your ad delivery solutions go-to guide. discover how to ...€¦ · into engaging stories. prior to...

Your ad delivery solutions go-to guide. Discover how to quickly and decisively narrow down your options and choose a platform best suited to your agency’s needs.

PR

INT

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

http://www.dubsat.com

AUTHORS

[email protected]@Dubsat

JOHN GLENNONJohn Glennon is an Account Manager at Dubsat. Previously, he was a Studio Manager at a boutique agency, and has 15 years of experience in the industry, having started as a finishing artist. John enjoys providing game-changing solutions.

ISAAC LEUNGIsaac Leung is the Marketing Writer at Dubsat with a passion for translating technical insights into engaging stories. Prior to joining Dubsat, he was a news magazine editor and journalist. He is a graduate from the University of Sydney.

mailto:isaac.leung%40dubsat.com?subject=

http://www.twitter.com/dubsat

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction 4

Chapter 1: 8

Questions Related to Setup

Chapter 2: 15

Workflow Considerations

Chapter 3: 22

Questions about Cost

Chapter 4: 28

Pre-Flighting Features to Look For

Chapter 5: 39

Questions to Ask about Support

and Troubleshooting

Conclusion: 48

Your Next Steps

Appendix 49

20 Questions to Ask a Solution Provider

4HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT ADVERTISING DELIVERY PLATFORM

SH

AR

E

INTRODUCTION

Y our team has worked hard on getting the ad just right. All that remains is to get the file to the publishers and in print.

“We’ll just email it/FTP over,” is the automatic approach that many studio managers take.

But consider this, all of the work that has gone into the ad culminates in this last step. In other words, this is the final chance for the studio to get things right before the ad is out of your hands.

Have you have ever had an ad that was printed badly because of technical issues with the file?

Or has a publisher rejected an ad because it is had incorrect specs, resulting in a last-minute rush job to get everything tuned up before deadline?

http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle%3Fmini%3Dtrue%26url%3Dhttp://content.dubsat.com/choose-advertising-delivery-platform

https://twitter.com/intent/tweet%3Foriginal_referer%3Dhttp://content.dubsat.com/choose-advertising-delivery-platform%26url%3Dhttp://content.dubsat.com/choose-advertising-delivery-platform%26source%3Dtweetbutton%26text%3DFree%20eBook:%20How%20to%20Choose%20the%20Right%20Advertising%20Delivery%20Platform

http://www.facebook.com/share.php%3Fu%3Dhttp://content.dubsat.com/choose-advertising-delivery-platform


SH

AR

E

INTRODUCTION

These things happen because there was a mistake somewhere during the process. Someone missed or skipped a particular check or verification step.

And sometimes the problems are so well hidden within the file that they can make it past proofing and verification, even if you have a multi-step sign-off process.

So, how do you ensure that you catch these problems before they make it to the publisher? And can you at the same time, streamline your workflow even more?

The right advertising delivery platform is the answer that will help you avoid dropping the ball during this important stage.

Today’s delivery platforms have features that make them a different animal from your traditional email, FTP and portal.

They are designed to fit in with your existing workflow, and can automatically check your files as a final barrier against mistakes.

Given the leaps and bounds that technology has taken in recent years, it is a good time to re-assess your ad delivery platform options, and see what new features are available to enhance your studio’s workflow, while safeguarding your ads against costly mistakes.





SH

AR

E

INTRODUCTION

This eBook is structured as a walk through, covering the various aspects of an advertising delivery solution. What should you consider when choosing a platform, from setup to integrating the platform into your workflow, through to the specifics of file checking, and finally technical support.

By the end of this eBook, you should have a good idea of what options are out there when it comes to modern advertising delivery platforms. You should also be able to make an informed decision when it comes to choosing the right solution for your studio’s needs.




INTRODUCTION

WHAT MAKES A GOOD DELIVERY PLATFORM?

There are two factors that distinguish a good solution from a lesser one. Firstly, does it fit into your current way of working? And secondly, how reliable is it?

You’re not looking to totally upend the way you are working – you want an upgrade, not a revolution. You don’t want to have to replace all your systems and have to re-learn a whole new way of doing things just to accommodate for the new delivery system.

This integration with the existing workflow is the key to ensuring efficiency in your studio.

For example, your studio operators should be able to seamlessly transition from their current process of creating the PDF, to the new ad delivery platform, without additional export steps or having to deal with complicated forms.

The other factor, reliability, is of utmost importance especially if you are racing against tight deadlines. Does the platform offer things like guaranteed uptime, redundancy and delivery tracking?

Reliability is also relevant to other parts of the solution, whether it’s the availability of technical support if anything goes wrong, or being able to pick up on problems with the files during the pre-flight process.

QUESTIONS RELATING TO SETUP

CHAPTER 1


SH

AR

E

CHAPTER 1 QUESTIONS RELATED TO SETUP

I mplementing a new solution, such as an ad delivery platform, will always take some time, and involve

some disruption and expenditure.

But there are ways to make setup as painless as possible, and avoid common pitfalls. A lot of this depends on how the setup process is carried out, but the type of solution you choose can also affect the ease of a roll-out. Not all solutions are created equal, and some are harder to adopt than others.

To kickstart the process of choosing and setting up a new solution, this chapter is structured according to the questions that you should be asking yourself at this stage.

These questions will help you quickly narrow down your platform choices, and guide you through the various factors you should be considering when getting started.





Does it deliver to the right publications?Psychologists use the term, “choice overload” to refer to the stress that many of us face when presented with too many options. And there can be many platforms out there to choose from.

Considering all the details of each solution could be a time consuming matter. Luckily, there is one question you can ask to quickly narrow down your list of candidates.

Psychologists use the term, “choice overload” to refer to the stress many of us face when presented with too many options


SH

AR

E


Does this platform allow me to deliver to the publishers and publications that we need to work with?

Some platforms may not have a good publisher support base in your region, and others are only accepted by a select few publishers, so this is an important first consideration. There is really no point in adopting a solution which is only usable with one or two of the publications you need to send ads to.

When considering this question, also keep in mind the future needs of your agency. If you’re going to send ads to other publishers in the future, check if they are also covered by the delivery platform.

On the other hand, if a platform you have in mind has yet to cover the publications that you need it to, don’t dismiss it immediately. Consider talking to either the publisher or the solution provider to see if anything is in the pipeline.

Is it Cloud or server-based?For a long time, there was only one type of ad delivery platform – software which had to be installed on servers within the agency. Client software was then installed on terminals, which connected to the servers via the computer network.





But recent technological advances have resulted in a new type of platform. These do away with the need for installation – instead, the solution is hosted on web servers and immediately accessible.

Many people think about these Cloud-based solutions as just web-based services, which have been around for a long time.

And it’s true. We’ve had web-based email (Gmail, Hotmail, etc), pictures (Flickr, etc) and video (Youtube, etc) for some time. But for a long time, these platforms only allowed us to store and access files.

By untying users from the software on their computers, these solutions open up a whole range of new and different ways of using them


SH

AR

E


The latest Cloud platforms present new advantages to studios, mainly because they allow providers to deliver software-like services to users over the web, without any installation needed.

Nowadays, Cloud-based solutions allow us to do word processing, create and edit spread sheets, and yes, we can now pre-flight and deliver ad files via the Cloud – all of this is available by logging in to a portal via a web browser.

By untying users from the software on their computers, these solutions open up a whole range of new and different ways of using them.

For example, studio operators can send ads from any computer or device that has an Internet connection and a browser. Upgraded one of the terminals? You’re ready to preflight and send ads, no need to dig out the installation discs and reinstall. And working while away from the office is now much less complex.

These capabilities can have a real impact on the productivity of your team, making Cloud-based delivery platforms a highly attractive alternative to the traditional methods of sending ads via FTP, email, and even dedicated server-based delivery software.

While delivering benefits throughout the entire workflow, the advantages of Cloud-based delivery platforms first become apparent during the setup process.





SH

AR

E


Chapter summaryPerhaps one of the most basic things to consider when evaluating the different advertising delivery platforms out there is whether they actually deliver to the destinations that you need them to.

With the adoption of Cloud technologies, advertising delivery platforms have evolved in both function and flexibility, with major implications for the way agencies work.

Like other Cloud-based technologies, the latest generations of delivery solutions emphasize quick starts, low initial investment, and relatively lightweight technology requirements.




WORKFLOW CONSIDER-ATIONS

CHAPTER 2


SH

AR

E

CHAPTER 2 WORKFLOW CONSIDERATIONS

T he efficiency of your studio is heavily based on the productivity of your studio operators. That is in

turn dependent on their workflow – how optimized it is for fast and accurate work, and how consistent it is for repeatability.

So, when you’re looking at the day-to-day work of your studio operators, you want to make sure that the chosen advertising delivery platform fulfills two main goals:

Work Flexibility How well can you and your operators respond to urgent or changing situations using the solution? Can the platform deal with normal business fluctuations, or is it built solely for high- or low-volume advertisement send volumes?

Workflow Integration Does the delivery platform fit well with your existing workflows? The better the integration, the more efficient it is to move from one task to another, and cut down on the manual processes of data entry and importing/exporting.

This chapter will examine these two factors in detail.





SH

AR

E


How well can we respond to change?At home, on the road, at the airport, or at conferences. Remote offices and hot desks. Thanks to technology, work is more flexible than ever.

Of course, different agencies have their unique staff mobility and work arrangements. But in the fast-moving world of advertising, it can be vital to be able to respond quickly and effectively to changing situations – and your tools need to be able to keep up with your flexibility.

Traditional client-server type platforms tended to limit the use of the system to certain licensed terminals which have the software installed.

Depending on the licensing agreement and your IT policies, it may be possible to log in to these terminals remotely to send ads. But this involves some complex arrangements like remote desktops and tunneling.

On the other hand, good old email and FTP are relatively flexible, and can be used wherever you can get access to the Internet.

Cloud-based delivery platforms like Adsend offer a balance between flexibility and functionality. Like email, it allows you to send ads on the go – the portal Online can be accessed via any compatible web browser.





SH

AR

E

If a terminal goes down the studio

operator can immediately jump

on another computer to log in to the cloud platform

Unlike email, it provides Online access to functionality beyond just file uploading and sending: once logged in, you can get the ads checked for any potential problems, have the system automatically correct problems, and track the status of ads being delivered.

Such an approach also gives your studio team a new way to deal with unpredictable situations.

For example, if a terminal goes down, the studio operator can immediately jump on another computer to log in to the Cloud platform to pre-flight and send ads, with minimal disruption.





SH

AR

E


Does the solution fit in with our current way of working?When working with many poorly-integrated, separate solutions, little things like having to re-key data, or doing multiple conversions manually between programs can add up into big blocks of time wasted on non-core tasks.

Most server-based platforms tend to be customized during the installation stage to integrate with existing studio software.

This is good news, but it can be a double-edged sword. Agencies which already have a highly efficient workflow may find the installation stage to be quite disruptive, and if anything goes wrong, it can be hard to reverse the process.

As always, you should ensure you are fully aware of the risks and benefits that such big implementations have for your studio.

If you are using email or FTP, there is usually not much by way of integration.

Of course, if you’re tech-savvy, it is possible to program scripts within studio software to automatically start the email or FTP sending process after export. But these delivery methods tend to still require a large degree of manual intervention.





SH

AR

E

Cloud-based services may seem to be similar to email or FTP at first glance. After all, they are standalone systems which require you to upload ads via a browser.

But many Cloud-based platform providers, recognizing the realities of typical studio workflows, now supply desktop software and plugins as options.

These pieces of software seamlessly bridge the desktop part of an operator’s workflow with the Online delivery component.

Studio operators create their ads as per normal, in software like Adobe InDesign or Quark, and the plugins support the pre-flight and export process by providing information like the mechanical specifications of the ad, and the optimal PDF

Plugins support the pre-flight and export process by providing information

like the specs for the ad and the optimal PDF settings




SH

AR

E


settings. They then help with uploading the ad to the Cloud for final pre-flight checks and dispatch.

Some of these solutions can even integrate into booking and studio job ticketing systems, providing even greater efficiencies for the management side of ad production.

As always, try to get a demonstration or a trial of the solutions in order to assess their efficiency and speed, and how well they fit into your current way of doing things.

If your agency deals with a multiple ads being created and dispatched at the same time, be sure to also check how well the platform deals with big batches of files.

Chapter summaryIt’s important to consider how well a given platform will fit in with the way your agency works, since this has a direct effect on the efficiency of your studio operators who use the system on a day-to-day basis.

To do this, ask the following questions about the solution:

• Does it have the flexibility to keep up with today’s changing work arrangements?

• Is it accessible when and where you need it to be?

• Does it play well with your existing processes, or does it disrupt the efficient flow of work?




QUESTIONS ABOUT COST

CHAPTER 3


SH

AR

E

CHAPTER 3 QUESTIONS ABOUT COST

“Yes, but how much does it cost?” That’s one of the big questions, asked by both operations managers and CFOs in today’s budget-conscious climate.

Getting approval for expenses is harder than ever before – you need to be able to justify the cost-benefit analysis, and dealing with internal red-tape can be a frustrating exercise.

To deal with the different ways that studios use their solutions, advertising delivery platform providers have built a high degree of flexibility into their cost structures.

But it can be complex trying to work out which structure is best. At the same time, you should look out for hidden costs.






Fee structures: flexibility vs simplicity?Most ad delivery platforms today apply a cost for every ad sent. The simplest cost structure involves a set flat fee per ad delivery.

This is usually a pretty reasonable charge and it is the same regardless of the dimensions and color of your ad. It is suitable for most use-cases, whether your studio is only sending a few print ads a month, or hundreds a week. It is literally a “pay as you go” approach to pricing.

The flat fee also makes it pretty simply to work out the pricing structure for the job, since it’s a fixed price for delivery.

Most providers will give high volume senders a discount on the flat rate


SH

AR

E


It also scales up easily, since it’s just a matter of multiplying the flat fee by the number of deliveries. And most providers will give high-volume senders a discount on the flat rate.

But if your agency is looking to micro-manage your costs, and pay for exactly what is used, an alternative cost structure is one which charges for ad delivery based on a square centimeter (or square inch) rule.

Using the square centimeter rule, the delivery charge for any particular ad is based on the area dimensions (width multiplied by height) of the ad being sent.

Some providers will also change the rate depending on whether the ad being sent is in monochrome or in color.

If your studio is mostly dealing with small-sized ads, a cost structure based on a square centimeter rule could end up being cheaper.

But on the flip-side, larger ads could end up costing more than what you might have paid under a flat-rate fee structure.

Recognizing the potential for a cost blow-out under a square centimeter rule structure, some providers cap the cost of ad delivery on both ends of the spectrum.

These caps mean you will never pay for more than a set maximum amount for an ad, no matter how big it is. At the same time, there is a minimum fee payable for an ad delivery, no matter how small it is.





SH

AR

E


If you deal with a large volume of work, some solution providers offer subscription packages and rates which provide better value with dealing with large numbers of print ads being delivered.

These packages might involve a yearly subscription fee, and then a greatly discounted fee per send. Alternatively, they might have a flat yearly fee for unlimited ad deliveries.

Are there extra or hidden costs?Be sure to check if you are being charged for extras by default. Many of these extra options can be useful for some agencies, and less useful for others, so it’s good to know if you can opt in or opt out of features that do cost money.

Some of these costs aren’t related to ad dispatch. For example, many server-based platforms will charge a yearly licensing fee for continued usage.

Some Cloud-based platforms have a subscription fee, or charge for setting up user accounts, and for linking these accounts together.

Other fees are per-use fees for additional services on top of ad delivery. Adsend, for example, offers certain automatic and manual file corrections for extra cost. But these tend to be optional extras – senders can correct the files themselves to avoid these fees, or choose to pay to have the system correct those issues for them.





SH

AR

E


It’s also a good idea to be aware of other extra usage costs. For example, if your PDF files are too big, the delivery platform may charge you extra for the bandwidth and resources needed to deal with large files. Be sure to clarify these costs when choosing your platform.

Chapter summaryIn the world of advertising delivery, “value” represents more than just the raw cost of sending an ad.

It’s important to consider the needs and usage patterns of your agency when considering the cost component of solutions.

Most ad delivery solutions provide a range of cost structures and options to fit a wide range of agency needs – ranging from a simple flat fee per delivery to the more complex cost-per-square centimeter rule.

In some cases, a solution with the lowest delivery cost may end up being more expensive in the long term due to things like hidden costs, or a cost structure which doesn’t fit in well with the volume and types of ads you are sending – so it’s critical to study and be totally aware of the entire picture before committing to a particular platform.




PRE- FLIGHTING FEATURES TO LOOK FOR

CHAPTER 4


SH

AR

E

CHAPTER 4 PRE-FLIGHTING FEATURES TO LOOK FOR

T he process of printing can be complicated. Files which look OK on the screen may in fact have issues

which prevent the ad from printing properly. This can then result in costly rejections, missed deadlines, and unhappy clients.

Advertising delivery platforms differentiate themselves from email or FTP by offering advanced preflight checks and corrections as part of the dispatch process.

Even if your studio operators already pre-flight their files, and your ads go through a rigorous sign-off process, these automated pre-flight checks come in useful as a final layer of protection to ensure the files you are sending to publishers are free of any errors or issues.

Given the importance of getting the files right, the quality of pre-flight checks should really be a big consideration when choosing the right advertising delivery platform.






What pre-flight checks does the platform offer?Think of ad delivery platforms as the interface between your studio and the publishers.

This means it’s the job of ad delivery platforms like Adsend to have a deep understanding of the ad requirements of each publisher and publication.

This knowledge is then integrated into the solution in the form of pre-flight checks.

It's the job of ad delivery platforms

like Adsend to have a deep understanding of

the ad requirements of each publisher and

publication... Integrated into their solution as

pre-flight checks


SH

AR

E


Whether you are a freelancer sending an ad for the first time, or an established agency studio with a sturdy workflow built over the years, having these checks during the delivery stage can be a real time and life saver.

As pre-flight checks on delivery platforms act as the last line of defense against potential issue, it is of utmost importance that these pre-flight checks are as comprehensive as possible, and do not miss anything.

Important checks include, but are not limited to:

• PDF Version and Specification: Some publishers require the supplied PDF files to be a certain version, to maximize compatibility with printers. Because of the complexity of some later PDF versions, some printers may require the use of “older” standards.

• Color Problems: Ads should be provided to printers in the CMYK color space. If all or part of the file is supplied in color spaces such as RGB, printed results may be unpredictable.

• Ink Weight/Density: Depending on the printer and the paper stock, if too much ink is laid on the page, this could cause problems with undried ink smearing or making impressions on other pages.

• Fonts: Where type elements have been left as text, if the font used in the ad is not embedded in





SH

AR

E


the file, the text may not be printed correctly, or the printer may substitute the fonts with one of its defaults, making your design much less effective.

• Type Size: if you have words in your ad, readability is critical. Depending on the paper stock and printing technology, text can become unreadable if they are printed too small. This can be a more common problem than expected, especially if the studio operators are resizing larger ads downwards.

• Image Problems: Corrupted images which have not been embedded, images with overly low resolution or where the ad is supplied in the form of a single flattened image are problems which can have detrimental effects on printing, and the final ad quality.

• Dimensions and Cropping: Basic things like trim, type and bleed, as well as dimensions if incorrect for a booked slot, can cause the ad to be rejected by the publishers.

How strict and smart are the pre-flight checks?The right delivery platform should have a good mix of flexibility and strictness.

Sometimes, the pre-flight checks pick up small issues which are not 100% technically OK, but too small to pose a real problem during





SH

AR

E


printing. It might not be worth the time and effort to manually fix those up and re-submit.

Other times, the system might find major problems which would result in outright rejection by the publisher, or cause problems during printing.

Is the platform smart enough to tell the difference between the two?

A smart and flexible platform will provide alerts on both types of issues, but will allow those files with small uncritical issues to be sent, while blocking delivery of major problematic files until they are fixed by the studio operator.

Generally speaking, the stricter the pre-flight checks are, the better the quality of the files being sent to publishers.

This “tough love” might result in a higher rate of rejections during the delivery stage, which can be frustrating initially.

However, many studio managers who adopt platforms with strict preflight checks appreciate this strictness, as it means they are fully aware of any potential problems, and benefit from a lower risk of publisher rejections and incorrectly printed ads.

Another factor to consider is how specific the warnings are. If the warning messages are too generic or cryptic, it can be difficult for the studio operator to find the exact issue and correct the problem in the file.




DELIVER ON-SPEC WORK TO PUBLISHERS

The core problem that an advertising delivery platform needs to solve is that of getting the right

ad, with the right specs, to the right place.

It’s not a simple matter, because every publisher and printer can have their own variations on required specifications.

Add into the mix the fact that in recent years, big changes in the print publication industry have led to fluctuations in pages sizes, advertisement dimensions, and other specs.

Ideally, an advertising delivery solution will have publisher-confirmed ad specs which are kept up to date – either by having publishers manage them directly on the system,

or via an in-house database management team.

These ad specs should be available throughout the system, whether using the Online portal or via software.


SH

AR

E


What correction options are available?Once the pre-flight checks are complete, the system will usually provide alerts if there are issues found.

At this stage, studio staff may choose to take note of the issues raised by the system, manually correct the file and re-upload it for a re-check. Some platforms will charge an extra fee for re-uploading the file – others do not.

Many advertising delivery solutions today include options to automatically or manually correct problems with the files. These corrections can be free, or may cost some money.

Automatic corrections use code embedded in the desktop software or in the cloud solution to quickly address some common problems.

Manual corrections are a service which involves getting a technical team at the solution provider to download your file in order to make more complex corrections.

Typically, automatic tools can do common things like correct PDF export settings, convert colors, flatten layers and resolve ink weight issues. Manual corrections can address additional things like color profile removal, artwork resizing and PDF versions.

In the case of Adsend, an even more advanced automatic tool allows the system to correct trim, type and bleed to publisher specifications.





SH

AR

E


How much control do I have over our files?Besides the types of corrections the systems can offer, a larger concern for studios is the amount of the control and visibility over modifications or corrections that are made to the files.

After all, they are your files – assets that your team has invested a lot of time and resources to get it just right. The last thing you need is for a computer program to make automatic changes to the file during the send process without letting you know.

This issue over control starts during the export process for the ad, especially if using either a desktop software or a plugin. Some software and plugins take over the entire export process, deciding on the best settings for the ad and applying them.

This end to end control approach is easy to use: the operator just clicks a single button and the software does the rest.

It is also generally foolproof when it comes to making publisher-compatible files, but do not provide studio operators with a fine degree of control over their files.

The other approach has the software or plugin playing more of a support role: it provides the optimal settings and the relevant status reports





SH

AR

E


to guide the export process, but the studio operator has control over the entire process.

This approach also provides good training for studio operators who can get in plenty of practice into the ins and outs of prepping files for publishers. Of course, there’s the risk that the operator will make a mistake, but serious-enough problems will get picked up during the pre-flighting stage.

Control and visibility is a concern which extends to the file corrections after pre-flight checks. The key here is to look for solutions which let you know exactly what it is doing to your files, and have a workflow which ensures you, or the operator, has final say over any changes made by the system.

For example, if the pre-flight checks found issues with the file, and the operator chooses to use the automatic correction options on the system, an ideal solution will:

• Alert the studio operator that it has made changes to the file.

• Provide a report stating in detail what the changes are and what issues they address.

• Prompt the operator to download, proof and get the modified file signed off before allowing delivery.





SH

AR

E


Chapter summaryPre-flight checks should be considered standard features of advertising delivery platforms today. To truly differentiate between the choices, you can ask the following questions:

• How comprehensive are the checks?

• Is the system smart about the strictness of the checks?

• Are the file checks based on regularly updated and detailed publisher specifications?

• Are the warnings and alerts clear and useful?

• What options for file correction are there?

• Do I retain control and visibility over the files throughout the process?




QUESTIONS TO ASK ABOUT SUPPORT & TROUBLE-SHOOTING

CHAPTER 5


SH

AR

E

CHAPTER 5 QUESTIONS TO ASK ABOUT SUPPORT & TROUBLESHOOTING

F or many people, the quality of a platform’s support systems only becomes visible when something goes

wrong – usually with a deadline looming.

Yet, things like training, support, update development and reliability are key factors which keep the solution – and your team – working in the most efficient manner possible.

By getting a good grasp of the support and trouble shooting options and capabilities of the platform’s provider during this stage, you can save yourself a lot of headache later on down the track.

Even though support and troubleshooting tend to exist in the background, it’s possible to evaluate the quality and level of support that a platform offers.





SH

AR

E


What training is available to get us up and running?If you are implementing a new advertising delivery platform, it only stands to reason that your staff will require training on its use.

With most traditional client-server type solutions on-site training is provided during or immediately following the setup stage, and can take place over a few weeks.

Some cloud-based solutions, such as Adsend, can also provide on-site training on the use of the platform and associated systems.





SH

AR

E


For the most part, however, cloud-based platforms are “quick-start” solutions, and are designed to be fairly intuitive to use. In that case, check to see if on-system training is provided in the form of help documentation, quick tips, or information built into the interface.

How accessible are these support materials, and are they comprehensive and clear? Are there mechanisms to search through the database for specific issues?

What support is available for our day-to-day operations?What level of technical support will your team need once the solution is up and running?

The standard minimum is technical support which operates during the usual working hours, and maybe a few hours more on either end, just to cover those early mornings and late stays.

If you constantly have studio staff who stay back at odd hours during crunch time to finish up the ads and get them delivered, you’ll probably want 24-hour technical support.

It’s also a good idea to find out how a solution provider is actually providing technical support.





SH

AR

E


If the solution is based in offices overseas, do they provide support for users who are in a different time zone? This can take the form of a 24 hour call center, or a local support office which is open during your normal operating hours.

In the case of telephone support, how easy is it to get to a real live person? Or is their phone system a maze of automated menus and waiting music?

Does the platform’s website offer live chat capabilities, so you can talk in real time to a support technician over the web?

This feature can be very helpful, especially on Cloud-based delivery platforms, because you get the instantaneous response of a real person right there in the solution, without having to switch out from the platform to go send an email, or having to pick up the phone.

If you are emailing in, how quick are the responses, or are you likely to be firing emails off into the void?

Finally, find out if the support staff you can reach (via phone, email or web chat) are simply call center operators, or if they are technical staff who have the ability to make the necessary changes on their side to quickly resolve the issue.





SH

AR

E


Does the platform provider understand our needs?Some Cloud-based ad delivery solutions provide services beyond simple training and technical support.

Adsend, for example, has customer success teams who keep in touch with customers of their solutions to ensure you get the most business value out of the platform.

These teams are dedicated to understanding the pressures and needs of your business, and also have deep knowledge of the functionality of the platforms.

They can suggest tweaks to the way your studio works, or ways to better use the platform to address inefficiencies or annoyances in the workflow.

They can also follow up on any improvements you need from the service, and ensure any feedback you may have is passed on internally.

How much development work is going in to the platform?If you encounter bugs or errors which are fundamental technical issues with the platform, the only real way for them to be resolved would be to work around them, or wait for a patch.





SH

AR

E


The importance of having direct or indirect access to an active development team behind the solution cannot be understated. Are they responsive to customer feedback? Do they work with the technical support team to implement fixes or new features?

Usually, the frequency and quality of updates is a good indication of how active a solution’s development team is.

Is the solution updated regularly? Regular updates and upgrades indicate the team behind the platform is still actively working on improving the product.

Do these updates tend to be big version jumps which you have to pay for, or smaller, incremental updates which provide additional capabilities, or solve bugs and errors? Smaller incremental updates tend to indicate a healthy feedback loop between users and the development team.

In the case of cloud-based solutions, these updates tend to be rolled out more quickly, and become instantly available for use on the cloud.

For client-server based platforms, updates may be issued over the Internet, or in some cases, may require technicians to go on-site to install them.

How reliable is the solution?Most advertising delivery platforms provide uptime figures. But don’t take these figures





SH

AR

E


at face value, do some research to find out how they arrived at those numbers.

Modern delivery platform uptime is affected by many different things; the stability of the software, the reliability of the hosting server, and the network uptime, whether it’s between your studio and the platform, or between the platform and the publishers.

So platform providers who provide a single, unexplained uptime figure may be referring to any of these things.

Because Cloud-based platforms tend to be based on massive networks of servers, with data centers distributed all around the world, they tend to have very reliable servers and networks.

If anything goes down, the platform just shifts across to another part of the network seamlessly – most users don’t even notice these shifts. And because Cloud solutions can be scaled up as needed, it’s also pretty hard to “overload” them.

But that’s not to say that Cloud-based platforms have 100 percent reliability.

It’s always safer to plan for the worst case scenario, so when choosing a platform, ensure that there are backup arrangements in place, so your ads get to the publisher in time, even during extenuating circumstances.





SH

AR

E


In some cases, these arrangements may consist of secure VPN tunnel links, or even express courier deliveries of hard disks.

Chapter summaryDevelopment and support may be relatively low profile components of a solution, but in many ways, they are the most critical.

Different delivery platforms can have differing approaches to technical support, development and redundancy. When assessing these features, keep in mind the needs of your agency and staff in order to find the best match.

• Do you need (and does the platform provide) on-site training for staff to get them up to speed on the new platform?

• Does the solution have readily-available and accessible support documentation?

• Does the platform provide the level of technical support that you require?

• How active are the development efforts behind the platform?

• Does the solution provider respond to bugs and feature requests in a timely and effective manner?

• How reliable is the solution? Are there backup plans in place for emergencies?




48HOW ADSEND AND ADGATE CAN ENHANCE YOUR STUDIO’S EFFECTIVENESS

Congratulations! You are now armed with the knowledge you need to make an informed decision on choosing the right ad delivery platform.

Importantly, you can now ask the right questions, whether you are talking to a solution provider, or to your peers in the industry to get their feedback.

To give you a head start, we have included in the appendix of this eBook a list of 20 questions you can ask a potential solution provider.

Adsend's solutions are suited to agencies looking for a good balance of cost and features. We believe our cloud-based approach contributes to creating a robust, easy to use, and cost-effective ad delivery platform which fits in with the way today’s advertising agencies work.

We recognize that agencies have their own unique workflows, ad volumes and circumstances, and so flexibility is built into Adsend. Be it functionality, the level of integration, or cost structure, agencies can customize the solution to suit their level of need.

Importantly, even as we work to improve the functionality and flexibility of Adsend, we retain our focus on the core functionality of ad delivery system, to ensure your ads are compatible with the requirements of the publisher, and to deliver them promptly and reliably.

CONCLUSION

TWENTY QUESTIONS TO ASK A SOLUTION PROVIDER

APPENDIX


SH

AR

E

APPENDIX 20 QUESTIONS TO ASK A SOLUTION PROVIDER

Here’s a list of critical questions you might want to ask the provider when weighing up the options for ad delivery platforms.

Setup1. How quickly can we get started with

training and using the solution?

2. What licensing fees and hardware investments will I need to make?

3. How flexible are your cost structures?

Support and redundancy4. How often do you roll out updates on your

platform, and how are they deployed?

5. What level of technical support services do you provide, and what happens if I require help outside of normal working hours?

6. What is your uptime percentage, and how is this figure calculated?

7. How are the ads sent to publishers from your system, and what redundancy plans do you have in place if your primary link goes down?





SH

AR

E


Studio and agency workflow8. How well does your solution integrate with my

existing ad production systems and workflows?

9. Do you offer an extended agency workflow solution?

10. How much do your integration software and plugins cost?

11. How well does the upload, preflight and correction workflow scale when dealing with large batches of ads?

Pre-flight and corrections12. How strict are your solution’s pre-flight checks?

13. Does your solution prevent the sending of ads if certain serious problems are detected?

14. What sorts of automatic and manual correction capabilities does your system have, and how much do they cost?

15. Does your system automatically correct, convert or otherwise make modifications to our files?

16. Can we preview and approve the final corrected ads before sending?






Ad specifications17. How many publications and publishers

does your platform support?

18. What sorts of ad specification information do you have in your database?

19. How is your ad specification database maintained, and how quickly are changes reflected in it?

20. Do you offer the ability for agencies to feed the information from your ad specification database into their internal workflows?

DUBSAT are the global workflow and delivery experts. Streamlining the management & delivery of TV, print, Online and radio advertising worldwide – enabling you to validate, book, upload, deliver, manage, track and repurpose broadcast & print advertising, via your web browser or desktop.

For more information visit:www.dubsat.com

http://www.dubsat.com

your ad delivery solutions go-to guide. discover how to ...€¦ · into engaging stories. prior to...

Documents