Adtech Glossary - D

A daisy chain, sometimes referred to as waterfalling, is a media-buying procedure in which a publisher’s ad server sequentially loads ad network, SSP, and ad exchange tags. The term daisy chain can also describe the transmission of data or information from one AdTech platform to multiple others. For example, this situation can arise when various […]

Dark viewability is an impression that escapes viewability monitoring. Viewability vendors employ various strategies to address this issue, often with varying levels of effectiveness, which can lead to a percentage of “unmeasurable” impressions in a viewability report.

Data refers to the information collected and processed within the advertising technology ecosystem to support targeted advertising campaigns and optimize advertising strategies. Programmatic advertising data includes various information advertisers can utilize to understand and reach specific audiences, deliver relevant ads, and measure campaign performance.

A data broker, occasionally known as a data provider or data supplier, is an enterprise that gathers user data from diverse origins and then offers it to advertising technology platforms like demand-side platforms (DSPs) and data-management platforms (DMPs). These data brokers employ multiple strategies to amass data, including deploying website tags and procuring it from […]

A data clean room is a secure technological solution that facilitates data exchange among multiple stakeholders without disclosing specific details such as personal information. For instance, in a clean room setting, parties can collaborate to share data on campaign performance metrics like reach and frequency while safeguarding sensitive first-party individual customer data. Data clean rooms […]

Data deduplication is the practice of removing duplicate data that is already present in a system. In the context of ad tech platforms, it involves the removal of redundant audience information from the databases used by publishers and advertisers. This procedure entails removing the same user’s cookie data and device ID references multiple times, preventing […]

A Data Management Platform (DMP) is a centralized technology platform that collects, stores, organizes, and analyzes large volumes of data from various sources for advertising and marketing. DMPs play a crucial role in adtech and digital marketing by enabling advertisers, publishers, and marketers to understand their target audiences better, optimize advertising campaigns, and deliver more […]

Data onboarding is the practice of integrating offline data sources with online datasets. Businesses frequently use this method to refresh their online customer data with new information gathered from offline sources, including live events, phone conversations, and meeting sessions that do not get automatically documented.

Data Warehouse refers to a large and centralized repository that stores structured and sometimes unstructured data from various sources related to advertising and marketing activities. It is a core data infrastructure component that helps advertisers, publishers, and marketers efficiently store, manage, and analyze expansive amounts of data generated from different ad platforms, marketing campaigns, customer […]

Dayparting is a digital advertising strategy that involves scheduling ads to appear at specific times of the day or particular days of the week. The primary aim of dayparting is to enhance the impact of advertising by ensuring that it reaches the intended audience when they are most active and open to the message. For […]

Deal Check is a tool that empowers publishers to detect and rectify issues that have an adverse effect on the number of matched ad bids for their preferred deals or private auctions.

Deal ID (Identification) is a unique identifier used in different forms of programmatic deals. It is a way to establish a direct and personal relationship between a specific publisher and a particular advertiser or buyer, allowing them to transact inventory programmatically with negotiated terms and conditions. Deal IDs are essential to programmatic advertising, balancing open […]

Decisioning, a comprehensive concept within ad tech, encompasses the methodologies employed by platforms like ad servers, SSPs (supply-side platforms), DSPs (demand-side platforms), and ad exchanges to ascertain the most suitable ad creative to present to a user. This multifaceted process considers various factors but is primarily guided by an advertiser’s ad campaign specifications, including their […]

Demand generation is marketing approaches and techniques deployed to interest a company’s offerings and steer potential customers toward the sales team. Demand generation aims to pinpoint, nurture, and transform promising leads into loyal customers, achieved through providing pertinent and valuable content that caters to their requirements and preferences. Through demand generation, businesses can enhance brand […]

Demand Source refers to entities or platforms that aim to showcase advertisements to their intended audience. These entities usually encompass advertisers, ad agencies, or ad networks seeking to acquire ad inventory from publishers or supply-side platforms. Advertisers engage with Demand-Side Platforms to reach their desired audience. These DSPs participate in auctions for available ad inventory […]

A Demand-Side Platform (DSP) is a technology platform advertisers and agencies use to manage and optimize their digital advertising campaigns efficiently. DSPs offer advertisers real-time tools for purchasing and overseeing ad inventory from various ad exchanges, publishers, and other sources. The primary purpose of a DSP is to facilitate programmatic advertising, which involves the automated […]

Demographic data is information about the characteristics and traits of individuals or groups used to understand and target specific audiences for advertising purposes. These characteristics may include age, gender, income level, education, occupation, marital status, ethnicity, and location. Marketers and advertisers collect demographic data from various sources, including online surveys, registration forms, public records, and […]

A Description URL is a web address that provides information about the video’s content while playing on a website. This information can be conveyed either in the form of a URL or as text displayed on a web page that serves to describe the video.

Deterministic refers to user information that is well-established and directly obtained from a reliable source. The most prevalent form of deterministic data includes login details, particularly email addresses. This concept is relevant in the contexts of data collection, targeting, and measurement within the advertising technology field.

Deterministic matching is a digital advertising strategy employed by various entities in the digital advertising ecosystem, such as publishers, advertisers, and ad tech platforms. It entails the capability to unequivocally recognize an individual user across multiple devices by linking one or more pieces of enduring data to that person, thus setting them apart from other […]

Device fingerprinting is a method to recognize a device or web browser by its distinctive attributes. Unlike web cookies, saved on a user’s local device, device fingerprints are stored in server-side databases. Since device fingerprints operate independently of cookies, many stakeholders in the advertising technology field have proposed their use as an alternative approach for […]

Device ID refers to a unique identifier assigned to a specific device, such as a smartphone, tablet, or computer, used for tracking and targeting purposes in advertising campaigns. Device IDs are crucial in adtech, allowing advertisers to identify and track individual devices or users across different applications and platforms.

The Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) is a non-profit organization operating independently and spearheaded by prominent advertising and marketing trade associations. It establishes and enforces reliable privacy standards throughout the digital advertising industry. The DAA’s primary goal is to offer consumers heightened transparency and control by implementing comprehensive principles of the collection of Multi-Site Data and […]

A digital agency is a company or organization offering diverse services associated with digital marketing, advertising, and managing online presence for businesses and individuals. These agencies have expertise in utilizing digital channels and technologies to assist their clients in attaining their marketing and business goals within the digital realm.

Direct data refers to information collected directly from the source rather than relying on third-party intermediaries. Typically, direct data is more up-to-date, offers a more accurate reflection of behavioral patterns, and is particularly valuable for forming particular and specialized target audiences. When assessing direct data providers, emphasis is placed on the robustness and legality of […]

Direct deal refers to a type of advertising transaction that occurs directly between a publisher and an advertiser, without the involvement of intermediaries like ad networks or programmatic ad exchanges. It is a direct, one-to-one advertising agreement between the two parties. In a direct deal, the publisher and the advertiser negotiate and agree upon the […]

Direct publisher refers to a website owner, app developer, or content creator who directly sells their ad inventory to advertisers without the involvement of intermediaries like ad networks or ad exchanges. In other words, a direct publisher manages and controls the advertising on their digital property without relying on third-party platforms. Direct publishers have complete […]

Direct response advertising is the strategic utilization of advertisements crafted with the explicit goal of prompting an immediate response from the audience by highlighting a specific action. This call to action should be straightforward and unambiguous, such as visiting a website, completing a form, or purchasing. To motivate consumers to take this desired action, marketers […]

Direct traffic means website visitors who arrive at a site directly, bypassing referrals from other websites or search engine queries. Typically, this type of traffic is discerned by a direct entry in the website’s analytics, as it doesn’t originate from a specific external source. Various methods can generate direct traffic, and advertisers must understand the […]

A display ad, or banner ad, appears on websites, mobile apps, or other digital platforms in the form of static or animated images, graphics, or videos. Advertisers typically place these ads within the content of a webpage or app to attract users’ attention and promote a product, service, or brand. Display ads can be in […]

Display advertising is online advertising that showcases visual ads, such as banners, images, videos, or interactive media, on websites, apps, or social media platforms to promote products, services, or brands. Advertisers strategically place these ads in designated spaces on digital properties that the target audience will likely visit. As a vital aspect of digital marketing, […]

The Display Lumascape, also known as the Luma landscape, is a graphical representation that classifies various companies operating within the advertising technology ecosystem according to their core functions. The example of Lumascape:

The display network encompasses a collection of websites, applications, and other online assets that have established partnerships. These advertisements can appear on various platforms, including apps, websites, and video content. The display network is pivotal in PPC advertising, empowering advertisers to extend their reach to a broader audience and foster brand recognition through visually engaging […]

A display video ad combines the visual elements of a display ad with the engagement and storytelling capabilities of video. Advertisers actively display these ads on websites, mobile apps, or other digital platforms, featuring video content that they can either pre-record or dynamically generate. The primary purpose of display video ads is to capture users’ […]

Digital Out-of-Home Advertising refers to using digital media to present advertisements and promotional content to the public in various locations. Unlike out-of-home advertising with fixed billboards and posters, DOOH ad harnesses digital displays like LED screens, interactive kiosks, and digital signage to captivate and target specific audiences. The significance of DOOH ads is steadily rising […]

DPO stands for Demand-Path Optimization. It is a practice in digital advertising that aims specifically to streamline the process of digital auctions by enhancing their efficiency and transparency. DPO optimizes the path that demand takes from the buy-side (advertisers) to sellers (publishers) in the digital advertising ecosystem.

Dynamic ad targeting is a digital advertising technique that leverages consumer data to deliver real-time, highly customized advertisements. This approach has achieved significant traction in the modern era as digital marketers seek to enhance the efficiency of their online marketing efforts. This strategy is employed by a diverse array of enterprises, spanning from small businesses […]

Dynamic allocation is a strategy that enables real-time competition between non-guaranteed demand sources, including Open Auctions, Open Bidding, and leftover ad placements, without impacting the delivery or revenue of guaranteed demand. This competition takes place on a per-impression basis, ensuring optimal allocation without compromising the commitments to guaranteed advertisers.

Dynamic CPM (dCPM) is a pricing model utilized in digital advertising. CPM, short for “Cost Per Mille,” denotes the expense borne by an advertiser for a thousand ad impressions (views) of their advertisement. Traditional CPM advertising costs per thousand impressions remain unchanged throughout the campaign. However, in dynamic CPM advertising, the cost per thousand impressions […]

A dynamic creative is an advertisement composed of various media components, each of which is selectively presented based on factors like the advertising platform, the content of the webpage, user-specific information, and other relevant criteria. These distinct media elements combine to create the full ad creative and deliver it to the user while considering these […]

Dynamic Creative Optimization (DCO) is an advertising approach that generates real-time variations of an ad, customizing the content for each viewer. DCO’s primary goal is to craft personalized display ads, ultimately boosting conversion rates. This dynamic creative advertising method utilizes diverse elements, including headlines, videos, and backgrounds, to prepare ads that cater to each user. […]

Dynamic pricing pertains to scenarios in which the price of an ad impression varies based on the available user data at the time of serving the ad. This pricing model frequently occurs in real-time bidding environments, where multiple advertisers, each possessing distinct campaign parameters, engage in auctions and compete. For example, when an ad impression […]

Dynamic Search Ads (DSA) represent a form of digital marketing wherein advertisers can employ automated advertising campaigns to engage with users. Instead of relying on predefined keywords, DSA campaigns use a website’s content and layout to discern which search queries to focus on. DSA targeting allows advertisers to expand their reach and attract prospective customers […]