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Paid Media 1 min read
Last updated: May 2026

What is RTB (Real-Time Bidding)?

The automated auction process that buys and sells ad impressions in milliseconds as a user loads a page.

What is RTB?

Real-Time Bidding (RTB) is the automated auction process that occurs in milliseconds every time a user loads a webpage with ad space. Advertisers bid on each impression based on user data, and the highest bidder's ad is displayed, all before the page finishes loading.

How RTB Works

  1. User visits a webpage with ad space
  2. Publisher sends bid request to ad exchange
  3. DSPs evaluate the impression against targeting criteria
  4. Eligible advertisers submit bids in milliseconds
  5. Highest bidder wins and their ad is displayed

Why RTB Matters

RTB powers the $500+ billion digital advertising industry. It enables precision targeting at scale, every impression is evaluated individually based on the specific user, their behavior, and the context of the page.

FlowStrata's Alternative to RTB

Instead of bidding for attention, FlowStrata's outbound goes directly to decision-makers' inboxes and LinkedIn feeds, no auction, no competition for impression, just direct 1:1 communication.

Related Terms

Ad Rank

The value determining your ad's position on the SERP, calculated from bid, quali...

Display Ads

Visual banner or image-based ads shown on websites within an ad network.

DSP (Demand-Side Platform)

Software used by advertisers to automate the purchase of digital ad inventory ac...

Programmatic Advertising

Automated buying and selling of digital ad inventory through real-time bidding a...

Want Us to Handle This For You?

Now you know what RTB (Real-Time Bidding) means. Let FlowStrata implement it as part of a fully managed outbound engine that books qualified meetings on your calendar.

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