you run it. The right strategy can turn a short clip into a brand memory, while the wrong one gets lost in the scroll. Below are five key approaches that help video campaigns shine brighter in 2025.

Choosing the right video formats

Every story needs the right stage. The same goes for video ads — the format you choose decides how your message feels and how well it performs.

Short in-stream videos grab quick attention, while longer mid-rolls help build emotion and depth. Out-stream formats work best when you want to reach users beyond traditional video players — in feeds, articles, or apps.

The trick is to match the format to the moment. Think of it like tailoring a suit — one size never fits all.

Creative best practices: length, aspect ratio, storytelling

Good video ads don’t shout — they connect. The first few seconds decide everything, so start strong. Show movement, emotion, or a clear hook right away.

Keep it short and focused — 6 to 15 seconds is often enough to spark interest without losing attention. Use the right aspect ratio for each screen: vertical for mobile, horizontal for CTV.

And most importantly — tell a story. Even in a few seconds, give people something to feel. A smile, curiosity, recognition — that’s what makes an ad stay in their mind after the screen goes dark.

Leveraging data and audience segmentation

Behind every great video ad, there’s data quietly doing its job. It helps you see who is watching, when they tune in, and what makes them stay.

Segmentation is where the magic happens. Break your audience into smaller stories — new customers, loyal fans, curious visitors — and speak to each one differently.

It’s like tuning a radio: when the frequency is right, your message comes through clear and personal.

Optimizing for viewability and completion rate

It doesn’t matter how beautiful your ad is if no one really sees it. Viewability is your first test — making sure your video appears in the spotlight, not the shadows of the screen.

Then comes the real challenge — keeping people watching. Use pacing, music, and visuals that flow naturally. Don’t force it — guide their attention like a story unfolding frame by frame.

When done right, viewers don’t just see your ad — they stay with it till the very last second.

Integrating AI and automation in video buying

AI has become the quiet strategist behind the scenes. It studies patterns, learns from performance, and makes smarter bidding decisions faster than any human could.

Automation takes the heavy lifting off your hands — adjusting budgets, testing creatives, and finding the right audience in real time.

Think of it as having a co-pilot who never sleeps. You set the direction, AI fine-tunes the route — making sure every impression works a little harder for your campaign.

SmartyAds Video DSP: Key Features & Benefits in 2025

In 2025, advertisers need more than just reach — they need precision, speed, and results they can measure. That’s where SmartyAds Video DSP comes in. It turns complex programmatic processes into a smooth, data-driven flow that feels effortless.

Key benefits:

With these tools, you don’t just run ads — you run smarter campaigns that grow with every impression.
Now, let’s see how to set up a campaign step by step.

Set up a video ad campaign: step-by-step

We'll break the process into six steps to help you understand how to use the DSP platform and get the best results from the video ads.

Step 1: Creative video digital advertising

Think about how you'd like to make a digital video ad for a potential client. That could be a funny, short, but memorable video. Or a riveting story? Or will you immerse the customer in your busy and successful world so they can trust you?

Consider how you would like to complete a video message in a dynamic format to a potential client.

For example, you can look at the latest trends in digital video advertising:

• Lively and playful animation is an ever-growing trend in online advertising. Pleasant, simple moving graphics are memorable and bring pleasant emotions;
• For connoisseurs of your brand, you can create an explanatory video. This way, you can showcase your services further and show concern for your customers. It is also unobtrusive to demonstrate the value of your B2C or B2B product;
• 360-degree experience is a new format of video announcements. It uses an omnidirectional camera to immerse the user in the right atmosphere.

Such trends are viral in the U.S.

Step 2: Consider the video length and whether it is skippable

Think about the exact place and length of your creative video. In terms of the interactivity of advertising, there are video types: skippable ads and non-skippable ads, playing in video content at the start (pre-roll), middle, and end. Each customization aspect will affect how your potential customers perceive your message:

• Skippable ads do not force users to watch the advertisements till the end;
• Non-skippable ads are the perfect tool if you need a quick conversion. You can force a user to look at an ad; sometimes, that's an excellent tactic. People who watched the video till the end are your potential customers.

Next, timing is everything. The first 5 seconds are the most important. If you fail to interest a potential client initially, a more prolonged viewing will not lead to the desired goal. For this reason, brands focus on the first 5 seconds of a video when creating advertisements. They use humor and try to tell a memorable story that would find the correct emotional response from the user.

Although, longer formats of video ads (over 30 seconds) have also become popular, especially on social media. If the ad is helpful for new customers, why not? Hubspot published research showing that 54% of customers want to see more video ads from their favorite brands.

Step 3: Choose Video Ad Formats

The purpose of video ads is the same as static ads: to reach the right users on the right screen. Videos of different formats can be interactive and non-interactive. Video creative can be full-screen, reflect web content, or be more compact.

To take advantage of video ads, it is essential to learn the most effective mobile/web advertising formats for your strategy.

In-Stream Ads: skip

In-Stream is the most popular ad that appears within other digital video content (pre-roll, midroll, or post-roll). Imagine the case: you are eager to see the new podcast on streaming platforms or YouTube, but only you press the play button — the ad comes out. It's awkward, but watching the video will take a few seconds.

Of course, most people realize that this is how they can use free content. So they watch ads with patience. However, someone still installs anti-banners.

Native Video Ads: skillful mimicry

Native (or Outstream) advertising tries to intermix content and website design.

Video Interstitial ad: take a break

Such video advertisements are concise (just a few seconds) and particularly adapted to the mobile web environment. Ads creative appear as little pauses in the game or when the content of the application changes.

In-banner Ads Video: freedom of choice

In-banner video ads are considered less intrusive and help to raise your brand awareness gently. Such banner ads can be easily closed at any time.

Rewarded Video Ads: get a bonus

The user looks at the rewarded ad and interacts with the ad unit itself, carrying out specific actions. In response, they get a bonus, access to premium content, or another reward.

Mobile Video Ads: in time

The mobile ads come at the most appropriate time in various formats, suitable for proper gadgets.

Reveal video: visibility zone

A reveal video is an in-content ad. The advertisement is activated as the user scrolls the page and enters the visibility zone. In this case, the advertising appears between paragraphs of the text in the article (do not confuse it with banner ads) when the user scrolls the page.

Playable ads: game-in-game

Playable video ads are entertaining. While the user is playing a mobile game, they watch a video advertisement for another game for a few seconds.

It doesn't bother the user much.

Step 4: Launch your video ad DSP campaign

We will show you how to create and upload your video ad with SmartyAds Demand Side Platform for video. It is a single transparent dashboard with easy navigation, which allows you to manage campaigns in one place.

First, choose a campaign type — video:

Then fill in the campaign parameters such as targeting options, budget distribution, filters, monitoring, and optimization:

Consider: which audience segments do you need for your video advertising? Who is your ideal customer? For high-quality, sophisticated targeting, you can use demographics, geo, status, age, gender, behavioral habits, and more.

SmartyAds DSP delivers a detailed analysis of what will improve the online advertising strategy. It enables a deeper understanding of all processes, which is valuable for business development.

Besides, you can have a global reach for your audience, bringing the value of your product to each user with each device — the right way to find your ideal customers. You will see the results of the programmatic video advertising launched within the first few days!

Step 5: Upload your video ad creative

Choose these parameters: creative name, the price for 1000 impressions, and frequency.

Name. Give a name to your video creative to set it apart from other creatives. As an example, use your product name and start date.

Click URL. Enter the site URL we will direct the user when they click on the ad.

CPM. Select an acceptable price for a thousand impressions.

Frequency. Choose how many times a day the unique user will be able to view such video advertisements (no more than 2-3 times to avoid irritation).

You can see the valid parameters as minimum video bitrate, required duration, or minimum frame size here:

To create video ads, you need a VAST tag in XML format, which is more effective, or a URL.

The standard SmartyAds DSP video creative is a file played in front of the video content. It is built into the app or on the site page where video content already exists. Standard video resolutions work better: 300x250, 480x320, 480x360, 640x360, and 720x1280. However, SmartyAds DSP supports non-standard solutions.

You can upload your video file or use third-party video tags. Just:

• describe the video and its parameters in an XML tag;
• insert a link that leads to a video file;
• insert ready XML tag.

The prepared advertisement will be presented as a third-party served tag that any publisher can use on their website or app through intermediary supply-side platforms.

On our DSP, you can add macros to the tag for extra parameters or even use a third-party tag to extract other video advertising.

When you finish downloading creatives, a DSP will automatically find the best place for your video ads at the best price in real-time automatically.

Protect your brand

The real-time interaction of Demand Side Platforms with Ad Exchanges is complicated and, therefore, requires fraud protection of traffic. In particular, we use Protected Media and Pixalate to scan ad inventory to place your ads and The Media Trust to verify the quality of video advertisements. Additionally, DSP helps to find publishers with brand-safe content and the best ad exchanges.

Step 6: Boost your video ad campaign with SmartyAds DSP

Now is the time to experiment with programmatic video advertising, and it is best to do it with the SmartyAds platform.

Our DSP offers fascinating features and add-ons based on its SmartyAds technology. You can target video advertisements, track key performance indicators (KPIs) and keep up with your competitors. Optimize your video ads with the SmartyAds DSP to boost your ad campaign performance on the go!

Final thought 

Finding the right video DSP isn’t just about features — it’s about having a platform that feels smart, reacts fast, and grows with your goals. The right tech should work quietly in the background while your ads do the talking — reaching the right people, in the right moment, on the right screen.

With SmartyAds DSP, that’s exactly what happens. You get clear targeting, smooth optimization, and tools that make every second of your video ad count.

Ready to see it in action? Start with SmartyAds DSP and turn your video campaigns into stories that perform.

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