A pre-launch checklist for a Private Marketplace deal that actually delivers

A pre-launch checklist for a Private Marketplace deal that actually delivers

Most PMPs (Private Marketplaces — invitation-only auctions on curated inventory) underdeliver because setup skips verification. Walk this list before going live.

1. Define the deal type explicitly with the publisher: Private Auction (floor, competes), Preferred Deal (fixed price, first look, non-guaranteed), or Programmatic Guaranteed (fixed price and volume). Each routes differently in your DSP.

2. Get the exact deal ID string and the SSP seat ID, and have your DSP team confirm the seat matches your bidding seat before any spend.

3. Agree on the floor in writing and confirm your default bid clears it — a deal bid below floor is filtered silently.

4. Validate inventory scope: which domains, formats, sizes, geos. Ask the SSP to send a test bid request so you can see the deals array populate in your logs.

5. Set a deal-level bid multiplier or fixed bid so the deal isn't competing against your own open-exchange line at a lower price.

6. Launch at low budget for 24 hours, confirm the deal ID appears in win logs, then scale.

Why it matters: A PMP that doesn't spend almost always traces to one of these setup gaps, not to demand. Verifying seat mapping, floor, scope, and a live test request before launch converts the most common form of programmatic disappointment into a deal that delivers on day one.