Side-by-side
| Factor | Managed service | Marketplace |
|---|---|---|
| Publisher discovery | Handled by provider | Buyer browses inventory |
| Outreach/negotiation | Usually handled | Usually abstracted or already arranged |
| Domain selection | Varies; may be pre-approved | Typically buyer-led |
| Operational workload | Lower | Moderate |
| Vetting responsibility | Shared | Heavier on buyer |
| Best fit | Teams wanting fulfillment | Buyers wanting selection control |
Questions for managed services
- Can I approve publishers first?
- How are sites sourced?
- What traffic/relevance checks are used?
- Who writes the article?
- What happens if the placement changes?
Questions for marketplaces
- How fresh is the inventory data?
- Can I inspect the live publisher?
- Are prices and deliverables standardized?
- How are disputes handled?
- Can I see historical quality signals?
Choose from the workflow backward
If your bottleneck is time, managed fulfillment may be more valuable. If your bottleneck is lack of transparency or control, a marketplace or DIY process may fit better.