Glossaryad technology platformsad serving

Decisioning

decisioningad serverSSPDSPad exchangecampaign criteriatargetingbidding strategyad placement

Decisioning

The process by which AdTech platforms — including ad servers, supply-side platforms (SSPs), demand-side platforms (DSPs), and ad exchanges — determine which ad to serve for a given impression. The decision is driven by an advertiser's campaign criteria, typically encompassing targeting parameters, ad placement requirements, and bidding strategy.

Daisy Chain
Also known as: waterfalling, the publisher's waterfall A daisy chain is a media-buying process in which a publisher's ad server loads ad network, SSP, and ad exchange tags sequentially — one after another — until an ad…
Ad Call
Also known as: ad request An ad call is a request sent from an ad slot on a web page or app to an AdTech platform — typically an ad exchange or ad server — for the purpose of serving an ad to the user. Ad calls usually…
Ad Slot
An ad slot is the physical space on a webpage where ads appear. Publishers place ad slots in strategic locations across their site — typically areas where ad visibility and engagement are highest. Each ad slot contains…
Bid Request
A bid request is a message sent from a supply-side platform (SSP) or ad exchange to a bidder — typically a component of a demand-side platform (DSP) — signalling that an ad impression is available for auction. Each bid…