In recent years, header bidding has emerged as a game-changer in the digital advertising industry, offering publishers increased control over ad inventory and advertisers improved access to premium ad space. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the ins and outs of header bidding, how it works, and more.
By utilizing header bidding, publishers can create an auction-like environment for their ad inventory that allows multiple demand partners to bid on the same space at once. This process helps maximize revenue by guaranteeing that only the highest bidder is chosen, pitting advertisers against one another and driving up competition.
To understand how header bidding works, let’s look at its two main types:
In this approach, the header bidding process takes place within the user’s browser. When a user visits a publisher’s website, the JavaScript code in the webpage triggers bid requests to multiple demand sources.
These demand sources send their bids, and the highest bid wins the ad impression. Although client-side header bidding can increase page load time and latency, it’s still widely used due to its simplicity and ease of implementation.
In this method, the header bidding process occurs on a server instead of the user’s browser. The publisher sends ad requests to a server-to-server (S2S) platform, which then communicates with demand sources.
Server-side header bidding reduces the impact on page load time and latency while maintaining the benefits of increased competition among advertisers.
Key components of header bidding include:
This is a crucial piece of the header bidding setup that manages the communication between the publisher’s website and demand partners. The wrapper ensures that bids are collected, compared, and the winning bid is passed on to the publisher’s ad server.
Prebid.js is an open-source framework that simplifies the header bidding implementation process. It provides a standardized way for publishers to work with multiple demand partners and manage their header bidding setup.
These are the advertising companies that participate in header bidding and place bids on the available ad inventory. Demand partners can be ad networks, supply-side platforms (SSPs), or demand-side platforms (DSPs).
Now that we understand header bidding, let’s compare it to traditional methods and see how it’s revolutionizing the digital advertising landscape.
The waterfall method, also known as the daisy-chain method, is a sequential ad-serving process where publishers offer their ad inventory to demand partners one after the other, based on a predetermined priority list. If the first demand partner doesn’t fill the ad space, the publisher moves on to the next one.
Limitations and Drawbacks
It’s important to point out that the waterfall method can lead to lost revenue opportunities and inefficient use of ad inventory. It doesn’t promote competition among advertisers and often fails to secure the highest possible CPM for publishers.
Real-time bidding (RTB) is an auction-based system where ad impressions are bought and sold on a per-impression basis, usually via programmatic advertising platforms. It allows advertisers to bid on individual ad impressions in real time, with the highest bidder winning the ad space.
Benefits and Limitations
RTB and programmatic advertising bring more efficiency and targeting capabilities to the ad-buying process. However, they still don’t guarantee the best possible revenue for publishers, as header bidding allows for increased competition and higher CPMs.
Google Ad Manager, formerly known as DoubleClick for Publishers (DFP), is an ad-serving platform that combines ad serving, ad network mediation, and programmatic capabilities.
One of its features, dynamic allocation, allows publishers to allocate ad space to the highest-paying demand source. But it doesn’t offer the same level of competition and revenue potential as header bidding, which engages multiple demand partners simultaneously.
To understand the header bidding process, it’s essential to look at the different actions that need to happen for it to be successful. It all starts with the setup, which includes implementing JavaScript code on the publisher’s website. This code sends ad calls to demand partners, initiating the bid request process.
Adapters play a significant role in this process, as they enable communication between the publisher’s website and demand partners. They translate bid responses from various demand sources into a standard format, simplifying the bid comparison process.
Publishers also need to set an appropriate timeout to ensure the header bidding process doesn’t negatively impact user experience. It’s crucial to monitor and resolve discrepancies between bid responses and ad server reports.
The ad ops team is essential in the header bidding implementation process, helping configure demand partners, manage ad inventory, and optimize the setup to maximize revenue.
Publishers have the option to handle header bidding implementation in-house or outsource it to specialized ad tech providers, depending on their resources, expertise, and strategic goals. Defining ad inventory and ad space, including ad formats, sizes, and placements, is vital to ensure optimal header bidding performance.
The actual bidding process involves bid requests and the selection of winning bids. Header bidding optimizes ad revenue by increasing competition among advertisers, driving up the CPM for ad impressions. The process selects the highest bid from all demand sources and forwards it to the publisher’s ad server, ensuring the highest bidder wins the ad space.
In the publisher’s ad server, line items represent different bid levels from demand partners. These line items help manage the allocation of ad inventory and ensure that the winning bids are served, ultimately maximizing ad revenue for publishers.
When it comes to header bidding, ad servers play a critical role in the process. The publisher’s ad server is responsible for delivering ads to websites and tracking ad impressions, clicks, and revenue. It also manages the allocation of ad space to the winning bids from header bidding.
Some popular ad servers that provide various features and integrations to help publishers manage their ad inventory and maximize revenue include AppNexus, Google AdX, and Amazon.
Supply-side platforms and ad exchanges also have a significant role in header bidding, acting as intermediaries between publishers and advertisers. They help publishers sell their ad inventory to advertisers in real time, ensuring efficient use of ad space and higher revenue.
With access to premium inventory from various demand sources, SSPs and ad exchanges help publishers improve their monetization potential.
On the other hand, DSPs are platforms that allow advertisers to purchase ad inventory from publishers through programmatic advertising. They provide targeting capabilities and help advertisers reach their desired audience effectively.
By delivering relevant and personalized ads to users, DSPs play a significant role in enhancing the user experience and improving ad engagement and conversion rates.
One of the primary concerns associated with header bidding is its potential impact on page load time and latency. Increased bid requests and additional JavaScript code can slow down webpage loading, affecting user experience.
To address these concerns, publishers can opt for server-side header bidding, which offloads the bidding process to a server instead of the user’s browser. This approach helps maintain a balance between user experience and ad revenue generation.
Publishers must carefully manage their header bidding setup, considering factors such as the number of demand partners, timeout settings, and ad placements to ensure an optimal balance between user experience and ad revenue.
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Sources:
The Plain English Guide to Demand-Side Platforms (DSP) | HubSpot
What Is Header Bidding And How To Implement It | Search Engine Journal
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