It’s not hard to see why media organizations both big and small should be using an order management system, or OMS.
Tracking the entire ad sales process with a patchwork of spreadsheets, emails, files, and paperwork always increases the risk of human error. That, in turn, can result in delays—and, worse yet, lost revenue.
A quality OMS can help publishers avoid those pitfalls by bringing together disconnected systems. The right software can also position them to capitalize on a period of exceptional growth. Worldwide, advertising revenues for media companies soared by 22% in 2021—and market watchers project further gains to come. With an OMS optimizing workflows, publishers have more time to focus on tapping into this booming market.
Determining you need a new OMS is one thing. Picking the best system for your media company is another. Whether you’re looking to upgrade your current OMS or adopt your first, there’s lots to consider.
To help inform your decision, this blog post looks at two of the most important features for publishers to look for in an OMS.
Multichannel capabilities
An OMS is an investment. It should be able to support your media company’s evolution, whatever direction that takes. Therefore, it’s important to choose one with broad multichannel functionality from the start—not just a system for digital.
Your OMS should accommodate traditional channels, too. For example, your media company may not be focusing on print, so it may not seem important to consider print compatibility for your OMS. But magazines continue to buck predictions of the death of print. Readership remains consistent, and the global magazine market is anticipated to balloon by $3.43 billion USD between 2021 and 2025.
It’s a trend many didn’t expect. It also underscores why multichannel diversity should be top of mind when purchasing an OMS. Think of publishers who neglected print compatibility for digital when adopting operations software a few years ago. Having banked on print’s demise, they may need to cobble together a solution within existing workflows—or start from scratch with a new OMS.
Integrations
It’s a mistake to think of an OMS as a standalone platform. Remember, even so-called “standalone” platforms require some form of integration, whether it’s with your website or accounting tools. Instead, think of the OMS as a terminal or hub, connecting many different tools and workflows.
Connectivity is a major strength, and it’s something that Adpoint OMS—Lineup’s industry-leading, cloud-based ad management system—has been engineered to excel in. “Adpoint OMS is the integral part of the seamless end-to-end cycle from CMS to finance—it works for everyone,” says Lineup’s Digital Product Manager, Neil Rigby.
Flexible OMS integration lets teams continue to use the apps and services that they’re already successful at, without disruption. Adpoint users in particular will find bi-directional, real-time ad server integrations that let them sync up with popular systems, including Google Ads Manager, Smart AdServer, and Xandr. Inventory forecasting and management tools create on-the-fly updates, so sales teams can be sure they aren’t offering unavailable space to media buyers.
Who’s behind the OMS?
With strong multichannel capabilities and integration, your media organization won’t be punished for pivoting in the fast-paced publishing world. But before selecting an OMS, media companies should also learn about who created a given platform.
Most software was not developed with publishers in mind, causing limitations and frustration.
Fortunately, Adpoint OMS is an exception. To find out more about how Lineup’s Adpoint OMS has been tailor-made to meet the modern media company’s needs, book a call today.
