Set up a Matched Audience deal with multiple publishers

Before you can run a Matched Audiences™ Matched Audiences are IDs where data partners or publishers upload a list of IDs for a particular Universal ID provider and match a deal ID against that audience segment. platform deal A private auction that allows publishers to offer specific inventory directly to selected buyers identified by a deal ID. Terms are negotiated and are agreed upon before the auction occurs. (a deal with multiple publishers), the following steps need to be completed:

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Buyers must provide the name of the DSP Demand-Side Platform (DSP). A software platform that automates bidding decisions in real-time and efficiently connects buyers and audiences through an ad exchange or SSP. Also known as a buy-side platform. that they are working with to Index Exchange (Index)'s Buyer Services team. Buyers can also provide the Index DSP ID (optional).

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Depending on which Universal ID Universal IDs are IDs that Index can receive from data partners and pass to DSPs in the bid request. provider the deal is being negotiated with, the buyer uploads their audience file using one of the following methods:

  • If the deal is with LiveRamp, the buyer uploads their Matched Audience customer relationship management (CRM) file in the LiveRamp platform. For instructions on uploading the CRM file, see Upload a Matched Audience file into LiveRamp.

  • If the deal is with Neustar, the buyer works directly with a Neustar representative to upload the audience file.

  • If the deal is with LiveIntent, the buyer works with LiveIntent's Customer Success team to either create a new audience, or select an existing audience in the LiveIntent platform.

For more information, contact your Universal ID provider representative.

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Depending on which Universal ID provider the deal is being negotiated with, the buyer sends the audience file to Index using one of the following methods:

  • If the deal is with Neustar, the buyer works with a Neustar representative to send the audience file directly to Index.

  • If the deal is with LiveIntent, LiveIntent exports both the customer relationship management (CRM) audience (Custom Audience segments) and website audiences (Dynamic Audience segments) and sends them to Index as Matched Audience files.

For more information, contact your Universal ID provider representative.

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Index’s Buyer Services team creates a deal and shares a deal ID with the buyer.

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The buyer builds the Matched Audience deal with their chosen DSP. Since Matched Audience deals focus on small, precise, and highly performing audience segments, buyers should follow Index's best practices. For more information, see Tips for buyers to optimize a Matched Audience deal.

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After a Matched Audience campaign A collection of multiple ads in different formats. is set up and a user from the Matched Audience file is recognized on a publisher The owner of a website or app where advertisements are served.'s page, Index detects the Matched Audience in real time and generates a bid request An OpenRTB request that is sent from a supply-side platform (SSP) or ad exchange to the DSP requesting a bid response for potential impressions. A bid request contains information about the impression that allows the DSP to decide whether to bid on the impression. for the deal ID tied to that audience. This detection is enabled by a Universal ID provider. For more information, see Matching users using a Universal ID provider.

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DSPs can then bid and win on opportunities for the buyer's Matched Audience. The user within the selected Matched Audience will see the campaign on the publisher's site.