Real-Time-Bidding (RTB)

Real-time bidding (RTB) is an automated auction process in online marketing where the purchase of advertising space happens in real time. Whenever a user visits a website, an auction is triggered within milliseconds where various advertisers bid for the available ad space. The highest bidder wins, and their ad is displayed immediately — while the page loads for the user.

This process is part of programmatic advertising and enables extremely precise targeting of advertising. Bids can be individually adjusted based on user profiles, demographic data, browsing behavior, location, or device. This allows each advertising impression to be optimally evaluated, with real-time decisions on whether the offered price is worth it. This process is part of programmatic advertising and enables extremely precise targeting of advertising. Bids can be individually adjusted based on user profiles, demographic data, browsing behavior, location, or device. This allows each advertising impression to be optimally evaluated, with real-time decisions on whether the offered price is worth it.

The major advantage of RTB lies in efficiency: advertising budgets are not spent broadly but targeted where potential success is highest. This enables companies to reduce waste, increase the relevance of their ads, and achieve precise audience targeting. At the same time, publishers benefit from better monetization of their ad spaces, as prices are regulated through market mechanisms.

Real-time bidding has fundamentally changed online advertising. Instead of static placements, data-driven flexibility is now central. With increasing integration of first-party data, AI-powered forecasts, and cookie-less technologies, RTB continues to evolve. For marketers, it offers the ability to manage, measure, and adjust campaigns in real time — staying competitive in a highly dynamic advertising market.