What is SSAI? A Guide to Server-Side Ad Insertion

OTT ad insertion has become one of the most pressing challenges for content creators today. Ensuring a smooth and personalized ad insertion process on OTT platforms is crucial to maintaining viewer engagement and driving ad monetization. Many creators are turning to server-side ad insertion (SSAI) as their preferred solution due to its unique advantages!

So, what is SSAI, and why is it such a game-changer for OTT platforms?

In this article, we’ll break down SSAI's meaning, how it works in OTT environments, the key benefits it offers, and the challenges associated with dynamic server-side ad insertion.

Key Takeaways

• SSAI or server-side ad insertion is considered one of the most popular OTT solutions.
• The key benefits of SSAI are effortless user experience, scalability, resistance to ad blockers, highly personalized ads, optimized live streaming, and better viewer retention.
• The four main steps for SSAI integration are content preparation, ad choice, ad stitching, and content delivery.
• Compliance with privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA is critical when implementing SSAI to avoid legal risks while delivering personalized ads.
• Advanced analytics tools, like those provided by inoRain, can enhance SSAI by providing valuable insights into ad performance and user engagement, helping platforms optimize monetization strategies effectively.

What is SSAI?

SSAI (Server-Side Ad Insertion), also known as dynamic ad insertion (DAI), is a technology used to insert advertisements into streaming content directly from the server, rather than on the viewer's device. It seamlessly integrates ads into video or audio streams, creating a buffer-free and uninterrupted viewing experience for the audience.

Imagine watching your favorite show without awkward ad breaks disrupting the flow; this is where SSAI, or server-side ad insertion, shines. Also called dynamic server-side ad insertion, SSAI is a technology that blends video ads seamlessly into streaming content, creating a smooth, uninterrupted viewing experience on any internet-connected device.

Curious about how this powerful ad server technology works?

Let’s dive into the essential steps of SSAI advertising and uncover how it’s transforming ad monetization in today’s digital world.

• Request: The viewer starts searching for video content through the streaming platform.
• Ad Decision: For the second step, the server looks at the ad server and decides which one to show. The choice is based on criteria like user behavior, preferences, demographics, etc.
• Ad Stitching: After selecting an ad, the server stitches (implements) it to the video content, combining both the content and the ads into a single stream.
• Stream Delivery: The combined stream is sent to the user’s device. The server also makes sure that there are no buffering or any interruptions and delays.

To completely understand what SSAI is, let’s also refer to CSAI, another ad insertion technology. With this method, ads are loaded and played directly on the user's device (client) during video playback. Here’s a comparison table to better understand the key differences between SSAI and CSAI.

Feature	SSAI	CSAI
Ad Integration	Ads are stitched into the video stream on the server.	Ads are loaded separately on the user's device.
Ad Blocking	Harder to block because ads are part of the content stream.	Easier to block using ad blockers.
Playback Experience	Very easy and effortless, with no buffering or additional loading time.	Can cause buffering or playback delays when ads load.
Personalization	Ads are personalized based on server-side data.	Ads are personalized using client-side cookies and data.
Scalability	More scalable, especially for live events, as the server handles the workload.	Less scalable because each client handles ad loading.
Analytics	Limited to server-side data, and may lack some granular user interaction metrics.	Provides more detailed user interaction metrics like click-through rates.
Implementation	Requires more sophisticated server infrastructure.	Easier to implement but may impact user experience.

SSAI ad insertion offers a better user experience as it provides a smoother and uninterrupted viewing experience that’s resistant to ad blockers, making it ideal for high-quality streaming platforms and live events. CSAI ad insertion may be less preferable because of its buffering issues and vulnerability to ad blockers.

Key Benefits of SSAI

When exploring what SSAI is, it’s equally important to grasp the powerful advantages it brings to the table. Here are the key benefits of server-side ad insertion that make it a game-changer:

Effortless User Experience

With SSAI ad monetization, ads are seamlessly integrated into the video stream, ensuring there are no buffering or loading delays when transitioning between ads. Viewers encounter ads as a natural part of the content, without any interruptions.

Scalability

Being able to handle large-scale ad delivery, SSAI is ideal for large-traffic events such as live streams, sports, and other content that millions of users may access at the same time.

Resistance to Ad Blockers

With SSAI, ads are an inseparable part of the content. This means that it’s very difficult for even ad blockers to detect and remove ads from the content.

Highly Personalized Ads

Taking into account factors such as user preferences, viewing behavior, and demographics, SSAI supports dynamic ad insertion.

Optimized for Live Streaming

Having large scalability, SSAI advertising makes sure that the placement of ads won’t disrupt live broadcasts.

Better Viewer Retention

Minimizing the interruptions, buffering, and delays and showing only relevant ads, SSAI advertising contributes to viewer satisfaction and engagement with the content.

How SSAI Works in OTT and Live Streaming

SSAI is continuously proving to be one of the most common ad insertion options. In fact, according to one study, 40% of OTT ads are now served using SSAI. Imagine how big that percentage is now! After giving a comprehensive overview of what server-side ad insertion is and its key benefits, it’s time to understand how it works in OTT and live streaming.

Content Preparation

The first step is content preparation. Whether it’s a live stream or VOD (Video on Demand), it needs to be prepared for delivery. At this stage, SSAI ads are integrated with the content delivery network (CDN) and an ad server.

Choice of Ads

During the next step, SSAI goes through the ad server and chooses the most suitable ads. The choice is based on information such as the user’s location, device type, behavior, and preferences.

Ad Stitching

After choosing the ads that need to be displayed, it’s time to stitch them to the content. This means transcoding the selected ads so that they match the format and quality of a video. This is done to ensure that the whole video includes both the content and the ads.

Delivery

The stream is seamlessly delivered to the viewer via a Content Delivery Network (CDN), ensuring fast and reliable access across devices and locations. These steps work together to provide viewers with a smooth and uninterrupted experience, enhancing engagement and satisfaction.

For content creators looking to fully understand SSAI or implement the best OTT solutions, inoRain offers expert guidance and tailored tools to help you grow your business.

SSAI Use Cases

Dynamic server-side ad insertion may be used in a variety of ways, like live streaming, content streaming, and other OTT services. Below is a list of the most common uses of SSAI.

SSAI with DRM Integration

Most streaming platforms that have high-quality content integrate SSAI with DRM systems such as Widevine or PlayReady to protect their content (both the video and ads) from piracy and unauthorized access. This integration makes the content more secure and gains viewers’ trust.

Dynamic Ad Scheduling in Live Streaming

Live streaming events that have a high demand and lots of viewers, such as sports or news broadcasts, often use SSAI for its personalized ad insertion and high quality. This ad monetization method enables platforms to adjust ad schedules dynamically based on real-time changes in inventory or campaign priorities.

SSAI in Smart TV Environments

Ad insertions usually encounter the challenge of limited device capabilities. However, SSAI allows streaming services to provide ad-supported content even on smart TVs.

Platforms use media source extensions (MSE) and encrypted media extensions (EME) to manage video playback and ad insertion across different smart TV operating systems. By working closely with manufacturers and conducting extensive testing, SSAI ensures smooth playback, minimizes buffering, and successfully delivers targeted ads to smart TV audiences.

Outsourcing SSAI to Third-Party Providers

Many streaming platforms choose to outsource SSAI implementation to specialized third-party providers. These providers leverage MSE and EME technologies to handle video playback and ad insertion across diverse smart TV ecosystems.

By collaborating with manufacturers and utilizing advanced testing protocols, third-party SSAI solutions ensure optimal ad performance and delivery with reduced latency and buffering.

Outsourcing allows platforms to focus on content creation while benefiting from professional-grade ad insertion services that ensure seamless playback, targeted advertising, and a better viewer experience.

SSAI with Analytics for Monetization Optimization

When paired with advanced analytics like inoRain’s analytics tools, SSAI becomes a powerful resource for optimizing monetization strategies. These tools provide valuable insights into user interactions, ad performance, and content engagement, enabling platforms to make data-driven decisions.

Key metrics analyzed include:

• Impressions: How often ads are displayed to viewers.
• Ad Events: Tracking clicks, skips, and completions for deeper ad engagement insights.
• Playback Quality: Monitoring buffering, resolution, and stream stability to ensure seamless delivery.
• Viewer Retention: Understanding how long users stay engaged during content and ad playback.

By analyzing these metrics, platforms can refine their advertising strategies, enhance audience engagement, and improve overall ad delivery performance. inoRain’s analytics tools go a step further, offering granular data to help optimize ad placement, maximize revenue, and tailor ads to specific audience segments.

For content creators and OTT platforms, SSAI combined with analytics is a game-changing solution for balancing monetization goals with a smooth and engaging viewer experience.

Challenges of SSAI and Solutions

In an industry like ad monetization, there are plenty of challenges that have a big influence on ad performance. It’s very important to research those challenges and prepare solutions for them.

Ad Personalization vs. Privacy

As we’ve already mentioned before, SSAI creates highly personalized ads based on viewer’s geographics, behaviors, and needs. Using this information can conflict with privacy regulations like GDPR or CCPA. Not having proper compliance and yet collecting viewers’ information can cause serious legal problems.

Solutions:

• Instead of tailoring ads to the viewer, make them relevant to the content being streamed.
• Implement a Content Management Platform (CMP) to secure user permissions for data collection and ensure compliance with privacy laws.
• Regularly audit your data practices to align with the latest regulations.

Resistance to Ad Blockers

SSAI advertising integrates ads directly into the content, making them harder for ad blockers to detect. However, some ad blockers can still identify and block ads, reducing ad impressions and revenue.

Solutions:

• Avoid predictable ad placements, making them more difficult for ad blockers to detect.
• Mask ad identifiers to prevent detection by ad-blocking algorithms.
• Continuously update and refine SSAI systems to stay ahead of ad-blocking technologies.

Latency in Live Streaming

In live streaming scenarios, SSAI ad insertion technology must make ad decisions and integrate them in real-time. This can lead to latency, especially if the ad server or content delivery system is slow.

Such delays can throw off the synchronization between the live content and the ads, causing buffering or interruptions in the stream.

Solutions:

• Use edge servers close to the end-user to reduce the time required for ad decision-making and delivery.
• Preload commonly used ads: Prepare frequently used ads in advance to minimize delays during live events.
• Optimize your CDN for faster, more efficient ad delivery.

Scalability for High-Concurrency Events

Large live events, like sports games or award ceremonies, draw in millions of viewers at the same time. The SSAI advertising system needs to manage a significant number of ad requests and seamlessly stitch content together without any delays. If it can't scale properly, it could lead to ads not being shown or a poor experience for viewers.

Solutions:

• Use cloud environments that can automatically scale to handle sudden traffic spikes.
• Distribute traffic evenly across multiple servers to avoid overloading and ensure consistent performance.
• Implement redundancy systems to safeguard against server failures during peak times.

Conclusion

We’ve uncovered what server-side ad insertion (SSAI) is and how it can revolutionize your content strategy. As a content creator, leveraging SSAI is one of the most powerful OTT solutions available to optimize your ad performance and deliver an uninterrupted viewing experience.

With server-side ad insertion, you can increase your ad monetization, boost ad insertion efficiency, and ensure seamless content delivery across multiple platforms.

However, navigating the intricacies of dynamic server-side ad insertion and maximizing its potential can be challenging. That’s why partnering with a knowledgeable provider is key to taking your content to the next level.

Ready to boost your ad revenue and engage a wider audience with cutting-edge solutions? Reach out to inoRain today and let us help you take full advantage of SSAI advertising, improve your ad performance, and amplify your content’s success!

FAQs

Can SSAI work with live streaming and on-demand content?

Yes, SSAI greatly works with live streaming and on-demand content. It can stitch ads not only to live streaming but also to pre-recorded and on-demand content.

Is SSAI resistant to ad blockers?

Yes, SSAI is resistant to ad blockers because it stitches ads directly to the video content, making it almost indistinguishable from the main content for ad blockers.

How does SSAI ensure a seamless viewer experience?

By stitching ads directly to the video content, suggesting only relevant ads, and minimizing buffering time and delays, SSAI ensures a seamless viewer experience.

How does inoRain support SSAI implementation?

InoRain comes with many OTT solutions personalized for each user. Considering the fact that nowadays SSAI is commonly used in OTT, InoRain supports its implementation by providing seamless ad stitching, advanced targeting, and analytics for optimized monetization.