Top PromoteIQ Competitors & Alternatives

Kevel Team

Written by the people building the future of retail media

Table of Contents

This article explores PromoteIQ alternatives and what each retail media solution can offer your ad business.

PromoteIQ was founded in 2012 and acquired by Microsoft in 2019. The New York-based retail media platform powers targeted sponsored listings through a simple, tag-based ad integration. It stands out for both its Microsoft-complementary offerings and flexible ad relationship management.

However, PromoteIQ’s tag-based system comes with limitations -- most notably, a lack of ad unit customization and targeting control. Although PromoteIQ boasts “a better outcome for shoppers, retailers, and brands,” retailers looking for more ownership over their retail media platform may want to consider other retail media solutions.

Top PromoteIQ Competitors and Alternatives

Kevel

Kevel’s Retail Media Cloud™ empowers retail media networks through flexible API offerings that improve the shopper experience without the need to forfeit any control over first-party data. Kevel’s ad tech infrastructure has helped multi-brand retailers launch differentiated retail media networks in as little as 14 days, and the team at Kevel is committed to helping digital retailers scale their own distinct ad platforms.

When to consider Kevel

• You care about innovation. Kevel is constantly developing new features and products that will set your ad platform apart from the crowd.
• You want to prioritize performance. Site performance is crucial for keeping users’ attention and delivering top notch browsing experiences.
• You want server-side integration. All of Kevel’s ads load server-side, meaning alongside your organic content, which keeps users engaged for longer.
• You don’t want revshare pricing. With Kevel, you only pay for what you use.
• You want a unified ad tech stack. The flexibility of Kevel’s APIs means you can build on top of existing infrastructure.
• You don’t want to lose ad revenue to ad blockers. Kevel’s server-side ad requests can monetize ad blocked users.

When to think twice

• You don’t need much customer support. While Kevel prides themselves on providing 1:1 support, learning how to best integrate and optimize Kevel’s APIs is important.
• You want to launch in days. Kevel’s APIs usually require engineering resources and a few weeks to launch.

Criteo

Criteo is a global technology company known for having the largest sponsored products ad network.

When to consider Criteo

• You want something similar to PromoteIQ. Criteo operates much the same as PromoteIQ with a tag-based system.
• You want to access Criteo’s demand partnerships. Criteo’s partner program includes 20,000 advertisers and brands globally.

When to think twice

• You don’t want revshare pricing. Criteo operates with a CPC revshare model.
• You want to own your demand. If you want to manage advertiser relationships yourself, Criteo might not be the best fit.
• You want a flexible ad ops setup. Criteo may not be suitable if you have a unique use case.
• You want server-side sponsored listings. Criteo’s tag-based solution limits certain benefits.
• You want flexible targeting options. Criteo’s targeting options lack customization.

CitrusAd

Like PromoteIQ, CitrusAd’s platform is retail-specific.

When to consider CitrusAd

• You want brand pages. They offer a valuable ad inventory for advertisers.

When to think twice

• You want an independent partner. CitrusAd is owned by Publicis.
• You don’t want revshare pricing. CitrusAd operates under a revshare model.
• You want to own your advertiser relationships. CitrusAd connects advertisers to their network.
• You want customization. If you want to control the settings, CitrusAd may not serve you best.

Google Ad Manager (GAM)

GAM is one of the leading ad management platforms.

When to consider GAM

• You want a low-lift solution. GAM offers user-friendly monetization components.

When to think twice

• You don’t want to lose ad revenue to ad blockers. GAM’s ad tags get blocked.
• You hate latency. GAM can lead to slow or jumpy content.
• You want sponsored listings. GAM does not serve these offerings.

Moloco

Moloco focuses on performance advertising.

When to consider Moloco

• Machine-learning is your main priority. Moloco's mission is to empower businesses through operational machine learning.

When to think twice

• You need an uncomplicated solution. If simplicity is vital, consider other solutions.

Topsort

Topsort focuses on auction-based sponsored listings and video ads monetization.

When to consider Topsort

• Auctions are your main priority. Topsort specializes in AI for auction tools.

When to think twice

• You want flexible ad units. Topsort may be limited in features.
• You want tech experience. Topsort might lack experience as a new startup.

Building it yourself

When to consider building from scratch

• You want full control over your ad platform. Building your own platform allows customization.
• You have the resources to do so. Companies with adequate resources may benefit.

When to think twice

• You want innovation now. Building a platform requires significant time and resources.
• You want to keep up with your competitors. The time investment might hinder progress.
• You don’t want to deal with compliance issues. Homegrown solutions require ongoing maintenance and compliance efforts.

Conclusion: Kevel stands out as PromoteIQ alternative

Kevel emerges as a standout PromoteIQ alternative, with an API-first approach that offers flexibility and tailored solutions. If you think Kevel could be your PromoteIQ alternative of choice, get in touch today.

Kevel Team

The Kevel Team is made up of retail media, ad tech, and commerce experts helping brands build world-class ad platforms.