PubMatic’s Connect Platform for Curation Delivers for Publishers: Drives 25%+ Higher eCPMs, Incremental Revenue and Diverse Demand

Rhea-AI Summary

PubMatic announces significant success with its Connect platform for curated programmatic advertising deals. The platform, integrated with Activate, features over 190 premium data partners and processes 800+ billion daily omnichannel impressions across CTV, mobile app, and web display.

Key achievements for publishers include:

• Up to 5-10% incremental daily deal revenue uplift
• 14 percentage point increase in spending from diverse buyers
• 25%+ increase in eCPMs compared to non-curated deals

The platform leverages AI and managed services for campaign optimization, with notable success stories including Minute Media experiencing significant eCPM increases. For advertisers, campaigns using Connect's data application showed a 37% CPM improvement compared to buy-side data application.

Positive

• Up to 10% increase in daily deal revenue for publishers
• 25%+ higher eCPMs compared to non-curated deals
• 37% CPM improvement for advertiser campaigns using Connect's data application
• 14 percentage point increase in diverse buyer spending
• Integration with 190+ premium data partners and 800B+ daily impressions

Negative

• None.

Insights

Financial Analyst

PubMatic's announcement about its Connect curation platform demonstrates significant performance metrics that directly impact revenue potential. The platform is delivering impressive results for publishers: 25%+ higher eCPMs, up to 10%+ revenue uplift, and a 14 percentage point increase in buyer diversity.

These performance indicators suggest PubMatic has successfully positioned itself in the high-growth curation segment of programmatic advertising. By enabling publishers to achieve higher yields and advertisers to improve targeting precision, PubMatic creates a virtuous cycle that reinforces its market position and potentially drives increased platform adoption.

What's particularly valuable is Connect's integration with first-party data and commerce media networks like Instacart and Intuit. In a privacy-centric advertising landscape where third-party cookies are disappearing, this capability provides strategic differentiation. The 37% CPM improvement for campaigns using Connect's data application versus buy-side application demonstrates the platform's technical advantages in data utilization.

The endorsements from Minute Media and IPG Mediabrands validate the product-market fit. PubMatic appears to be solving real challenges in the advertising supply chain while creating multiple revenue enhancement opportunities for itself through increased transaction volume and potentially higher take rates on premium curated inventory.

This announcement represents operational execution on PubMatic's strategy to become the supply chain of the future for digital advertising, with meaningful financial benefits likely to follow as adoption scales.

NO-HEADQUARTERS/REDWOOD CITY, Calif., March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PubMatic, an independent technology company delivering digital advertising’s supply chain of the future, today announces the success and impact of its Connect platform in driving incremental revenue and efficiency for publishers and advertisers through curated programmatic advertising deals.

Curated programmatic deals are emerging as the future of efficient, privacy-first digital marketing. Recognizing this shift five years ago, PubMatic invested in building Connect, a pioneering curation platform that seamlessly integrates with Activate, its streamlined media activation platform connecting buyers, data partners, commerce media networks, and publishers in an optimized supply path that unlocks new efficiencies, revenue streams, and stronger audience engagement.

Today, with more than 190 premium data partners, purchase-based insights from the leading commerce media networks like Instacart, Intuit and Western Union and integration across PubMatic’s 800 billion+ daily omnichannel impressions that span across CTV, mobile app, and web display, PubMatic’s Connect platform is at the forefront of the curation movement, driving incremental success across the most robust programmatic footprint with high-quality data signals and continuous campaign optimization powered by AI and managed services. With the full power of PubMatic’s integrated platform, curation evolves beyond the packaging of data and inventory into the continuous optimization of data-driven campaigns to deliver results across the entire digital advertising ecosystem.

Key Achievements Discovered for Publishers¹:

• Revenue Uplift: Many publishers opted into PubMatic’s curation tools have seen up to 5% incremental daily deal revenue uplift, with some publishers seeing as much as 10%+ increase.
• Diverse Demand: Up to 14 percentage point increase in spending from a broader range of buyers, indicating access to a more diverse demand landscape.
• Higher eCPMs: A remarkable 25%+ increase in eCPMs compared to non-curated deals.
  

For instance, Minute Media has seen incremental uplift on curated deals across the PubMatic platform, with a meaningful increase in eCPMs for inventory discovered through curated auction packages. “In addition to our direct sales operations, curation provides another way to tap into incremental budgets across our premium supply portfolio," said Tom Webster, General Manager, Video & SSP at Minute Media. "Because of PubMatic's platform, we have seen an increase of inventory discovered through curated auction packages focused on reaching engaged and passionate sports audiences."

For advertisers and agencies, curation delivers a clear value – premium, high-quality inventory enhanced with valuable data sets for targeting precision and cost efficiency. By leveraging PubMatic’s Connect, buyers can access first-party data and unique commerce-driven audience segments directly at the publisher level, reducing data loss and match inefficiencies. Historically, campaigns with data applied via Connect have seen CPM improve by 37% when compared to campaigns where the same data is applied on the buy-side.

“When we activate using curation, we see a significant lift in our ability to win impressions against key audiences, as the fidelity improves when you get closer to the supply,” stated Jean Fitzpatrick, EVP of Investment Strategy at IPG Mediabrands in PubMatic’s Executive Dialogue series. “PubMatic has a history of building trust and technology integrations with publishers, which benefits our agencies and ultimately, our clients.”

“As the industry embraces privacy-first advertising, first-party data strategies, and AI-driven audience curation, PubMatic’s Connect stands at the center of it all—bridging media buyers, premium publishers, and curated audiences for optimal results,” says Howard Luks, VP of Audience Solutions at PubMatic. “By showcasing not just the success for buyers but also the tangible opportunities for publishers, we're validating our approach to strengthening the entire supply chain. Connect's ability to drive more diverse demand, higher CPMs and tangible revenue uplifts for publishers while simultaneously offering advertisers enhanced targeting precision is proof that curation is a win-win proposition.”

About PubMatic:
PubMatic (Nasdaq: PUBM) is an independent technology company maximizing customer value by delivering digital advertising’s supply chain of the future. PubMatic’s sell-side platform empowers the world’s leading digital content creators across the open internet to control access to their inventory and increase monetization by enabling marketers to drive return on investment and reach addressable audiences across ad formats and devices. Since 2006, our infrastructure-driven approach has allowed for the efficient processing and utilization of data in real time. By delivering scalable and flexible programmatic innovation, we improve outcomes for our customers while championing a vibrant and transparent digital advertising supply chain.

Press Contact:
Ashley Jacobson, Director of Corporate Marketing, press@pubmatic.com

Broadsheet Communications for PubMatic, pubmaticteam@broadsheetcomms.com

¹ Based on a comprehensive analysis of PubMatic platform data from a representative 24-hour period in February 2025, which aligns with observed monthly trends for individual publishers.

FAQ

What performance improvements has PubMatic's Connect platform achieved for publishers in 2025?

Publishers using PubMatic's Connect platform saw up to 10% daily revenue uplift, 25% higher eCPMs, and a 14 percentage point increase in diverse buyer spending.

How does PUBM's Connect platform improve CPM performance for advertisers?

Campaigns using Connect's data application showed 37% better CPM performance compared to when the same data is applied on the buy-side.

What is the current scale of PubMatic's Connect platform operations?

Connect processes over 800 billion daily impressions across CTV, mobile app, and web display, partnering with 190+ premium data providers.

How has Minute Media benefited from PubMatic's curated deals platform?

Minute Media experienced meaningful eCPM increases for inventory discovered through curated auction packages, particularly for sports audience targeting.