Marketing Glossary

Programmatic Advertising (Automated Ad Buying)

The automated, algorithm-driven buying and selling of digital ad space in real time, replacing manual insertion orders.

Used in context
3.13 — Display & Video Media Buying

…Our display and video budget is deployed through programmatic advertising, buying inventory in real time across thousands of sites.…

What it means

Programmatic advertising is the automated buying and selling of digital ad inventory through algorithmic real-time bidding, replacing the traditional manual process of negotiating placements site by site.

It allows advertisers to bid for individual ad impressions the instant a page loads, targeting the specific user viewing it rather than buying blanket placement on a specific publisher’s site.

Massive inventory access

It opens access to millions of sites and apps through a single platform, instead of negotiating one by one.

Precision audience targeting

Bids are placed per user impression, so budget follows the audience rather than the publisher.

Real-time optimization

Algorithms continuously shift spend toward the placements and audiences performing best.

DNA’s Take

DNA's Take: We use programmatic buying to extend reach efficiently across display and video, then layer in retargeting and lookalike audiences so that automated spend is still working toward your specific customer profile.

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