Insertion Order (IO)

An insertion order (IO) is a document — often a formal contract — that outlines the terms of an advertising campaign. It serves as the foundational agreement between an advertiser and a publisher (or ad network) before a campaign goes live, capturing everything both parties need to execute and measure the buy.

A typical IO covers:

• Campaign dates — start and end dates for the flight
• Ad placement and format — which pages or placements the ads will run on, along with the required ad formats and banner sizes
• Target audience — the defined target group, along with any traffic or branding parameters
• Pricing model — the agreed method of billing, such as CPM (cost per thousand impressions) or CPC (cost per click)
• Payment terms — invoicing schedule, payment deadlines, and related financial conditions

Insertion orders are common in both direct and programmatic advertising contexts. In direct deals, an IO is typically negotiated and signed before any creative goes live. In programmatic environments, IO-level terms are often reflected in deal configurations within a DSP or SSP, though a paper IO may still accompany private marketplace or programmatic-guaranteed arrangements.