Goodpath: Helping Advertisers Save Working Media Dollars & Reduce Waste

The programmatic advertising ecosystem has never been more complex or wasteful. According to ANA, wasted programmatic ad spending has ballooned from $20 billion in June 2023 to $26.8 billion in August 2025—a 34% increase in just over two years. That means more budgets are being eaten up by hidden fees, rebroadcasting paths, and ad fraud instead of reaching real people.

That’s why Goodway Group developed Goodpath, our principled media buying methodology designed to cut through the waste and help advertisers make every dollar work harder.

The Problem with Programmatic Waste

Despite advances in technology, the reality of programmatic buying is far from efficient. According to Jounce, the average RTB-enabled publisher monetizes through more than 26 different sell-side platforms, with nearly 17 authorized to resell inventory. The result is a tangled web of intermediaries where 37% of display auctions and 33% of video auctions are rebroadcasted through multiple resellers.

Every one of those extra hops means unnecessary fees, reduced working media, and less transparency into where your dollars are actually going. Even buyers who use vetted inclusion lists of premium publishers can find their impressions routed through unknown intermediaries. This makes it nearly impossible to optimize supply paths with confidence, while often giving advertisers little choice but to pay more and get less.

Goodpath: The Framework Solving for Programmatic Waste

Goodpath was designed to address these very challenges. Instead of treating every supply path as equal, Goodpath applies a principled buying framework that prioritizes the cleanest, most direct connections:

• Publisher Direct: Owned-and-operated inventory and direct publisher deals.

• Server-to-Server: Fewer hops and more control.

• DSP Direct: Vetted demand-side platform integrations.

On top of these preferred paths, Goodpath adds multiple layers of protection and optimization:

• Cost Integrity Layer & Signal Quality: Ensures every impression is validated before delivery.

• “Real Fee” Discovery & SSP Co-Op: Surfaces hidden ad-tech costs and negotiates transparent rates.

Our Results

Goodway Group clients are already seeing the benefits that Goodpath brings to their digital campaigns, both in their cost savings and audience reach to real humans.

• 28% more budget flowing into working media versus fees, on average

• Up to 25–30% improvements in verified human traffic

• Up to 35–40% CPM reductions across CTV, OLV, and audio

• Up to 10–20% reduced fees compared to “off-the-shelf” deals

Take the Next Step

It’s time to get curious about your media buying efficiency. Schedule a complimentary fee discovery call with Goodway Group, where a member of our team will help you explore your existing setup and provide strategic recommendations.  

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