Server side bidding

Overview

With server side bidding, you can call Equativ server side by implementing a server side wrapper solution such as Amazon TAM or Google OB, in your website. The server side wrapper determines the winner among the called SSPs (Equativ and others) and sends it back to the page to display the winner’s ad, using your ad server.
Compared to client side header bidding, server side bidding produces less latencies and is easier to set up and manage. On the downside, server side bidding only allows for a limited access to user cookies, which means limited cookie syncing to track end users and consequently decreased spendings by buyers.

Integration types

The table below indicates if this article is relevant for your type of integration with Equativ.

Integration type	Relevant	______	_Integration type	Relevant
Web integrations			Header bidding integrations
smart.js library	❌		Prebid.js	❌
AMP	✅		Prebid Server	❌
Video integrations			Holistic+	❌
Video plugin	❌		Managed Holistic+	❌
Embedded Ad Manager	❌		Server to server integrations
Standalone VAST requests	❌		POST Ad API	❌
Connected TV	❌		GET Ad API	❌
Addressable TV	❌		Server side bidding	✅
Mobile in-app integrations
In-app display SDK	❌
In-app in-stream SDK	❌

How it works

Workflow

• you set up your website with the server side bidding wrapper according to the wrapper documentation; supported wrappers include: Amazon Transparent Ad Marketplace (Amazon TAM), Google Open Bidding (Google OB), AdsByNimbus, Aniview, SpringServe, Publica, JW Player, Vidazoo and Prebid Server (see here to learn more about the Prebid Server setup in the Equativ platform)
• the wrapper itself requests bids from all SSPs/DSPs/demand sources connected server side, including Equativ, while respecting all filters/rules you have defined in the wrapper dashboard
• the wrapper determines the winner and sends the ad markup back to the publisher page
• your ad server checks if there is a better ad to display using the wrapper’s winner price as a floor price (the ad server has the last look)
• if the ad server has no better ad, the ad of the winner determined by the wrapper is displayed

 

Comparison client side header bidding vs. server side bidding

This table compares key features and properties of client side header bidding with server side bidding:

	Client side header bidding	Server side bidding
Integration on publisher website	the complete library (wrapper) with all rules is integrated in the website	only minimal code is integrated on the website; any rules/options/filters are defined server side in the wrapper dashboard
Calling SSPs	the client side wrapper in the publisher page (head) calls the SSPs (one call per SSP)	the server side wrapper calls the SSPs server side in a single call
Auction management (determining the winner etc.)	auction management is done client side	auction management is done server side
Control over inventory	full control over inventory: websites, pages, formats and script templates (rich media ads) can be created and configured; optimization can be done with the granular reports provided by Equativ	less control over inventory: websites, pages, formats and creative templates are not available; likewise, optimization based on these criteria is not possible because there is no granular reporting data by website/page/format/creative template
User identification (cookie syncing) for tracking and impact on revenue	full cookie syncing with full re-identification (user tracking) available based on client side cookies; thus, buyers are willing to pay higher CPMs since they “know” the users	cookie syncing only if the auction was won; automatic cookie syncing can be disabled on demand for individual callers

  

Supported inventory

Server side bidding is supported for display, video and native inventory in web, in-app and AMP environments.  

Connected Wrappers

Equativ is connected to the following wrappers:

• Adhese Gateway
• AdsByNimbus
• Amazon TAM
• Google OB
• Prebid Server
• Publica
• Taboola

  
Activation

To enable server side bidding, follow these instructions:

• get back to your Sales representative at Equativ to sign the contract addendum for server side bidding
• sign up with the server side bidding vendor (Amazon TAM, Google OB or Adhese Gateway)
• get back to your technical account manager at Equativ to enable the connection between the wrapper and Equativ
• if needed, request and check the documentation of the server side bidding vendor

Setup in Equativ’s user interface

The setup in Equativ's system is easy to accomplish since there is no need to set up websites, pages, formats or RTB+ insertions in Equativ. At the same time, this simple setup means that you cannot target/apply deals or delivery rules to websites, pages, formats or RTB+ insertions.
Equativ also supports viewability measurement for display inventory and the according viewability reports (see chapter "Viewability reports" here).

Reporting 

Reporting through API

Dimension	Description
IsServerSideBidding	indicates if the context of the auction or other event is server side bidding (true or false)
serverSideBiddingCallerId	identifies the wrapper which sends the bid request to Equativ 1 - Adhese 2 - Amazon 3 - Google In this context, the “caller” is the wrapper vendor.
serverSideBiddingCallerName	indicates the name of the wrapper which sends the bid request to Equativ* Adhese Amazon Google

The dimensions in the reporting API are all compatible with any other dimension/metric. For general information about the reporting API, see these articles.

Reporting in UI 

Dimension	Description
Header Bidding Type Name	indicates the header bidding environment where the impression occurred; possible values: N/A (i. e. non-header bidding environment) Client Side Header Bidding Server Side Header Bidding