A Day in the Life of an AdOps Professional: Navigating the Daily Grind

Introduction: Inside the World of AdOps

Publisher ad operations professionals are the unsung heroes of digital media, managing a relentless cycle of campaign tracking, revenue analysis, and unexpected challenges. At ProOps Consulting, we’ve listened to the #AskingAdOps community to understand these daily realities, echoing themes from our recent blog on optimizing workflows. This article takes you through a day in the life of an adops pro, exploring the manual steps that define their routine and offering a glimpse into the pressures and possibilities they face. Let’s dive in.

The Morning Rush: Kicking Off the Day

The day begins early—often at 6 AM with a coffee in hand. Ad ops pros dive into Google Ad Manager (GAM) to track campaign delivery, manually pulling data on impressions and fill rates, which can take 1-2 hours. Next, they compile updates for the sales team, flagging any under-delivery risks raised in Q7 of #AskingAdOps: “How come my campaign is under-delivering?” Finally, they prioritize the week’s tasks, juggling competing demands. This morning rush sets the tone, but one missed metric can derail the day. Sound familiar? Many spend these hours reacting rather than planning.

Midweek Check-In: Wrestling with Weekly Data

By Wednesday, the focus shifts to a 2-3 hour midweek check. Ad ops teams reconcile GAM reports with private marketplace (PMP) data, updating spreadsheets to spot revenue trends. They flag issues for sales, but the manual grind—cross-checking numbers and chasing inconsistencies—can easily miss a revenue dip. This weekly cadence, tied to Q18’s “optimizing demand integration,” is critical yet time-consuming. Teams often spend extra hours ensuring accuracy, leaving little room for strategic adjustments. How do you manage this weekly hurdle?

The Monthly Deep Dive: Planning Ahead

As the month ends, ad ops pros face a half-day deep dive. They pull GAM data to forecast revenue, adjust pricing based on trends, and align with sales and finance teams. Manual exports and siloed communication slow this process, delaying decisions that could optimize yield. This routine, essential for long-term planning, highlights the challenge of balancing reactive fixes with proactive strategy. What’s the biggest obstacle you encounter during your monthly reviews?

The Unexpected Curveball: Handling Surprises

Afternoons can bring unexpected curveballs—a sudden drop in ad unit requests, for instance. Ad ops pros spend hours tracking it down, cross-checking with demand partners, and updating reports. These manual checks often miss issues until they escalate, impacting delivery and revenue. This daily surprise, a common theme in ad ops, underscores the need for vigilance. Have you faced a similar challenge? Sharing experiences can shed light on common pitfalls.

Reflection and Relief: Wrapping Up the Week

Friday brings a chance to reflect, but the grind persists. Ad ops teams compile final GAM reports, fix oversights from the week, and prep sales updates. Manual tasks linger, eating into time that could be spent strategizing or driving growth. Imagining a week with less manual work opens possibilities—perhaps more focus on yield optimization. What would you do with extra time? This reflection ties back to the daily, weekly, and monthly rhythms that define the role.

Practical Steps to Ease the Load

Ready to rethink your ad ops routine? Start by mapping your day for a week, logging time on GAM pulls and updates. Explore automation tools to streamline data collection, establish a weekly review cadence with shared reports, and host a team session to interpret trends. Iterate monthly, testing adjustments and documenting results. Our recent blog offers more insights—check the link below!

Call to Action: Join the Conversation

A day in the life of an ad ops pro is a balancing act of manual effort and strategic potential. At ProOps, we’re here to support publishers in navigating these challenges. Dive deeper into optimizing your workflows and join the #AskingAdOps discussion on LinkedIn!

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AdOps Workflows: Daily Tracking to Monthly Revenue Insights