Glossary/Adtech & Programmatic/Bid Request
Adtech & Programmatic
Bid Request
The data packet an SSP or exchange sends to buyers describing an available impression.
By Brandon Mina·CEO, BrandPilot AI·Updated November 2026
Appears in Lesson 1 of Programmatic 101
Short answer
A bid request is the data packet an SSP or ad exchange sends to potential buyers describing an available ad impression. It typically includes the site or app, ad size and format, device, approximate location, and any permitted user identifiers. DSPs evaluate this information within milliseconds to decide whether and how much to bid.