How Curation Settings in Ad Manager Can Transform Your Monetization Strategy: Update 2025

If you’re a publisher looking to squeeze more value from your ad inventory in 2025, you’ve gotta hear about this. Google Ad Manager just dropped some major updates to its curation settings features. And yeah, at first glance, it might seem like another techy dashboard thing. But if you care about better deals, higher CPMs, and giving buyers what they actually want—this one matters.

Let’s break it all down in a chill, no-jargon way.

What the Heck is Curation for Publishers Anyway?

Think of curation as letting trusted partners help shape your ad inventory into something buyers really want. You give them certain data (don’t worry, it’s permission-based), and they turn it into super-targeted packages that advertisers love.

It’s like letting a skilled chef prep your raw ingredients. They know what spices to add to get top-dollar.

What’s In It For You?

• More competitive bidding
  
• Better match rates
  
• Optimized ad performance
  
• Access to premium demand
  

And the best part? You stay in control of what you share.

What’s Changing in 2025?

Here’s what Google is doing with Curation Settings:

Old Setting	New Setting	What It Means
Share Secure Signals	Still available	Share hashed user IDs like Device ID & cookies.
Share Contextual Information	Removed	Rolled into the new setting.
Allow Inventory Curation	Renamed to “Allow Inventory Packaging”	Same function, just clearer naming.
Enable Data Sharing (New)	Controls all user/contextual sharing	Default depends on existing setup.

Key Date: All these changes go live on July 24, 2025.

Myth vs Truth: Clearing Up Confusion

Myth: Sharing data with curation partners means less control.

Truth: You decide who gets what. Plus, you can turn it off anytime.

Myth: Only big publishers benefit from curation.Truth: Even smaller sites see big wins with higher match rates and targeting.

Step 1: Share Data for Segment Targeting

Alright, this is where the magic starts.

Here’s how it works:

1. You send an ad request with signals.
   
2. Google passes the data to the curation partner.
   
3. They return a data segment ID.
   
4. A buyer has a deal targeting that segment.
   
5. Google sends the bid request to DSPs with that Deal ID.
   

You don’t even need to handle payments. Google takes care of that with the partner.

What You Can Share:

• Secure Signals: Device ID, cookies, hashed identifiers.
  
• Contextual Info: URL, App ID, geo-level, consent string, etc.
  

Both can help partners build more accurate segments.

How to Enable It:

1. Go to your Ad Manager account.
   
2. Click Inventory > Curation Settings.
   
3. For each partner, toggle Share Secure Signals and/or Enable Data Sharing.
   
4. Hit Save.
   

Step 2: Let Partners Package Your Inventory

Beyond segment targeting, curation partners can also create custom inventory packages.

These packages help buyers find exactly what they want. And they can set floor prices—only applied if higher than yours.

Think of it like bundling your best ad slots into a VIP pass.

How it works:

• Partners use filters like geo, device, app ID, etc.
  
• They build curated packages.
  
• These packages get Deal IDs.
  
• Buyers subscribe using their agency seats.
  

How to Enable Inventory Packaging:

1. Still in Curation Settings, find Allow Inventory Packaging (formerly Curation).
   
2. Flip the switch on or off as needed.
   
3. Save changes.
   

Easy.

Reporting: How to Track It All

You can actually see the impact of curation with the right report setup.

Go to: Interactive Report > Add Dimensions & Metrics

Recommended Dimensions:

• Curation Partner ID
  
• Deal ID
  
• Is Curation Targeted
  
• Buyer Network
  
• Auction Package Deal ID
  
• Agency IDs (1-3 levels)
  

Metrics to Track:

• Impressions (Total & Ad Exchange)
  
• Bids
  
• Revenue (CPM, CPC, CPD, vCPM)
  
• eCPM
  

You’ll be able to tell if curated deals are bringing real value.

Final Thoughts: Why You Should Care

Sure, it’s a beta feature. But early access could mean early advantage.

With curated deals:

• You tap into richer data targeting.
  
• You increase visibility for your inventory.
  
• You stay competitive in a market where every impression counts.
  

And when done right, curation can drive more revenue without extra hustle from your side.

So yeah—this is more than just a settings update. It’s a monetization upgrade.

Stay ahead of the game.
Try it out.
Own it.