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Marketing

What is programmatic advertising?

Programmatic advertising is the automated buying and selling of digital ad inventory through real-time bidding (RTB) and AI-driven platforms. Instead of manually negotiating placements, algorithms match ads to audiences in milliseconds based on data signals like behavior, demographics, and context. It accounts for over 90% of digital display ad spending.

Key Considerations

  • Demand-side platforms (DSPs) let advertisers bid across multiple ad exchanges simultaneously
  • First-party data is increasingly critical as third-party cookies phase out
  • Brand safety controls are essential — automated buying can place ads next to harmful content
  • Transparency in fees and supply chain is a persistent industry challenge