Media Buyers Blog

Header Bidding vs Waterfall: What Programmatic Buyers Should Know

Ten years ago, publishers sold the same ad slot one buyer at a time. A direct-sold campaign got first look, then an ad network, then another, then whatever was left went to the lowest-priority backfill tag. Each buyer only saw the impression if everyone ahead of it passed. That sequence had a name, waterfall, and for most...

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Header bidding vs waterfall feature image comparing simultaneous auction bidding to sequential priority-ranked ad serving.
ads.txt, app-ads.txt, and sellers.json explained feature image showing verified supply chain authorization for programmatic buyers.

ads.txt, app-ads.txt, and sellers.json Explained for Programmatic Buyers

Every programmatic transaction depends on a simple assumption: the seller offering the impression is actually authorized to sell...

How to connect SSPs to your DSP featured image showing a supply-side platform integration checklist for new DSP platform owners.

How to Connect SSPs to Your DSP: Integration Checklist for New Platform Owners

Owning a DSP solves the access problem. It does not automatically solve the supply problem. A demand-side platform...

How real-time bidding works featured image showing the RTB auction between publishers, exchanges, and DSPs.

How Real-Time Bidding Works: The RTB Auction Explained Step by Step

Every time a page loads or an app opens, an ad slot goes up for auction, and the...

Agency DSP margin structure featured image comparing rented platform fees to owning your own DSP

Agency Economics: How Owning a DSP Changes Your Margin Structure

Most agencies running programmatic campaigns think about margin the way they think about any other line item: media...

Supply path optimization featured image showing a DSP dashboard tracking programmatic supply paths and SSP connections

Supply Path Optimization (SPO): How DSP Owners Cut Costs and Improve Traffic Quality

A single impression rarely travels a straight line from publisher to advertiser. It often passes through two, three,...

QPS in programmatic advertising featured image showing queries per second bid request capacity for a demand-side platform

What Is QPS in Programmatic Advertising? Why Unlimited QPS Matters for DSP Owners

Most DSP reporting dashboards focus on the numbers that show up after an auction closes: impressions, wins, spend,...

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