Identity Manager

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Overview

Identity Manager enables publishers to integrate with third-party universal ID vendors, allowing encrypted user IDs (identity envelopes) to be passed into the programmatic bid stream. This no-code solution helps publishers increase CPMs and maximize programmatic revenue without requiring additional development resources. Identity Manager currently supports LiveRamp (RampID, PAIR ID, ATS Direct) and ID5 integrations with the Permutive SDK handling real-time ID retrieval and activation through Prebid.

Why Use Identity Manager?

Maximize programmatic revenue with minimal effort — Identity Manager provides a no-code workflow to integrate alternative IDs, driving higher CPMs in programmatic auctions. Publishers can enable ID vendor integrations directly from the Permutive Dashboard without requiring engineering resources or additional code deployment. Reduce dependence on third-party cookies — As the industry moves away from third-party cookies, Identity Manager helps publishers maintain addressability through alternative identity solutions. By supporting multiple ID vendors (LiveRamp, ID5), publishers can maximize reach and yield across different buyer preferences. Control data exposure with geographic targeting — Publishers can restrict ID vendor integrations by geography based on user IP location. This allows you to balance incremental value against data exposure concerns, enabling IDs only in regions where they provide the most benefit.

Concepts

Definitions

Identity Envelope: An encrypted user ID provided by ID vendors (like LiveRamp, UID2, or ID5) that is passed into the bid stream. Advertisers pay to decrypt these envelopes during the bidding process.
Alternative ID / Universal ID: Identity solutions designed to replace third-party cookies for programmatic advertising. These include deterministic IDs (requiring hashed email) and probabilistic IDs (using other signals).
Prebid: The open-source header bidding solution used to pass identity envelopes to SSPs and DSPs during ad auctions.
Permutive User ID Module: A Prebid module that acts as an interface between the Permutive SDK and Prebid, enabling Identity Manager integrations to work with your existing Prebid setup.
Geo Rules: Configuration settings that restrict ID vendor integrations to specific countries based on the user’s IP location.
Partner ID / Placement ID / API Key: Vendor-specific credentials provided by ID vendors (LiveRamp, UID2, ID5) that are required to enable their integration in Identity Manager.

Workflows

Discovering Available ID Vendors

Publishers access the Identity Manager catalog in the Permutive Dashboard to view available ID vendor integrations. The catalog displays supported vendors with options to connect or view details of enabled integrations.

Configuring an ID Integration

Publishers configure ID vendor integrations by providing vendor-specific credentials (Partner ID, Placement ID, or API key) obtained from the ID vendor. Optional geo rules can be configured to restrict the integration to specific countries based on user IP location.

Activating IDs to Prebid

Once configured, the Permutive SDK automatically retrieves encrypted IDs from enabled vendors and passes them into the bid stream via Prebid. The Permutive User ID Module for Prebid handles the integration, ensuring IDs are available during ad auctions in real-time.

Guides

Enabling Identity Manager for Your Organization

Identity Manager is available as part of the Permutive platform. To enable Identity Manager:

Access Identity Manager

Navigate to the Identity section in the Permutive Dashboard.

Review available vendors

Review the catalog of available ID vendor integrations.

Obtain vendor credentials

Sign up with your chosen ID vendor(s) to obtain the required credentials (Partner ID, API key, or Placement ID). These vendors typically offer free accounts for publishers, with costs paid by advertisers who decrypt the IDs.

Set up Prebid module

Ensure the Permutive User ID Module is added to your Prebid setup. This step only needs to be done once and supports all current and future ID integrations.

For managed Prebid implementations, contact your Prebid provider to add the Permutive User ID Module to your setup.

Setting Up an ID Vendor Integration

To enable an ID vendor integration in Identity Manager:

Navigate to Identity Manager

In the Permutive Dashboard, go to Identity and access the Identity Manager catalog.

Select vendor

Click Connect for the ID vendor you want to enable.

Enter credentials

Input the Partner ID / Placement ID / API key provided by the vendor. You receive these credentials after signing up and accepting the vendor’s terms and conditions.

Configure geo rules (optional)

Set geographic restrictions to limit the integration to specific countries based on user IP location. This helps balance data exposure with incremental value.

Save configuration

Click Save Configuration to enable the integration. The Permutive SDK will begin retrieving and activating IDs from this vendor in real-time.

Tips for ID vendor setup:

Start with geo rules in high-value markets to test incrementality before expanding globally.
Ensure the ID vendor is added to your consent management platform (CMP) vendor list before enabling the integration.
The Permutive SDK will automatically check TCF consent before running vendor integrations.

Show Vendor-Specific Setup Notes

LiveRamp

Supports RampID, PAIR ID, and ATS Direct segments
Requires hashed email (deterministic ID)
IDs are stored locally in the browser for 15 days (California) or 30 days (other regions) to reduce API calls and improve performance
PAIR IDs enable privacy-focused first-party data matching with advertisers using Google’s Publisher Advertiser Identity Reconciliation framework

UID2 (Unified ID 2.0)

Requires hashed email (deterministic ID)
May be restricted in GDPR regions—confirm availability for your markets
Subscription ID and public key required for setup

ID5

Probabilistic ID solution (does not require hashed email)
Permutive downloads the ID5 JavaScript SDK on your site to retrieve IDs
Partner ID required for setup

Managing ID Vendor Integrations

To manage existing ID vendor integrations:

Navigate to Identity Manager

Go to Identity in the Permutive Dashboard to access the Identity Manager catalog.

View integration details

Integrations that are already enabled display a View Details button instead of Connect.

Edit configuration

Click View Details to modify vendor credentials, update geo rules, or adjust other settings.

Disable integration (optional)

To turn off an integration, access the integration details and disable the vendor. The Permutive SDK will stop retrieving IDs from that vendor.

Changes to integration configuration take effect immediately. The Permutive SDK will begin using updated settings in real-time.

Setting Up the Permutive User ID Module for Prebid

The Permutive User ID Module for Prebid is required for Identity Manager to work. This module acts as an interface between the Permutive SDK and Prebid, passing identity envelopes into the bid stream.

Determine your Prebid setup type

Identify whether you manage your own Prebid implementation (self-managed) or use a managed Prebid service provider.

Add the module to Prebid

Self-managed Prebid: Add the Permutive User ID Module to your Prebid configuration file. See the Permutive User ID Module documentation for implementation details.
Managed Prebid: Contact your Prebid provider and request that they add the Permutive User ID Module to your setup.

Verify module is active

Confirm the module is included in your Prebid build and is receiving identity envelopes from the Permutive SDK.

The Permutive User ID Module only needs to be added once. It will support all current and future ID vendor integrations enabled through Identity Manager.

Troubleshooting

IDs are not appearing in the bid stream

If identity envelopes are not being passed to Prebid, check the following:

Prebid module not installed: Verify the Permutive User ID Module is included in your Prebid setup
Vendor not in CMP: Ensure the ID vendor is added to your consent management platform’s vendor list
Geo restrictions: Check if geo rules are blocking the integration in the user’s location
Vendor credentials incorrect: Verify the Partner ID / API key / Placement ID is correct in the integration configuration
SDK timing: Ensure the Permutive SDK loads before Prebid runs to allow sufficient time for ID retrieval

Solution: Review your Prebid configuration, verify consent settings, check geo rules, and confirm vendor credentials are correct.

Integration configuration not saving

If you cannot save an integration configuration, check:

Invalid credentials: The Partner ID / API key / Placement ID format may be incorrect
Missing required fields: Ensure all required configuration fields are filled out
Permissions issues: Verify you have permission to configure integrations in your workspace

Solution: Verify credentials with your ID vendor, complete all required fields, and check your workspace permissions.

No increase in CPMs after enabling integration

If you’re not seeing CPM increases after enabling Identity Manager:

Insufficient time for testing: Allow several days to a week for meaningful data collection
Low advertiser demand: Not all advertisers support alternative IDs; demand varies by market
Geo restrictions limiting scale: Narrow geo rules may limit the number of users with IDs
Hashed email availability: Deterministic IDs (LiveRamp, UID2) require hashed emails, which may not be available for all users

Solution: Allow sufficient testing time, consider expanding geo rules if appropriate, review vendor match rates, and evaluate whether your audience has sufficient hashed email availability for deterministic IDs.

Environment Compatibility

Core Product

Identity Manager functionality is currently supported on the following platforms:

Functionality	Web	iOS	Android	CTV	API Direct
ID vendor integration
Real-time ID retrieval
Prebid activation
Geo-based restrictions

App (iOS, Android) and CTV support is planned for future releases. API Direct is not currently on the roadmap for Identity Manager.

Activation

Identity Manager currently supports activation through:

Prebid: All SSPs and DSPs that support alternative IDs through Prebid
LiveRamp: RampID, PAIR ID, and ATS Direct segments
[Coming Soon] UID2: Unified ID 2.0 framework participants
ID5: ID5 Universal ID ecosystem

Google Secure Signals activation is planned for a future release.

Dependencies

Identity Manager relies on the following products and configurations:

Dependency	Required	Description
Permutive SDK (Web)	✓	The Permutive Web SDK must be deployed to retrieve IDs from vendors and pass them to Prebid in real-time.
Prebid	✓	Prebid is required for passing identity envelopes into the bid stream for programmatic activation.
Permutive User ID Module	✓	The Permutive User ID Module for Prebid acts as the interface between the Permutive SDK and Prebid.
Consent Management Platform	✓	ID vendors must be added to your CMP vendor list. The Permutive SDK checks TCF consent before running vendor integrations.
ID Vendor Account	✓	Publishers must sign up with each ID vendor (LiveRamp, UID2, ID5) to obtain credentials (Partner ID, API key, Placement ID).
Hashed Email Collection	~	Required only for deterministic ID vendors (LiveRamp, UID2). Not required for probabilistic vendors (ID5).

Limits

Identity Manager adheres to the following product specifications and limits.

Feature Limits

Feature	Description	Limit
Supported ID vendors	The number of ID vendor integrations currently available in Identity Manager.	2 vendors (LiveRamp, ID5)
Active integrations	The number of ID vendor integrations that can be enabled simultaneously per workspace.	No limit
Geo rules per integration	The number of countries that can be configured in geo rules for a single integration.	No limit

Performance Limits

Metric	Description	Limit
ID retrieval time	The time it takes for the Permutive SDK to retrieve IDs from vendors.	Varies by vendor (typically under 500ms)
Local storage TTL (LiveRamp)	Time-to-live for locally stored LiveRamp identifiers.	15 days (California), 30 days (other regions)
Prebid integration latency	Additional latency introduced to ad auctions by Identity Manager ID retrieval.	Minimal (under 100ms in most cases)

Usage Limits

SKU	Description	Limit
Identity Manager	Usage limits for Identity Manager integrations.	[Contact Support]

FAQ

Which ID vendors require hashed email?

LiveRamp and UID2 are deterministic ID solutions that require hashed email addresses. ID5 is a probabilistic ID solution that does not require hashed email and can work with anonymous users.

Can I use Identity Manager without Prebid?

No, Identity Manager currently only supports activation through Prebid. The Permutive User ID Module for Prebid is required to pass identity envelopes into the bid stream. Google Secure Signals activation is planned for a future release.

Will Identity Manager work with my managed Prebid setup?

Yes, Identity Manager works with managed Prebid implementations. You will need to contact your Prebid provider and ask them to add the Permutive User ID Module to your Prebid configuration. Once the module is added, Identity Manager will work with your existing setup.

How do geo rules work?

Geo rules allow you to restrict ID vendor integrations to specific countries based on the user’s IP location. When a user visits your site, the Permutive SDK determines their country from their IP address. If the country is not included in your geo rules for a particular vendor, that vendor’s IDs will not be retrieved for that user. This helps you balance data exposure with incremental value.

Can I measure the impact of Identity Manager on my CPMs?

Identity Manager does not currently provide built-in measurement tools for CPM impact. Publishers should monitor their programmatic revenue metrics through their ad server or SSPs to evaluate the impact of enabling alternative IDs. Many publishers conduct A/B tests by enabling IDs in specific geos or for a percentage of traffic to measure incrementality.

Are these IDs added to the Permutive Identity Graph?

No, identity envelopes from Identity Manager are not currently added to the Permutive Identity Graph. Identity Manager retrieves ephemeral, encrypted IDs that are only used for passing into the bid stream via Prebid. These IDs cannot be used for identity resolution, cross-domain tracking, or audience imports. Integration with the Identity Graph is being considered for future development.

What is the difference between RampID, PAIR ID, and ATS Direct?

All three are LiveRamp identity solutions with different use cases:

RampID: LiveRamp’s core encrypted identifier passed into the bid stream for programmatic activation
PAIR ID: Google’s Publisher Advertiser Identity Reconciliation (PAIR) framework identifier, enabling privacy-focused first-party data matching with advertisers
ATS Direct: LiveRamp’s Authenticated Traffic Solution for direct publisher-advertiser data matching

Identity Manager supports all three LiveRamp identity types and stores them locally for improved performance.

Can I add more ID vendors beyond the currently supported ones?

Identity Manager currently supports LiveRamp and ID5, with UID2 coming soon. Additional ID vendor integrations may be added in future releases. If you have specific vendor integration requests, please share your feedback with your Customer Success Manager.

Changelog

2025

December 2025

Enhanced LiveRamp integration with local storage for RampID, PAIR ID, and ATS Direct segments
Added PAIR ID activation to Prebid for Google’s Publisher Advertiser Identity Reconciliation framework
Implemented region-aware TTL management (15 days for California, 30 days for other regions)

2024

November 2024

Initial release of Identity Manager with support for LiveRamp and ID5 integrations (UID2 coming soon)
No-code integration workflow in Permutive Dashboard
Geo-based restrictions for ID vendor integrations
Prebid activation via Permutive User ID Module

For detailed changelog information, visit our Changelog.

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Why Use Identity Manager?