Traffic can be bought two ways: in the open auction, against every other buyer, or through a private deal agreed with a partner. Knowing the difference helps you choose for each advertiser.
Open auction
- Every eligible buyer bids on each impression in real time.
- The best bid wins.
- Best for: reach, testing new formats and countries, and performance campaigns that optimize placement by placement.
Private deals
- Terms are agreed with a partner in advance: formats, countries, volumes and price.
- Only the buyers in the deal can buy that traffic.
- Best for: advertisers who need predictable volume, known placements or brand-safe inventory.
The demand partners page confirms both are offered: open auction or private deals per partner.
A middle way: curated lists
If an advertiser wants quality without negotiating a deal, the Curated Marketplace offers placement lists scored on real traffic, content and results, updated daily, applied with one click in the campaign form. Premium Supply is a higher tier for brands.
How to choose
- Start in the open auction to learn what works.
- Move proven placements into a whitelist or curated list.
- Ask for a private deal when an advertiser needs guaranteed volume on specific supply.
Partner availability, inventory access, formats and regional coverage may vary based on account requirements, approval processes and integration agreements.
Related: Curated Marketplace: buying quality-checked placement lists · Premium Supply: a measured tier you can sell