What is RTB?

RTB or Real Time Bidding is an advertising term that describes an automated process of selling and buying ad inventory through a programmatic online auction.  Once advertisers win the bid, their ads are instantly displayed.

RTB auctions are instantaneous and fast, and the main appeal of it for publishers and advertisers is selling and purchasing inventory within seconds, and gaining immediate access to consumers and revenue. The process happens in real time so when a visitor to the publisher’s webpage loads the impression, the information on the page and the user is immediately sent to the ad exchange which starts an auction. After selecting the winning bid, the ad is immediately loaded on to the user’s webpage display.

Since RTB is automated, it’s typically facilitated by ad exchanges and supply-side platforms that don’t require any manual input from advertisers or publishers. Publishers place their ad inventory through supply-side platforms and set their criteria, while advertisers set their bids and their parameters through demand-side platforms.

RTB is an important change in programmatic advertising, as it gives advertisers the opportunity to make their spending more efficient and their targeting more accurate. Additionally, publishers get higher revenue, and consumers are served with personalized ads.