Programmatic Buying Definition May 2026

While the page loads, the publisher puts the available ad space up for auction on an Ad Exchange .

While RTB is the most common, programmatic buying comes in various forms to suit different needs: programmatic buying definition

The highest bidder wins, and their ad is instantly displayed to the user. While the page loads, the publisher puts the

Advertisers get "first dibs" on inventory at a fixed price before it hits the open market. The Bottom Line While the page loads