OpenX is a popular ad serving platform, but it has a tendency to leave its customers wanting something more — such as stability, more robust features, or ad formats.
Are you not getting what you expected out of your account with OpenX? There are other ad server possibilities including. Knowing the full extent of the alternatives out there is never a bad thing. The top contenders for publishers who have sales teams tend to be: Google DFP, Ad Butler, and Broadstreet.
Do you need to quickly mock or spec out ads?
Google DFP offers a few ad formats such as the standard and expandable banner, but they do obligate you to have them designed by a professional. Ad Butler offers standard ad formats but suggests you leave anything beyond that in the hands of a designer.
Broadstreet currently offers 70+ different ad formats and many of them do not require a designer at all. The Instant Facebook and Instant Instagram formats, for example, pull directly from your client’s social media page. Not only are they quick, but they stay synchronized with your client’s social media posts.
Do you expect customer service?
There are many reasons you may need to contact customer service: reporting bugs, asking general questions, or basic troubleshooting. Broadstreet’s customer service is far superior to the cell center-type support you’ll get with other ad platforms.
The same can not be said for Google DFP — unless you’re an enterprise customer. With Google DFP, there is no support apart from “Googling it.”
Ad Butler does not offer training webinars either but they do offer a youtube training video on their site along with the chat widget. In some cases, their support team suggests that you have an expert in your tech department.
Do you need an intuitive platform your sales team can use?
No one wants to feel overwhelmed or frustrated with software they need to use daily. Broadstreet’s dashboard is easy to use and clutter free.
Google DFP can be overwhelming with all the features it offers. Little to no training or support is available, which makes it difficult to learn and use— even for the most technical team members.
AdButler’s dashboard also doesn’t come with one on one training or sales webinars. However, it is clutter free because of the lack of features that are offered.
Would you like automatic, whitelabeled reporting?
Clients like to know that the display advertising that they are investing in works. Sending detailed reports is a good way to assure them of this. Broadstreet offers the best reporting in the industry. A few reporting features include simplicity of use, deep geography metrics, automation, and customization.
You can also get reports from Google DFP, but running reports from their dashboard is generally difficult to run, and there is no option to share the ability to run reports with the advertiser — leaving you responsible for running every ad-hoc report your client may need.
Ad Butler does offer the capability to run reports, but you lose the ability to share report running with your client and there is no option of automation.
You do have alternative options to OpenX. Google DFP, Ad Butler, and Broadstreet are all top contenders. However, if you are looking for the one with the most stability, robust features, and ad formats then Broadstreet should be your first pick.