Ad-tech
OpenRTB (oRTB)
Open standard for real-time programmatic ad auctions.
OpenRTB (or oRTB) is the IAB-maintained protocol specification for real-time bidding auctions. Defines the JSON schema for bid requests (impression, user, geo, device fields) and bid responses. Currently at version 2.6 (2024) with discussions around 3.0. Every major SSP and DSP implements oRTB. Modern affiliate marketers don't write to oRTB directly — they buy through DSPs that abstract it — but the field-set defines what targeting is possible.
Example
Programmatic CTV buyer's DSP transmits a 14KB oRTB 2.6 bid request with device-IFA, IP-geo, content-genre, and contextual-bundle-ID — DSP runs ML-bid in <50ms and returns a bid response.