When it comes to tech, a platform is only as good as its connection to the rest of your business. From planning campaigns to managing orders to delivering results, every phase of the ad sales lifecycle relies on multiple tools working together.

On average, B2B marketers have 4-10 platforms in their tech stack. And while they each serve their own function, we know that critical information from one will aid in the success of another. Those who are unable to connect can quickly become irrelevant to their customers. That’s where integration comes in.

In this article, we’ll break down what integration really means, why it matters in ad tech, and how we approach it at ShowSeeker.

What is Integration, really?

If you’ve ever sat through a demo or browsed a tech company’s website, you’ve likely heard phrases like “we have an integration for that” or “we offer an open API.” But what do those actually mean?

At its core, integration is about connection. More specifically, integration is the electronic connection and data sharing between different third-party systems and platforms. It’s what allows tools to exchange information without extra effort from the user, ultimately removing any human interaction that is required for those systems to talk to each other. In ad tech, this can include DSPs, traffic systems, billing tools, CRMs, and sales platforms; each playing a role in supporting the sales process from start to finish.

The Benefits

When systems talk to each other, good things happen. Teams move faster and work feels smoother. The right data shows up in the right place—and at the right time.

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

Fewer Manual Tasks
When your systems are connected, sales team spends less time on repetitive tasks. Automation eliminates the need for manual data entry or switching between tools, which means more time for high-impact work.

Improved User Experience
A well-integrated tech stack feels seamless. Instead of bouncing between disconnected platforms, users can access what they need in fewer steps, making their day-to-day experience more efficient.

Better Data
Integrated systems reduce the chances of human error. With consistent, real-time data sharing, teams can trust that the information they're using is accurate and up to date.

Our approach to Integration

For us, integration shows up in two key ways: data integrations and system integrations.

Data integrations are essential components for us as an OMS. Our users rely on third-party sources like Nielsen and Comscore to plan and evaluate their schedules. There are a myriad of ways we do that integration, whether through flat files in our file storage system or getting supporting data through an API, it's a core part of the workflow.

System integrations are where things get more dynamic. These happen in two directions.

First, we integrate with important third-party systems like traffic and delivery platforms. These tools often have APIs that we connect to to seamlessly pass orders and deals between platforms.

On the other hand, we have our own external API where third parties who want to integrate to us, can. System integration in this direction is something we have put a ton of effort behind to improve and expand our external capabilities. We have grown and gained scale, size, and influence in the industry, and as a result, more partners are knocking, ready to plug into our system. You can see this in action through our work with platforms like Salesforce, Innovar, Advisr, and others.

Ultimately, it's this type of connection where users feel the difference, allowing them to do their job in a more seamless, streamlined manner.

Maintaining Integration

Building an integration is one thing. Maintaining it is another.

A well-maintained integration requires work and commitment to keep things running smoothly. When we integrate with someone else, there are periodic breaking changes that we need to upgrade and maintain. Because of this, we are on the hook to update, change, and ultimately move as their APIs and technology landscapes shift.

Most external APIs, ours included, are built to be backward compatible, which helps. You’re not typically forced into immediate change. But even small shifts in how data is structured or how endpoints behave can ripple into bigger changes on our side. Maintaining those connections means staying close to our partners, monitoring for updates, and sometimes rewriting key parts of our system to ensure everything keeps working as it should.

On the other side, our external API has been relatively stable. With a smaller but growing list of integration partners, we’ve been able to expand our offering without introducing major or incremental breaking changes. Should things change in the future, and they probably will, versioning solves that need.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to tech, we don’t believe one system should try to be everything to everyone. Most companies rely on a range of platforms—each serving a specific purpose, and often serving it well. Our focus is clear: we’re here to tackle convergence and solve issues in order management. That’s what we do best. As we continue to lead within the OMS space, we remain committed to collaboration and building openly with others to improve the overall experience for our users.

Long-term viability depends on a platform’s ability to build better integration and to remain open, capable, and easy to work with. The more seamlessly it fits into a company’s workflow and tech stack, the more valuable and necessary it becomes.

Integration isn’t just a feature. It’s how we earn and maintain our place in the ad sales ecosystem.