Recap of the #AskingAdOps Series: 20 Questions to Transform Your AdOps Workflow
Introduction: A Journey Through AdOps Challenges
Over the past few months, our #AskingAdOps series on LinkedIn has sparked conversations with publisher adops teams, diving deep into the real challenges of managing Google Ad Manager (GAM) workflows. From manual reporting struggles to navigating a cookie-less world, we’ve covered 20 questions that get to the heart of ad ops pain points - and solutions. We capped the series with the launch of the ProOps Ads Tracker (Question 19), a Chrome extension that saves hours weekly by automating GAM reporting and catching issues early. In this recap, we’ll break down the key themes from the series, share insights, and link back to each question’s LinkedIn post so you can join the conversation. Let’s reflect on how far we’ve come - and how the Ads Tracker can transform your adops workflow.
The #AskingAdOps Series: Key Themes and Insights
The #AskingAdOps series tackled a wide range of adops topics, which we’ve grouped into four key themes. Here’s what we learned, with links to each question’s LinkedIn post for deeper insights.
1. Operational Efficiency and Campaign Management (Q1-Q8, Q10)
This theme focused on the day-to-day grind of campaign execution and reporting.
Q1: “What does ad operations/adops/media buyers/media execution (formerly known as ad traffickers) actually do?” – We defined adops as the backbone of campaign execution, from trafficking to reporting. https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7292546348376043520
Q2: “Are my campaigns delivering?” – Highlighted the struggle to monitor delivery in real-time, risking missed targets. https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7293274848795971585
Q3: “Are the PMP deals still running?” – Showed the need for constant oversight of programmatic deals. https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7294757310629822464
Q4: “Can you provide more insights for this post-campaign report?” – Revealed a demand for deeper reporting insights. https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7295512400881979392
Q5: “How much can we frontload for this campaign?” – Addressed pacing challenges with budget constraints. https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7297665175002718208
Q6: “Can we go live as soon as we receive creative?” – Exposed delays in campaign launches due to manual processes. https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7298363096421605377
Q7: “How come my campaign is under-delivering, but the avails showed me there was more than enough avails to deliver it in full?” – Highlighted discrepancies from misconfigurations. https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7299848821507817472
Q8: “Should we use preferred deals or private auctions when setting up PMP deals?” – Explored strategic decisions in PMP setups. https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7302387887990325251
Q10: “Should we integrate our ad server log files into our post-campaign reporting analysis?” – Suggested leveraging raw data for better reporting accuracy. https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7310313135838531587
Insight: Manual processes - like monitoring delivery, generating insights, and launching campaigns - waste hours and risk revenue. The ProOps Ads Tracker automates GAM reporting and flags delivery issues early, saving hours weekly.
2. Automation and Technology Integration (Q11, Q17, Q19)
This theme explored how automation can alleviate adops burdens.
Q11: “Can we automate more of our ad operations processes?” – Asked how to reduce manual workloads. https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7312517371057905665
Q17: “How can media operations teams integrate a CRM or order management system (OMS) with their adtech stack to enable real-time delivery data sync, automatic campaign creation, and accurate invoicing for driving operational efficiencies and scalable revenue growth in 2025?” – Explored advanced automation via CRM/OMS integration. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/chrisjquinn_askingadops-proopsconsulting-adappssolutions-activity-7325574245135110147-XXUJ
Q19: “How can publisher ad ops teams leverage automation tools like ProOps Ads Tracker to slash time spent on manual GAM reporting and issue troubleshooting, boosting efficiency in 2025?” – Introduced the Ads Tracker, automating GAM workflows and catching more issues. https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7330574271900987394
Insight: Automation is a must for scaling adops, from reporting to billing. The Ads Tracker addresses this by cutting manual effort and providing clear alert buckets (Campaigns, Inventory, Revenue).
3. AI and Data Strategies (Q12-Q13, Q15-Q16)
This theme examined how AI and data strategies are transforming adops.
Q12: “What role does AI play in the future of ad operations, and how should we prepare?” – Explored AI’s potential for predictive analytics and optimization. https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7315453455056154625
Q13: “How can data clean rooms supercharge ad operations in 2025?” – Highlighted data clean rooms for secure targeting and reporting. https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7318637723454513152
Q15: “How are programmatic signals—like content metadata, first-party data, and device IDs—revolutionizing targeting and reporting in CTV, display, and OLV in 2025?” – Focused on advanced targeting in CTV and other formats. https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7321209837793464354
Q16: “How can publishers balance first-party data strategies with the shift toward composable identity solutions to enhance ad targeting in a cookie-challenged world?” – Addressed targeting in a post-cookie era. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/chrisjquinn_askingadops-adops-proopsconsulting-activity-7323113099199217666-iOZE
Insight: AI and data strategies enable better targeting and reporting, but privacy challenges require new approaches. The Ads Tracker complements this with secure, read-only GAM access and data-driven alerts.
4. Optimization and Yield (Q9, Q14, Q18)
This theme focused on maximizing revenue through strategic optimization.
Q9: “It’s Q1 2025, time to review the product list and simplify” – Suggested streamlining ad products for efficiency. https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7306030991121268738
Q14: “Tackling two sides of the same coin: Supply Path Optimization (SPO) and Demand Path Optimization (DPO)” – Explored SPO/DPO to reduce supply chain inefficiencies. https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7320443159858073600
Q18: “How can publisher adops teams optimize demand integration with Prebid, GAM’s Open Bidding, and TTD’s OpenPath to boost yield in 2025, while using ads.txt for transparency?” – Focused on demand integrations to maximize yield. https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7328613975728758785
Insight: Strategic optimization and transparency (via ads.txt) are key to boosting yield. The Ads Tracker helps by catching revenue-affecting issues early, ensuring campaigns perform.
5. Reflecting on Question 20: Community Insights
Q20: “Reflecting on 19 Questions—What’s Your Biggest AdOps Lesson?” – Wrapped up the series by inviting the community to share their takeaways, sparking meaningful discussions. [Insert LinkedIn Post Link for Q20]
Insight: The adops community’s input has been invaluable, reinforcing the need for tools like the Ads Tracker to address shared challenges.
How ProOps Ads Tracker Ties It All Together
The ProOps Ads Tracker, launched in Q19, addresses the core challenges from the series:
Efficiency: Automates GAM reporting, saving an estimated 4-6 hours weekly per person (Q1-Q8, Q10).
Automation: Provides a seamless solution for daily workflows, with alert buckets for Campaigns, Inventory, and Revenue (Q11, Q17, Q19).
Data Security: Uses read-only GAM access, aligning with privacy needs in a cookie-less world (Q13, Q16).
Yield Protection: Catches more issues early, ensuring campaigns perform and revenue is protected (Q9, Q14, Q18).
Priced on a monthly subscription for up to 3 users (with a nominal fee per additional user), it’s affordable for teams of all sizes. The 30-day free trial lets you test it risk-free.
Join the Conversation: Revisit the Series
The #AskingAdOps series isn’t just a resource—it’s a community. Revisit each question on LinkedIn to dive deeper into the discussions and share your own insights. Together, we’re shaping the future of adops.
Call to Action: Transform Your AdOps Workflow Today
Don’t let manual GAM workflows hold your team back. The ProOps Ads Tracker saves hours weekly, catches issues early, and keeps you organized - so you can focus on strategy, not data wrangling. Ready to try it? Contact us for a personalized demo and start your 30-day free trial today. Let’s make adops easier, together. Join the conversation on LinkedIn with #AskingAdOps!