{"id":7946,"date":"2024-05-28T17:32:00","date_gmt":"2024-05-28T12:02:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.www.adpushup.com\/blog\/?p=7946"},"modified":"2025-07-16T17:21:28","modified_gmt":"2025-07-16T11:51:28","slug":"header-bidding-vs-rtb","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/header-bidding-vs-rtb\/","title":{"rendered":"Header Bidding vs. RTB: Exploring the Ad Tech Frontier","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Header bidding vs RTB (real-time bidding) has been one of the most common questions asked by the publishers. There&#8217;s a lot of confusion around header bidding vs RTB and it  is easy to see why as both these terms get tossed around a lot in ad tech industry. In fact, there are plenty of blogs out there on the internet, titled \u201cheader bidding vs RTB\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But what if we tell you both header bidding and real-time bidding aren&#8217;t meant to be compared against each other? In reality, header bidding operates within the framework of real-time bidding.&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In other words, header bidding uses real-time bidding to find the highest-paying advertisers.&nbsp;Header bidding is actually an improvement on top of Real Time Bidding (RTB).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since header bidding falls under real-time bidding, let\u2019s understand exactly what it is before we get into header bidding vs rtb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"poptin-embedded\" data-id=\"63ccd57953160\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_79_2 counter-flat ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents:<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #000000;color:#000000\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #000000;color:#000000\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/header-bidding-vs-rtb\/#What_is_Real-Time_Bidding_Real_Time_Bidding_Explained\" >What is Real-Time Bidding? (Real Time Bidding Explained)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/header-bidding-vs-rtb\/#How_Does_Real_Time_Bidding_Work\" >How Does Real Time Bidding Work?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/header-bidding-vs-rtb\/#Why_Was_Real-Time_Bidding_Popular\" >Why Was Real-Time Bidding Popular?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/header-bidding-vs-rtb\/#Why_Was_Real-Time_Bidding_Used\" >Why Was Real-Time Bidding Used?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/header-bidding-vs-rtb\/#What_is_Header_Bidding\" >What is Header Bidding?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/header-bidding-vs-rtb\/#Header_Bidding_vs_Real-Time_Bidding_Whats_The_Difference\" >Header Bidding vs Real-Time Bidding: What\u2019s The Difference?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/header-bidding-vs-rtb\/#Why_Choose_AdPushup_Header_Bidding_Solution\" >Why Choose AdPushup Header Bidding Solution?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/header-bidding-vs-rtb\/#Frequently_Asked_Questions\" >Frequently Asked Questions<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 id=\"h-what-is-real-time-bidding-real-time-bidding-explained\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_Real-Time_Bidding_Real_Time_Bidding_Explained\"><\/span>What is Real-Time Bidding? (Real Time Bidding Explained)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/the-ultimate-guide-to-real-time-bidding\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Real time bidding<\/a> is a process, which allows for buying and selling <a href=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/ad-impressions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ad impressions<\/a> in real-time through an online auction. It\u2019s an impression-level auction happening in real time (in the time between the user requesting a web page and the page load completion). This automated, instantaneous ad buying\/selling is synonymous with programmatic advertising.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>What is an Example of Real-Time Bidding?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Think of it like a fast-paced game of musical chairs.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Imagine a room full of chairs (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/best-ad-placement-strategies-on-your-website\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ad placements<\/a>) and people (advertisers) circling around them. As the music starts (user requests a web page), everyone rushes to grab a chair (place a bid) before the music stops (page load completes).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The chairs are quickly filled by the highest bidders, and those who didn&#8217;t secure a chair miss out on displaying their ad to the user. It&#8217;s all about reacting quickly and strategically to secure the best placement for your ad in real-time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that you know what is RTB, let&#8217;s have a look how RTB advertising work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Does_Real_Time_Bidding_Work\"><\/span><strong>How Does<\/strong> Real Time Bidding Work?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When you visit a webpage, the details about the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/sell-ad-space\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ad space<\/a> (like size and location), the page itself, and your browsing history are sent to the website&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/the-ultimate-guide-to-ad-servers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ad server<\/a>. If the ad space hasn&#8217;t already been sold directly, it goes to an<a href=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/lp\/ad-exchange\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> ad exchange <\/a>where multiple advertisers can bid on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s how it works:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol><li><strong>Advertisers place their bids to show you an ad.<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Auction Types<\/strong>:<ul><li><strong>Second-Price Auction<\/strong>: The highest bid wins, but the winner pays only 1 cent more than the second highest bid. This ensures the winner pays a fair price close to the actual value and avoids overpaying.<\/li><li><strong>First-Price Auction<\/strong>: The highest bid wins and the winner pays the exact amount they bid. This simplifies the auction process and provides more transparency.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><strong>The highest bid wins<\/strong> according to the auction type being used.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, the winning ad is displayed on the webpage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The entire process takes milliseconds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was a huge improvement over previous transaction models where inventory was purchased in bulk with no regards to targeting. We have published a pretty <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/the-ultimate-guide-to-real-time-bidding\/\" rel=\"noopener\">detailed guide on RTB<\/a>, to explain how it took over traditional forms of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/top-display-ad-networks-for-publishers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">display ad<\/a> transactions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Was_Real-Time_Bidding_Popular\"><\/span>Why Was Real-Time Bidding Popular?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-style-default\"><p>RTB allows for Addressable Advertising; the ability to serve ads to consumers directly based on their demographic, psychographic, or behavioural attributes.<\/p><cite>\u2014 IAB, OpenRTB Project<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Publishers could set<a href=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/what-is-floor-price\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> floor prices <\/a>to maintain control over impression values and use Deal IDs to create special ad packages. By this time, The <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.iab.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/OpenRTB-API-Specification-Version-2-5-FINAL.pdf\" rel=\"noopener\">openRTB<\/a> landscape comprised of different RTB types: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Private auction flags (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/how-to-make-most-out-of-pmp-deals\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">PMPs<\/a>)<\/li><li>Direct deals (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/what-is-programmatic-direct\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">programmatic direct<\/a>) <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>\u201cFirst look\u201d &#8211; Priority bidding for certain advertisers, often with additional publisher data.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s how RTB is typically positioned in a publisher\u2019s ad stack:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"800\" height=\"438\" src=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/centro-ad-stack-private-marketplaces-deal-id-800x438.jpg\" alt=\"Header bidding vs RTB\" class=\"wp-image-7953\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/centro-ad-stack-private-marketplaces-deal-id-800x438.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/centro-ad-stack-private-marketplaces-deal-id-800x438-300x164.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/centro-ad-stack-private-marketplaces-deal-id-800x438-768x420.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/centro-ad-stack-private-marketplaces-deal-id-800x438-150x82.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption>Image Source &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/basis.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Basis Technologies<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-style-default\"><p>RTB is like online shopping&#8230; at once a mere convenience and also a game changer. Did we shop before the internet? Yes. And yet now we have more options, shop more efficiently, can personalize our experiences, and yes \u2013 often find better prices. As a result, we shop more and the total commerce pie has expanded.<\/p><p>\u2014 Josh MacFarland, CEO, TellApart (<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/adexchanger.com\/online-advertising\/real-time-bidding\/#tellapart\">Source<\/a>) <\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-why-was-real-time-bidding-used\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Was_Real-Time_Bidding_Used\"><\/span>Why Was Real-Time Bidding Used?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Within the inventory allotted to RTB transactions works the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/header-bidding-vs-waterfall-comparison\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">waterfall<\/a>: If an exchange fails to meet the required <a href=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/what-is-floor-price\/\">floor price<\/a> before the timeout, the impression moved on to the next <a href=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/what-is-demand-side-platform\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">demand source<\/a> and so on until it\u2019s either cleared or returned to ad server unsold. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p>In a normal ad server waterfall setup, direct buys go first. Then, publishers allocate <a href=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/ad-inventory-management-tips\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ad inventory<\/a> to one or more exchanges, using estimates and averages of what each exchange can bring in \u2013 not by gauging demand in real time. As the dominant publisher ad server, Google&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/google-dfp-doubleclick-for-publishers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">DoubleClick for Publishers<\/a> is often driving the bus throughout this process.<\/p><p>\u2014 Sarah Sluis, AdExchanger (<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/adexchanger.com\/publishers\/the-rise-of-header-bidding-and-the-end-of-the-publisher-waterfall\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a>)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3>How does Google\u2019s DFP \u2018drive the bus\u2019? <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>By putting <a href=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/what-is-google-ads-exchange\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Google AdX<\/a> in a privileged position through \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/ebda-meaning\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">dynamic allocation<\/a>w\u201d and \u201cenhanced dynamic allocation\u201d, which lets<a href=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/how-to-increase-auction-pressure-and-improve-ad-yield-in-google-adx\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> AdX <\/a>surpass its position in the waterfall and bid first over every other demand source.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p style=\"text-align: left;\">Dynamic allocation screws the other exchanges because it allows AdX to cherry-pick inventory.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: right;\">\u2014 Anonymous Publisher, AdExchanger<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s where header bidding levels the playing field, and its rising popularity has Google attempting to compete with solutions like exchange bidding in Dynamic Allocation (within <a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/doubleclick-publishers.googleblog.com\/2016\/04\/improving-yield-speed-and-control-with-dfp-first-look-and-exchange-bidding.html\">DFP<\/a>). The header bidding pioneer, AppNexus, for its part, turned down the offer to take part in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/exchange-bidding-vs-header-bidding\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">exchange bidding<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can also take a look at this video to understand the difference between Header Bidding and the Waterfall method:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-wp-embed is-provider-wistia-inc wp-block-embed-wistia-inc\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" title=\"What is Header Bidding _ Header Bidding vs. Waterfall Video\" src=\"https:\/\/fast.wistia.net\/embed\/iframe\/tmytmezwb3?dnt=1#?secret=mCJosatlB3\" data-secret=\"mCJosatlB3\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" width=\"640\" height=\"340\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-what-is-header-bidding\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_Header_Bidding\"><\/span>What is Header Bidding?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>AppNexus was already working on a system that could replace the waterfall. In 2009, they released <a href=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/what-is-prebid-js\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Prebid.js<\/a> and open-sourced it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By now, you probably know <a href=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/guide-to-header-bidding\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">header bidding<\/a> flattened the waterfall, both figuratively and literally. It sends out calls to multiple integrated <a href=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/what-is-supply-side-platform\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">SSPs<\/a> simultaneously, instead of sequentially jumping from one exchange to the next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s Ben Kneen of AdOpsInsider, explaining the USP that makes header bidding so effective:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p>The key thing with header bidding is that <strong><em>it allows the publisher to know if there is demand for any given impression in the exchange before they make their ad serving decision<\/em><\/strong>. The user has to call the SSP <em>before<\/em> the ad server so the SSP can read the user\u2019s cookie and value the impression. By doing this, the publisher can work with many different SSPs and not just a single one. To work with multiple SSP platforms, there has to be a mechanism to have them all compete at the same level, rather than silo-ing them in a waterfall.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3>Why Publishers Prefer Header Bidding?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Header Bidding leaves the traditional RTB waterfalls in the dust, where direct deals were prioritized over everything else because the publisher had no wish to sell premium inventory for pennies at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/how-does-open-bidding-work-in-google-ad-manager\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">open auctions<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Additionally, it forces competition across direct-sold and programmatic demand sources, increasing yield even further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"638\" height=\"359\" src=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/fact-or-fiction-header-bidding-works-for-mobile-apps-joe-prusz-larry-kandall-7-638.jpg\" alt=\"header bidding vs rtb\" class=\"wp-image-7954\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/fact-or-fiction-header-bidding-works-for-mobile-apps-joe-prusz-larry-kandall-7-638.jpg 638w, https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/fact-or-fiction-header-bidding-works-for-mobile-apps-joe-prusz-larry-kandall-7-638-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/fact-or-fiction-header-bidding-works-for-mobile-apps-joe-prusz-larry-kandall-7-638-150x84.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 638px) 100vw, 638px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Thanks to header bidding, the traditional stack is inverted; it now looks more like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"777\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/hypothetical-inventory-pool-after-HB.jpg\" alt=\"header bidding vs rtb\" class=\"wp-image-7698\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/hypothetical-inventory-pool-after-HB.jpg 777w, https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/hypothetical-inventory-pool-after-HB-300x232.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/hypothetical-inventory-pool-after-HB-768x593.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/hypothetical-inventory-pool-after-HB-260x200.jpg 260w, https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/hypothetical-inventory-pool-after-HB-87x67.jpg 87w, https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/hypothetical-inventory-pool-after-HB-150x116.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 777px) 100vw, 777px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-header-bidding-vs-real-time-bidding-what-s-the-difference\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Header_Bidding_vs_Real-Time_Bidding_Whats_The_Difference\"><\/span>Header Bidding vs Real-Time Bidding: What\u2019s The Difference?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>RTB is automated, real-time impression-level bidding, enriched with user data. It is but a method of programmatic advertising which itself can take different forms (private or open), depending on the method of execution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Header Bidding is a programmatic technique where a <em>user<\/em> (remember, header bidding is still done client-side by <em>most <\/em>publishers and the browser makes a lot of calls) sends the impression key to multiple ad exchanges simultaneously, retrieves the bid values, and then calls the ad server to display the winning creative&nbsp;(usually Google\u2019s <a data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/google-dfp-doubleclick-for-publishers\/\" href=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/google-dfp-doubleclick-for-publishers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">DoubleClick for Publishers<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><strong>What\u2019s the difference?<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In a traditional RTB setup, publishers sold away their inventory between direct deals and programmatic auctions (programmatic RTB), which possibly obscured the <em>real <\/em>value of premium impressions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Header bidding breaks this wall and lets buyers compete for direct-sold inventory too, which can give sellers very real uplifts in revenue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fff1f5\"><strong>You may also like to know &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/blog\/header-bidding-vs-ad-mediation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Header Bidding vs Ad Mediation<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-why-choose-adpushup-header-bidding-solution\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Choose_AdPushup_Header_Bidding_Solution\"><\/span>Why Choose AdPushup Header Bidding Solution? <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Merely deploying header bidding in your ad stack isn\u2019t enough. Consistently optimizing it with technical improvements is the need of the hour. This is what <a href=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/header-bidding\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">AdPushup\u2019s header bidding solution<\/a> does. Through our multiple optimization features using data science and machine learning, we help publishers maximize their yield.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With our header bidding solution, you get:&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Automatic demand partner selection according to optimum requirements<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Smart timeout management<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Freedom to bring your own demand<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bid monitoring and discrepancy resolution&nbsp;<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Read more about our product capability: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.adpushup.com\/header-bidding\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Header Bidding<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-center\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Frequently_Asked_Questions\"><\/span>Frequently Asked Questions <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1694680011994\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">1. What is the difference between header bidding and RTB in short?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Header bidding allows publishers to simultaneously auction their ad inventory to multiple demand sources, including ad exchanges and SSPs, enabling them to maximize their revenue by securing the highest possible bids for their available ad space.<br\/>In contrast, real-time bidding (RTB) involves automated, real-time auctions for ad impressions but may not consider all demand sources simultaneously. This can result in potentially lower yields for publishers as compared to the more comprehensive and revenue-optimized approach of header bidding.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1694680150957\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">2. Is header bidding good?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes, header bidding can be advantageous for publishers as it often leads to increased ad revenue and access to a wider range of advertisers. However, its effectiveness depends on proper implementation and optimization.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1694682210168\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">3. What is the difference between header bidding and waterfall auction?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Header bidding and waterfall auctions differ in their auction processes. In header bidding, ad requests are sent simultaneously to multiple demand partners, while in the programmatic waterfall model, known as daisy-chaining, the bidding occurs sequentially, moving from one ad network to the next until all impressions are sold.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1716903176270\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">4. Which advertising method may involve real-time bidding?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Programmatic advertising utilizes real time bidding. It allows advertisers to buy publishers&#8217; ad inventory as it becomes vacant. This process allows for time-efficient ad buying\/selling along with competitive pricing. <\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Header bidding vs RTB (real-time bidding) has been one of the most common questions asked by the publishers. There&#8217;s a lot of confusion around header bidding vs RTB and it is easy to see why as both these terms get tossed around a lot in ad tech industry. In fact, there are plenty of blogs<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":60,"featured_media":31161,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"apple_news_api_created_at":"2018-12-06T09:51:13Z","apple_news_api_id":"8e895d0e-fc46-4e19-b63f-ceb0344c4858","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2018-12-06T09:51:14Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAD\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/w==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/AjoldDvxGThm2P86wNExIWA","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":false,"apple_news_is_preview":false,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":"\"\""},"categories":[6442],"tags":[],"apple_news_notices":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v18.5 (Yoast SEO v18.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Header Bidding vs RTB Secrets: Ad Strategy Insights<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Header Bidding vs RTB has always been a topic of interest. 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