Programmatic vs direct digital out-of-home, explained

Digital out-of-home (DOOH) screens can be bought in two ways. Both have their place.

Direct buying

You book a screen (or a network of screens) for fixed dates and get a share of the loop: for example a 10-second slot in a 60-second loop, shown all day. The price is agreed up front.

• Predictable delivery and dates.
• Good for launches, events and anything that must run at a specific time and place.
• Simple to plan alongside static billboards, radio and creators.

This is how screens are sold on Averta today: you see the slot and loop length, the price and the estimated audience before you book.

Programmatic buying

Programmatic DOOH sells individual plays or impressions through automated platforms, often in real time and priced per thousand impressions (CPM).

• Buyers can target by time of day, location or triggers such as weather.
• Budgets can be spread across many screens and adjusted while the campaign runs.
• It requires the screens to be connected to an ad exchange and usually involves a demand-side platform, which adds fees and setup.

Which should you choose?

• Choose direct when you need guaranteed presence, specific locations or dates, or you are combining channels.
• Consider programmatic for large, always-on campaigns where flexibility and fine targeting matter more than guaranteed placement.

Whatever you buy, ask how impressions are counted: by play logs (measured), by the owner's figures (reported) or by a model (estimated).