Glossary · Advertising

Real-Time Bidding (RTB)

Auctioning each ad impression in real time as it is served.

What is Real-Time Bidding (RTB)?

Real-time bidding is a programmatic mechanism where each impression is auctioned in milliseconds, with the highest bidder's ad served.

RTB maximizes yield by letting advertiser demand compete for every individual impression.

Real-Time Bidding (RTB) in context

To understand Real-Time Bidding (RTB) fully, it helps to know the concepts around it. Programmatic Advertising, automated buying and selling of ad inventory via software. Ad Impression, a single instance of an ad being served to a user. CPM, cost per mille — the price an advertiser pays per 1,000 impressions.

Together these describe how advertising works in practice for an AI app, and where Real-Time Bidding (RTB) fits among them.