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Snap says its automated ad sales are finally ready — just in time for the IPO

Any advertiser can now use the ad tech to buy Snapchat ads.

by Kurt Wagner
American Magazine Media Conference - Day 1
American Magazine Media Conference - Day 1
Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Time Inc

Snap’s advertising API, the technology it uses to automate ad sales on Snapchat through a bidding algorithm, is out of beta just in time for the company’s highly anticipated IPO.

Snapchat started selling ads through the API back in October, but only allowed about 100 advertisers to actually buy ads using the software. On Tuesday, a company spokesperson said any brand can now buy Snap ads through the API, though they have to work with one of the company’s 15 ad tech partners who have permission to sell the company’s ad inventory.

The timing is not coincidental. As Recode reported last week, the company is expected to publicly release its IPO paperwork sometime this week, and will soon begin its IPO roadshow. Now it can tell potential investors that its API is ready to roll, versus pitching a business that’s still in “beta” mode.

Other ad-driven businesses like Facebook, Google and Twitter also rely heavily on APIs to fill their ad inventory.

This article originally appeared on Recode.net.

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