Quick answer
OpenRTB is an IAB Tech Lab protocol used to structure real-time bidding communication between compatible advertising systems. A bid request describes an impression opportunity and a bid response communicates eligible demand.
Key takeaways
- Use measurable, interoperable advertising workflows.
- Keep reporting and operational ownership clear.
- Balance performance with privacy, quality and user experience.
What is OpenRTB?
OpenRTB is an IAB Tech Lab protocol used to structure real-time bidding communication between compatible advertising systems. A bid request describes an impression opportunity and a bid response communicates eligible demand.
What happens in an auction?
The selling system sends structured information to eligible buyers. Buyers evaluate the opportunity within a strict time budget and may return a price and creative. The exchange then applies its auction and policy rules before delivery.
What information matters?
Placement information, media type, site or app context, device and privacy signals, auction rules and timing constraints can all affect whether a buyer can evaluate an opportunity.
What makes an integration production-ready?
Schema compatibility is only the beginning. Production systems also need timeout handling, validation, privacy controls, creative quality checks, billing-event consistency, observability and discrepancy monitoring.
What does structured auction data look like?
OpenRTB messages are JSON. A simplified bid request can contain an auction ID, impression object, context and auction constraints. Production integrations require the fields and semantics agreed by the participating systems.
{
"id": "auction-123",
"imp": [{"id": "1", "banner": {"w": 300, "h": 250}}],
"site": {"domain": "publisher.example"},
"at": 1,
"tmax": 120
}Further reading
For protocol and implementation details, use primary standards and documentation relevant to the technology being implemented.