Programmatic Glossary

Programmatic Glossary & Definitions

Confused and struggling with all the programmatic advertising terms, programmatic definitions and all programmatic acronyms that are used every day? To make it easy for you we’ve compiled a comprehensive Programmatic Glossary of the most popular used terms and subtle nuances below to help you navigate the programmatic industry. So if you don’t know the difference between a DMP or a DSP then make sure you bookmark our Programmatic Glossary.

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• 1st Party Data1st Party Data is the term defines data that is collected directly from users such as website visitors, and stored for advertising and marketing purposes.
• 2nd Party Data2nd Party Data is the type of data collected and stored about customers, and it’s commonly used for marketing and advertising purposes.
• 3rd Party Data3rd Party Data is data collected for advertising purposes. 3rd Party Data is collected from multiple sources and based on demographics and behaviors.
• Above the Fold"Above the Fold" refers to information that appears on the top half of a publication's first page.
• Ad ExchangeAd exchange is a term that defines platforms which enable the buying and selling of ad inventory (typically from advertising networks).
• Ad InventoryAd Inventory or Advertising Inventory is a term that describes the advertising space that each publisher has, and which advertisers can buy to host their ads.
• Ad NetworkAd Network or advertising network is a term describing companies which are middle men between advertisers and publishers.
• Ad ServerAn ad server is a form of advertising technology used by advertisers and publishers to serve ads to potential customers.
• ads.txtAds.txt stands for “Authorized Digital Sellers” and is intended of preventing internet ad fraud and increasing transparency in the online advertising sector.
• Agency Holding CompaniesAgency Holding Companies is an industry term used to describe the parent Advertising Agency companies that own smaller ad agencies. Think Dentsu, Havas Interpublic, Omnicom, Publicis Groupe & WPP
• Agency Trading DeskAn Agency Trading Desk (sometimes referred to as an ATD) is a programmatic media planning and buying unit within a traditional advertising agency or Agency Holding Company. Think Amnet, Xaxis, Affiperf, Vivaki and Cadreon
• Audience ExtensionAudience Extension is a type of advertising that allows advertisers to reach more people than the ones they could reach on the publisher’s site.
• Audience SegmentationThe method of breaking down a huge consumer base into smaller individual demographics is referred to as audience segmentation
• Behavioral TargetingBehavioral targeting is an advertising method that uses knowledge about users' behavior across the web to improve the success of their campaigns.
• Bid RateBid Rate is a Programmatic Auction indicator that indicates how many bids are being placed in the Auction.
• Bid RequestAds are shown and inventory data is purchased using a piece of code known as a bid request.
• Bid ResponseA bid Response is a reply from the Demand Side Platform (DSP) in an OpenRTB system to the supply-side platform (SSP). It can also be from the SSP to the advert publisher.
• BlacklistsBlacklists are simply listings of website domain names that under no circumstances does the advertiser allow their ads to serve on that site. Many advertisers will use some sort of Blacklist as part of their overall buying.
• Brand LiftBrand Lift uses various methodology to gather feedback directly from consumers in real-world settings as a response to an advertising campaign.
• CDCThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (also known as the CDC) is the United State's main national public health institution.
• Click Through RateCTR or Click-Through Rate is a performance metric that shows how many times users clicked on an ad or a link with display, and email marketing campaigns.
• Completion RateCompletion Rate is a video advertising metric represented as a percentage. It indicates the number of times that a video plays to the end.
• Contextual AdvertisingContextual advertising is targeted advertising that places ads on directly relevant websites or web pages determined by contextual relevance.
• Cost Per AcquisitionCost Per Acquisition is an e-commerce advertising term that stands for Cost per Acquisition. Cost Per Acquisition is measuring the aggregate cost to acquire one paying customer.
• Cost Per ActionCost Per Action or CPA is an advertising term used to define how advertisers pay for served ads.
• Cost Per ClickCPC or Cost Per Click is a payment model where advertisers pay every time a user clicks on an ad, regardless of the number of impressions.
• Cost Per Completed ViewCost Per Completed View is a payment model in video advertising. Cost Per Completed View is where advertisers only pay when a video ad plays to completion
• Cost Per EngagementCost Per Engagement model means that an ad is paid only when it’s engaged with, as opposed to other payment models such as CPC and CPM.
• Cost Per InstallCost Per Install (sometimes referred to as CPI) campaigns are specific to mobile apps and the advertiser only pays once the app has been installed (instead of been simply viewed like in other advertising metrics such as CPM).
• Cost Per MilleCost Per Mille is an advertising term that is short for CPM (thousand impressions). Cost Per Mille is best used for brand awareness campaigns.
• Cost Per ResultCost Per Result is a measure that advertisers use to assess the performance of their digital advertising campaigns.
• Cost Per ThousandCost Per Thousand is an advertising term referred based on CPM or Cost Per Mille impressions.
• Cost Per ViewCost Per View (CPV) is programmatic bidding method to buy video impressions, meaning the advertiser will only pay for video impressions (VAST or VPAID) when the impression is actually viewed.
• CPACPA is an e-commerce advertising term that stands for Cost per Acquisition. It has different significance depending on the actions that are meant to be tracked.
• CPCCPC or Cost Per Click is a payment model where advertisers pay every time a user clicks on an ad, regardless of the number of impressions.
• CPCVCPCV or Cost Per Completed View is a payment model in video advertising. CPCV is where advertisers only pay when a video ad plays through to completion
• CPECPE model means that an ad is paid only when it’s engaged with, as opposed to other payment models such as CPC and CPM.
• CPICPI (Cost Per Install) campaigns are specific to mobile apps and the advertiser only pays once the app has been installed on the mobile device.
• CPMCPM is an advertising term that stands for Cost Per Mille (thousand impressions). CPM is best used for brand awareness campaigns.
• CPVCPV is programmatic bidding method to buy video impressions, advertiser will only pay for video impressions when actually viewed.
• CTRCTR or Click-Through Rate is a performance metric that shows how many times users clicked on an ad or a link with display, and email marketing campaigns.
• Data Management PlatformA Data Management Platform is a cloud-based software that collects, stores, sorts and categorizes user data. They are a central data hub for a marketer, storing a company's customer, audience, and marketing data.
• DaypartDaypart Targeting or Dayparting is an ad serving campaign tactic used by advertisers to limit the delivery of a campaign to specific times of the day or specific days of the week to more effectively target an audience.
• Demand Side PlatformA Demand Side Platform (or DSP) cover everything from automatically buying ad inventory to managing it and tracking results.
• Designated Market AreaA Designated Market Area is an advertising term that stands for different regions in the United States divided into separate marketing areas.
• Device IDDevice ID is a code that clearly mark each individual device in the world. Commonly, these devices are smartphones and tablets.
• DMADMA or Designated Market Area is an advertising term that stands for different regions in the United States divided into separate marketing areas.
• DMPA DMP is a cloud-based software technology that collects, stores, sorts and categorizes user data. They should be considered as the central data hub for a marketer, storing a company's customer, audience, and marketing data.
• DOOHDOOH stands for “Digital Out Of Home” and refers specifically to digital media that appears in public places such as digital billboards and outdoor signage.
• DSPA DSP or Demand Side Platform is an advertising management system that allows buyers to buy in ad exchanges (display, video, search, and mobile ads).
• Dynamic Ad InsertionDynamic Ad Insertion or DAI is video advertising technology that allows advertisers to integrate video ads into live programming and VoD content.
• eCPMeCPM is an advertising term that stands for Effective Cost per Mille (thousand impressions).
• Endemic AdvertisingEndemic advertising is an advertising and marketing term that refers to ad placement that’s natural to a market, sometimes referred to Vertical Advertising.
• Fill RateFill Rate is Sell Side specific metric which represents the percentage of ads served based on the total number of page impressions available.
• First LookFirst look is an advertising term that describes a situation when certain advertisers are offered a prioritized access to a publisher’s ad inventory.
• First Party DataFirst Party Data is the term defines data that is collected directly from users such as website visitors, and stored for advertising and marketing purposes.
• First Price AuctionA First Price Auction (sometimes referred to as a First Price Sealed Bid Auction or a Blind Auction) is where bidders submit the highest bid price they are prepared to pay and the highest bidder wins.
• GeotargetingGeotargeting is an advertising term that describes determining the location of a website visitor in order to serve them personalized ads
• GRPGRP stands for Gross Rating Point and is a measure of the size of an advertising campaign in relation to the size of the targeted audience or population
• HCPHCP is an abbreviation for "Health Care Personnel" This term refers to all persons that serve in healthcare settings
• Header BiddingHeader Bidding enables bid requests from multiple demand sources simultaneously using programmatic protocols such as OpenRTB.
• HIPAAThe Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (commonly known as HIPAA) is a federal statute in the United States.
• Insertion OrderAn Insertion Order can best be considered a Purchase Order between the parties. A Insertion Order is usually issued by the Publisher but frequently issues by the Advertiser.
• Instream VideoInstream video is an advertising term which defines the placement of video advertisements in correlation to the original content a consumer decided to watch.
• Interstitial AdsInterstitial Ads / Over the Page Ads are full-screen ads that run over the top of publisher content on Desktop, Tablet or Mobile devices.
• Media Ratings CouncilMedia Rating Council (often referred to as the MRC) is a nonprofit organization that gives media research and advertising accreditations to ad platforms.
• MedicaidMedicaid (in the U.S.) is a federal and state program that provides assistance with medical fees and costs for those with low income or resources.
• Medicare AustraliaMedicare is a Publicly-Funded universal Health Care Insurance Program in Australia
• Medicare - United StatesIn the United States, Medicare refers to a national health insurance program administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
• Meta DSPA meta-DSP is a software solution that is utilised in the programmatic ad purchasing process.
• MidRollMidRoll is an advertising term describing video ads that are served to consumers in the middle of the original content’s playback.
• MRCMRC or Media Rating Council is a nonprofit organization that gives media research and advertising accreditations to ad platforms.
• National Provider IdentifierA National Provider Identifier (also known as an NPI) in a custom identification numbers with ten digits
• Open ExchangeOpen ad exchange (or open marketplace) is an ad buying and selling space that gives buyers access to their inventory
• OpenRTBOpenRTB is the Real-Time Bidding (RTB) standard that drives the Programmatic Advertising Ecosystem.
• Outstream VideoOutstream video, also referred to as in-read or native video, is an advertising term describing video advertisements placed in otherwise non-video original content.
• Pay Per ClickPay Per Click (PPC) is an advertising term that describes online advertising payment models where advertisers pay per each click.
• Personally Identifiable InformationPersonally Identifiable Information stands for personal information of each user which is subject to advertising.
• PIIPII or Personally Identifiable Information stands for personal information of each user which is subject to advertising.
• PMPPMP is a programmatic marketing term that stands for Private Marketplace. PMPs are a private advertising auction, as opposed to public marketplaces.
• POCPOC enables on-site, rapid diagnostics and treatments, enhancing efficiency and accessibility in healthcare.
• Point of CarePoint of Care (POC) provides immediate, on-site diagnostic and treatment services directly at the patient's location
• Post RollPost Roll is an advertising term that describes video advertisements which are served to the consumer after the original video has finished playing.
• PPCPPC is an advertising term that describes online advertising payment models where advertisers pay per each click.
• PrebidPrebid is simple to set up and can be easily applied on most ad servers. It's become a key tool for publishers looking to optimise ad income.
• Pre RollPre Roll is an advertising term describing video ads that play right before the video, typically 15, 30 or 60 secs in duration and sold on a CPM or CPV basis.
• Price FloorWhat is a Price Floor? Think of a Price Floor in a similar way to the reserve price for a Real Estate auction. i.e the price that the auction will be passed in if there are not a single bid that exceeds the reserve.
• Protected Health InformationProtected Health Information is made up of 18 separate information identifiers when combined with health information. Some of these identifiers can be used alone to locate, contact, or identify a person.
• Publisher Trading DeskA publisher trading desk is given by publishers that use their own data and insights to target audiences on behalf of their customers, as opposed to being delivered by outside agencies.
• QPSQPS stands for Queries Per Second and is considered the most important metric for describing a server's capacity/throughput dimension.
• Rate CardRate card is an advertising term describing the documents in which the publisher states the price of their ad inventory.
• Real Time BiddingReal Time Bidding is the buying or selling of ad impressions through ad exchanges and platforms via Demand Side Platforms (referred to as DSPs).
• RemarketingRemarketing is an advertising practice in which advertisers can re-engage potential customers who have already shown interest in a product or a brand,
• Reserve PriceThe Reserve Price represents the minimal cost a publisher agrees to accept for an ad impression. The Reserve Price can be a crucial element in shaping your ad buying methods in this complex setting.
• RetargetingRetargeting is an advertising term which describes the process of recapturing visitor attention with the goal of driving sales.
• RONRun of Network (sometimes referred to as “RON”) is the term where an advertising campaign or PMP is applied to the entire network of websites within an Ad Network.
• ROSRun of Site, also referred to as ROS, is an advertising term that pertains to advertisers giving up control over the placement of their ads.
• RTBRTB is an advertising term that describes an automated process of selling and buying ad inventory through a programmatic online auction.
• Run of NetworkRun of Network (sometimes referred to as “RON”) is the term where an advertising campaign or PMP is applied to the entire network of websites within an Ad Network.
• Run of SiteRun of Site, also referred to as ROS, is an advertising term that pertains to advertisers giving up control over the placement of their ads.
• Second Party DataSecond Party Data is the type of data collected and stored about customers, and it’s commonly used for marketing and advertising purposes.
• Second Price AuctionA Second Price Auction (sometimes referred to as a Vickrey Auction) is where each bidder submits a bid which is the highest amount they are willing to pay. The highest bidder wins but the price paid is the second-highest bid plus $0.01
• Sell Through RateSell Through Rate is a sell side metric which is sourced and calculated from either an Ad Network’s Ad server or a individual publisher ad server and represented as a percentage.
• Share of VoiceShare of Voice is a phrase often used in media planning and buying. Share of Voice is expressed as a percentage and represents the relative portion of ad impressions bought compared to all ads available for that given period of time.
• SOVSOV is a phrase used in media planning & buying. SOV is the relative portion of impressions bought to all ads for a time period.
• SSPA SSP (referred to as a Supply Side Platform) is a software platform used by publishers to monetize their inventory with ad exchanges, ad networks, and DSPs at the same time to sell impressions at their highest value in real time.
• Supply Side PlatformA Supply Side Platform (referred to as SSP) is a software platform used by publishers to monetize their inventory with ad exchanges, ad networks, and DSPs at the same time to sell impressions at their highest value in real time.
• Third Party DataThird Party Data is data collected for advertising purposes. Third Party Data is collected from multiple sources and based on demographics and behaviors.
• Uncoupled DataUncoupled Data is a Programmatic keyword that refers to letting an advertiser to use a data segment or audience in their own DSP for campaign activation.
• VASTVAST or Video Ad Serving Template is an IAB specification that explains how video players communicate with ad servers, and serve ads.
• vCPMvCPM is an advertising metric that stands for Viewable Cost per Mille. vCPM tracks the cost for viewable thousand impressions.
• Video Ad Serving TemplateVideo Ad Serving Template or VAST is an IAB specification that explains how video players communicate with ad servers, and serve ads.
• Video Completion RateVideo Completion Rate is a video advertising metric represented as a percentage. It indicates the number of times that a video plays to the end.
• ViewabilityViewability or viewable impressions is an advertising metric used to define impressions which can actually be seen by users,
• View Through RateView Through Rate (or VTR) is an advertising metric describing the number of times an ad has been viewed completely.
• VPAIDVPAID or Video Player-Ad Interface Definition is advertising technology that complements VAST (Video Ad Serving Template)
• VTRVTR or View Through Rate is an advertising metric describing the number of times an ad has been viewed completely.
• WhitelistA Whitelist is a list of website domains that the advertiser is willing to serve its ads on. Many advertisers who buy advertising programmatically will only buy from a whitelist or against a blacklist.
• WHOThe World Health Organization (also known as WHO) is an agency of the United Nations. It is responsible for public health on a global level.
• Win RateWin Rate is the percentage that measures the total number of impressions won in programmatic buys divided by the total number of impressions bid on.
• World Health OrganizationThe World Health Organization (commonly known as WHO) is a United Nations institution. It is in charge of public health on a worldwide scale.