Header bidding is one of the most rapidly developing and misunderstood trends in programmatic advertising. So what is header bidding and how can Criteo help you use it more effectively? Let us simplify it for you.
Header Bidding: A Definition
Header bidding is a programmatic advertising innovation in which publishers allow multiple ad exchanges to bid on publisher inventory simultaneously instead of sequentially as they do in the waterfall bidding system. This unifies a publisher’s auction which, in theory, should lead to higher revenue.
So with header bidding, publishers efficiently monetize their inventory and get an undistorted picture of market demand.
(Learn More: 5 Things Publishers Should Know About Why Header Bidding Matters)
The Benefits for Advertisers
Header bidding is a win-win solution. For publishers, the increased competition from advertisers means more revenue. For advertisers, the opportunity to maximize their reach to a publisher’s audience at a high priority means their ads are seen by more people.
With header bidding, programmatic buyers can get a first look at a publisher’s inventory above direct orders, and choose to pay more for premium publisher ad space – for instance, the home page of a publisher’s website.
Criteo’s shift to a first-price auction allows us to more effectively and intelligently bid on inventory, helping balance the needs of publishers and advertisers.
Criteo Direct Bidder: A New Solution
In May, we launched Criteo Direct Bidder to deliver three key benefits for publishers:
- Greater transparency into bids and impression value
- Eliminate unnecessary third-party fees and simplify the publisher supply chain
- Less latency in impressions by going direct to publisher
We’re excited about the growth of Criteo Direct Bidder and look forward to sharing more client insights.
