Real-time bidding: An online advertising auction system where advertisers bid in real-time for ad placements.

Getting Started

If you’re in the world of online advertising, you’ve probably heard of real-time bidding (RTB).

It’s a process that allows advertisers to bid on ad impressions in real-time, allowing for more efficient and effective ad placements.

If you’re interested in learning more about RTB, this guide is for you.

This guide is also for those who want to:

• Optimize their ad campaigns
• Improve their ad targeting
• Maximize their ad spend

How to

1. Choose a Demand-Side Platform (DSP) – A DSP is a platform that allows advertisers to manage their ad campaigns and bid on ad impressions in real-time. Some popular DSPs include Google Ads, The Trade Desk, and MediaMath.
2. Set up your campaign – Once you’ve chosen a DSP, you’ll need to set up your campaign. This includes choosing your target audience, setting your budget, and creating your ad creatives.
3. Set your bid – With RTB, you’ll be bidding on ad impressions in real-time. You’ll need to set your bid for each impression based on your target audience and budget.
4. Monitor and optimize – After your campaign is up and running, you’ll need to monitor its performance and optimize it for better results. This includes adjusting your bid, targeting, and ad creatives.

Best Practices

• Set a clear goal – Before starting your campaign, make sure you have a clear goal in mind. This will help you create a more targeted and effective campaign.
• Choose the right targeting options – Targeting the right audience is key to a successful RTB campaign. Make sure you choose the right targeting options based on your goal and audience.
• Optimize your bid – Your bid is a crucial factor in RTB. Make sure you optimize your bid based on your target audience and budget.
• Monitor and adjust regularly – Regularly monitoring and adjusting your campaign is important for better results. Keep an eye on your performance metrics and adjust your campaign as needed.

Examples

Let’s say you’re an online retailer looking to promote your new line of running shoes.

You’ve identified your target audience as active individuals aged 18-35 who are interested in fitness and health.

You’ve chosen a DSP and set up your campaign with the following targeting options:

• Geographic targeting: United States
• Demographic targeting: Age 18-35
• Interest targeting: Fitness and health

You’ve also set your bid at $1.50 per impression.

After running your campaign for a week, you notice that your click-through rate (CTR) is low and your cost per click (CPC) is high.

You decide to adjust your campaign by:

• Increasing your bid to $2.00 per impression
• Adding more ad creatives with different messaging
• Adjusting your interest targeting to focus more on running and jogging specifically

After making these adjustments, you notice an increase in CTR and a decrease in CPC, resulting in a more successful campaign.