Glossary/Adtech & Programmatic/OpenRTB
Adtech & Programmatic
OpenRTB
The IAB Tech Lab protocol that standardizes communication between buyers and sellers in real-time bidding.
By Brandon Mina·CEO, BrandPilot AI·Updated November 2026
Appears in Lesson 1 of Programmatic 101
Short answer
OpenRTB is the IAB Tech Lab protocol that standardizes how buyers and sellers communicate in real-time bidding. It defines the structure of bid requests and bid responses, including fields for impressions, devices, users, and deals. A shared standard lets DSPs, SSPs, and exchanges integrate efficiently instead of building custom connections for each partner.