Every ad you run travels through a chain of platforms before it reaches a user. This chain, called the ad tech stack, is what makes mobile advertising possible at scale.
If you’ve ever wondered why your CPI suddenly changes, why certain channels deliver better users, or why fraud risk looks different depending on the source, the answers often lie here.
In this installment of Gamelight’s Growth Guides, we break down the essentials, like DSPs, SSPs, real-time bidding, header bidding, and affiliate networks, and bring in expert perspectives on what makes an effective ad tech stack for modern user acquisition.
AD TECH STACK
ADVERTISERS / DSPS
Where campaigns start. DSPs buy ad placements automatically based on targeting, budget, and creative.
REAL-TIME BIDDING / HEADER BIDDING
The auction layer. DSPs and SSPs compete in milliseconds, ensuring the best match of price and placement.
SSPS & PUBLISHERS
Publishers sell available ad slots through SSPs, who maximize revenue and manage fraud protection.
AFFILIATE NETWORKS
Alternative path. Partners drive installs directly (via blogs, influencers, media buys), paid per install or action
Demand-Side Platforms (DSPs)
A DSP (Demand-Side Platform) is a software that advertisers use to buy ad placements automatically.
Instead of calling up hundreds of apps and negotiating ad prices one by one, you set your campaign inside a DSP. You define who you want to reach, how much you’re willing to spend, and what creatives to show. The DSP then connects you to thousands of apps at once and automatically bids for impressions on your behalf.
According to Zack Weiss, Head of Brands and Agencies at Odeeo, a strong ad tech stack needs to be structured with purpose, not just tools:
Supply-Side Platforms (SSPs)
On the other side of the ecosystem, publishers rely on SSPs (Supply-Side Platforms) to sell and manage their ad inventory. SSPs make ad slots visible to multiple buyers, run auctions, and help publishers maximise their revenue.
As Pascal Koslowski, Founder of Kowalski & Company, points out, SSPs can also introduce challenges that advertisers should be aware of:
RTB is where DSPs and SSPs meet.
Every time a user opens an app, a signal is sent to indicate an available ad slot. The SSP forwards it to multiple DSPs, each deciding whether to bid and how much. The highest bid wins, and the ad appears, all in a few hundred milliseconds.
Pascal Koslowski notes that RTB revolutionized efficiency, but only when built on accurate, real-time signals:
Real-Time Bidding (RTB)
Affiliate Networks
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Not every user is acquired through automated auctions. Affiliate networks are another valuable piece of the UA puzzle, connecting advertisers with partners, such as media buyers, web publishers, or influencers, who promote apps through different channels.
The upside is reach and diversity; the challenge is ensuring traffic quality.
Affiliates can bring excellent scale when managed properly, but quality validation must happen in real time to avoid wasted spend and fraud.
Managing the Stack in Practice
While each component of the ad tech stack plays a distinct role, performance ultimately depends on how everything is managed together on a day-to-day basis.
Günay Azer, founder of Gamelight, explains:
Final Thoughts
The ad tech stack isn’t abstract; it’s the engine behind every campaign.
DSPs scale your buying.
SSPs manage the supply.
RTB connects them in live auctions.
Header bidding ensures fairness.
Affiliate networks extend reach with unique dynamics.
Understanding how these systems interact is key to managing budgets effectively and avoiding inefficiencies.
As Daniel Bowen, Growth Lead at Stash, sums it up:
For UA managers, that understanding goes far beyond acronyms; it’s about control, transparency, and smarter decision-making. Because in user acquisition, success doesn’t just come from running campaigns; it comes from understanding the system that powers them.
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