If you're an agency or advertiser trying to run online video ad campaigns these days, you're encountering a fractured, laborious work flow resulting from the numerous ad technology providers you need to deal with. That's the kind of friction that impedes online video getting its fair share of ad spending. To address this problem, Adap.tv is launching its "App Center" this morning, which centralizes the process for buyers to access multiple ad technologies. Adap.tv co-founder Teg Grenager explained App Center and took me through a demo yesterday.

With App Center, Adap.tv has created a series of APIs that allow ad technology companies to expose their products from within the Adap.tv console, which buyers in turn access simply by "installing" them (just like apps). That means that as buyers create campaigns, they can seamlessly access third-party products during the course of the work flow, rather than having to integrate afterwards. All of the most popular features of these products are included so it's basically as if you're accessing their standalone versions.

If buyers already have negotiated pricing separately, they can log in with their own credentials and that pricing will be applied. If not, then standard pricing will be applied and Adap.tv will bill the buyer and separately pay the technology provider.

Teg sees a range of video ad technology providers participating, including audience targeting, ad formats, measurement, verification, ad compliance and others. Charter partners include Innovid, BlueKai, eXelate, Datalogix, AdAdvisor by TargusInfo plus others to come soon. The benefit to these companies of providing their apps to Adap.tv is the increased exposure and adoption to reach scale, without additional marketing expenses (Adap.tv is essentially functioning as a channel partner).

App Center a positive step forward for the online video ad industry and as more apps are included will make the buying process even easier, which will in turn accelerate the shift of ad dollars.

(Note: Adap.tv is a sponsor of the VideoNuze Online Video Advertising Summit on June 19th and will be available to discuss App Center. Early-bird discounted registration is available until this Friday, May 25th.)