What is ad request in advertising

Definition of ad request in advertising

An ad request is a call made by a web browser or mobile app to an ad server to fetch an advertisement. This occurs when a user visits a webpage or uses an app with designated ad spaces, prompting the ad server to deliver a relevant ad to be displayed in that space. Ad requests are a fundamental part of the ad delivery process in digital advertising.

Usage

Ad requests are used to initiate the process of serving ads to users in real-time. They are critical for measuring the demand for ad inventory and help determine how frequently ads are being called and potentially displayed across various platforms.

Related terms

• Ad Server: A technology platform that stores, delivers, and tracks online advertisements.
• Impression: The number of times an ad is displayed to users.
• Fill Rate: The percentage of ad requests that result in a successful ad impression.
• Real-Time Bidding (RTB): An auction-based system where ad impressions are bought and sold in real-time.
• Ad Inventory: The total amount of ad space available for sale on a website, app, or other digital platform.

Related questions about ad request in advertising

• What happens after an ad request is made?
  After an ad request is made, the ad server processes the request, selects a relevant ad based on targeting criteria and available inventory, and delivers the ad to be displayed on the webpage or app.
• How does the ad request process impact ad delivery and performance?
  The efficiency and speed of the ad request process impact how quickly ads are served, which can affect user experience and ad performance metrics such as viewability and click-through rates.
• What factors can influence the number of ad requests a platform receives?
  Factors include the amount of traffic to the website or app, the number of ad slots available, and user engagement levels.
• How is fill rate related to ad requests?
  Fill rate is the percentage of ad requests that result in an actual ad being displayed. A high fill rate indicates efficient use of ad inventory, while a low fill rate may suggest issues with ad demand or targeting.
• What is the significance of ad requests in programmatic advertising?
  In programmatic advertising, ad requests trigger real-time bidding auctions where advertisers bid for the opportunity to serve their ads, making ad requests a critical component in the automated ad buying process.