SiteScout

First self-serve DSP for display advertising

SiteScout was founded as the first self-serve demand-side platform (DSP) for display advertising, enabling advertisers and agencies to buy banner ad inventory across the web through real-time bidding (RTB). The platform democratized programmatic advertising by making it accessible to smaller advertisers and agencies who previously couldn't access RTB technology. SiteScout provided tools for campaign management, audience targeting, and real-time optimization across desktop and mobile display inventory. In February 2016, SiteScout was acquired by Centro, a leading advertising software company, for approximately $20 million. Following the acquisition, SiteScout's technology and team were integrated into Centro's Basis platform, which became Centro's unified programmatic advertising solution. The SiteScout brand was eventually phased out as its capabilities were absorbed into the broader Basis DSP offering. SiteScout's legacy lies in its role as an early innovator in self-serve programmatic advertising, helping to establish the DSP category and making RTB technology accessible to a broader market. The platform's user-friendly interface and transparent pricing model influenced how subsequent programmatic platforms were designed and positioned in the market.