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The Madison Avenue Field GuideA field guide to marketing & advertising, by Brandon Mina

GlossaryAdtech & ProgrammaticAd Refresh

Adtech & Programmatic

Ad Refresh

Reloading a new ad in the same slot after a time interval or user action while the page stays open, increasing impressions per page view.

By Brandon MinaCEO, BrandPilot AIUpdated November 2026

Short answer

Ad refresh is the practice of loading a new ad into the same slot after a set time interval or a user action while the page remains open. It increases the number of impressions generated per page view, but buyers often scrutinize refreshed inventory because aggressive refresh rates can lower viewability and performance.