Bidding Power: How We Cut CTV CPMs by 30% Without Sacrificing Quality
In the world of Connected TV (CTV), not all media buying is created equal. Most agencies operate on a fixed-CPM model—if they find a way to buy an impression for less, that extra dollar goes straight into their margin.
At Good Impression Marketing, we’ve flipped the script. Because our pricing is a transparent, flat percentage of spend, every efficiency we find is passed directly to you. When we lower the CPM, we aren’t increasing our profit—we’re increasing your reach.
The Proof is in the Optimization
From January to March 2026, we tuned our bidding algorithms and supply path strategies to drive maximum efficiency. Across all inventory tiers—from FAST to Premium—we saw a significant decrease in costs while maintaining 100% CTV delivery, strict geo-targeting, and custom dayparting.
How We Do It: The Power of Log-Level Data
Most buyers only see what they spent. We see exactly why an impression cost what it did. By tapping into raw, log-level data for every single impression, we can audit the “mechanics” of the auction in real-time.
We look at specific technical metrics that most platforms hide:
- bid_price_micros: What we originally offered.
- win_cost_micros: What we actually paid.
- clearing_price_micros_usd: The minimum bid the publisher required to win.
- bid_floor_micros: The absolute floor the publisher set for that inventory.
By joining these datasets in our internal dashboards, we calculate a proprietary metric we call “Bidding Efficiency.” This allows us to see exactly where we are overpaying and adjust our bids until we are hitting the precise “clearing price”—the exact amount required to secure the win, and not a penny more.
Automated Efficiency & Bid Shading
Manual optimization only goes so far. To stay ahead of the curve, we’ve integrated two key technical layers:
- Automated Real-Time Reporting: Our systems constantly highlight bidding efficiency gaps, allowing our team to pivot strategies mid-flight.
- Algorithmic Bid Shading: Our DSP automatically tests lower bid thresholds throughout a campaign, ensuring we are always buying at the most efficient market rate available at that moment.
Transparent Supply Path Optimization (SPO)
This isn’t an “add-on” service; this advanced Supply Path Optimization is standard for every client and agency partner we work with.
We believe that transparency breeds confidence. That’s why you have complete access to these reports. You’ll always know that your budget is being used to buy the best inventory on the market at the best possible price—no hidden margins, no black boxes.
Have questions? Drop us a line and our team will be happy to show you a live demo.