Definition & Explanation Modeled conversions are estimated conversions calculated when direct attribution is impossible due to privacy restrictions, browser limitations, or cross-device scenarios. Machine learning algorithms analyze patterns from directly observed conversions and apply those patterns to predict unobserved conversions without identifying individual users. This approach has become increasingly important as privacy regulations and cookie...h
Read MoreDefinition & Explanation A reseller is a third party authorized to sell another publisher's inventory — too many resellers can lead to transparency issues. In programmatic advertising, resellers are intermediaries that aggregate publisher inventory and submit bids on behalf of buyers to platforms that control the final ad-serving decision. They are typically listed in a...h
Read MoreDefinition & Explanation Undisclosed resellers are unauthorized intermediaries selling ad inventory without publisher permission, often causing inflated CPMs and increased fraud exposure. Unlike authorized resellers, these entities operate outside the publisher's knowledge, making the supply chain opaque and vulnerable to exploitation. The IAB's ads.txt initiative was introduced specifically to combat this problem by allowing publishers...h
Read MoreDefinition & Explanation The fraud rate, also called the IVT rate, is the percentage of ad impressions deemed invalid—generated by bots, fake users, spoofed CTV devices, or other non-human sources. In programmatic advertising, IVT rates can range from 10–30% depending on the traffic source and verification methods used. Monitoring this metric helps advertisers and publishers...h
Read MoreDefinition & Explanation RTB is the technology that enables the buying and selling of ad impressions in milliseconds through instantaneous programmatic auctions. When a user visits a webpage, a bid request containing data such as demographics, browsing history, and location is sent to multiple advertisers, who automatically submit bids in real time. The highest bidder...h
Read MoreDefinition & Explanation An ad exchange is a technology platform that facilitates the automated buying and selling of digital advertising inventory through real-time auctions. Exchanges sit at the center of the programmatic supply chain. Supply-side platforms (SSPs) aggregate publisher inventory and connect it to exchanges; publishers make their available ad slots accessible through the exchange....h
Read MoreDefinition & Explanation Header bidding is an advanced programmatic auction method where multiple ad exchanges and demand partners bid simultaneously for a publisher's ad inventory before the ad server is called. Unlike the traditional waterfall approach, which prioritizes demand sources sequentially, header bidding creates real-time competition that increases transparency and publisher revenue. The technique is...h
Read MoreDefinition & Explanation ads.txt (Authorized Digital Sellers) is an IAB Tech Lab standard (1) designed to prevent the unauthorized sale of a publisher's programmatic ad inventory. This practice, also known as “spoofing,” can cause advertisers to spend money on ads that never appear on the sites they intended. Publishers host a publicly accessible text file...h
Read MoreDefinition & Explanation Ad Density refers to the ratio of ad space to content on a webpage. It’s typically calculated by comparing the vertical height or area that ads occupy within the main content section to the total content area. For example, if ads occupy 300 pixels of a 1000-pixel content area, the ad density...h
Read MoreA Ad Exchange: A digital marketplace where publishers list inventory and advertisers bid in real time. Ad Density: The ratio of ads to content on a webpage; high density often signals poor user experience or MFA risk. Ad Fraud: Any practice that manipulates ad delivery, views, or clicks for illegitimate gain (bots, spoofing, fake installs)....h
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