What Is The Difference Of Rtb And Gdn

Excursus: What is the GDN

The Google Display Network (GDN) also provides the option to book “normal” display advertising (as opposed to search/search engine campaigns) via the AdWords booking system. Text, banners and video ads can be booked on all platforms (websites) that make your advertising space (inventory) available in the Google AdExchange. This is largely done via Google’s AdSense system for publishers, or inventory offered by (larger) publishers via their Supply Side Platform (SSP) to the AdExchange.

Advantages of GDN

• Many Online targeting optionsare equally available (remarketing, interest groups, demographics, context, similar groups, …)
• Text ads are also available possible (they actually often perform better than banners!)
• The placements are booked via the Google/DoubleClick Ad Exchange with “good” reach
• Simple handling, proven method
• Simple dynamization of advertising materials (remarketing) – no complex dynamization
• Lots of know-how in forums, support and potential Employees
• The “tool” costs nothing, is simple and available to everyone (as opposed to additional technology and costs), no additional contracts

Advantages of RTB

Advantages of the “big brother” RTB, depending on the DSP – demand side platform (we rely on the powerful DoubleClick Bid Manager):

• Placements / bidding on a variety of AdExchanges (instead of just one)
• therefore a significantly higher reach and therefore the chance to find the
  • right ones User
  • reachable at the right time / purchase phase
  • in the right environment
• depending on the provider, for example, the facebook exchange (fbx) is also integrated or special provider for video inventory
• enriching the targeting and the bidding decision with significantly
  • more 1st-party data (from your own site via tagging and Back office systems via upload or API)
  • as well as 3rd-party data (purchased information such as demographic data, TV sync, weather data, and much more)
• The targeting can be adjusted even more finely (and more complex)
• complex dynamization of advertising media, not just for remarketing – not an easy one Dynamize
• advanced bidding optimization according to CPO, ROI, … (depending on the DSP/tool used)
• In the case of DoubleClick integration with the entire stack of the suite possible – customer journey analysis, attribution modeling and Bid optimization
• Data sovereignty: collected data belongs to the advertiser and can be used in greater depth (depends on the contract/license – own account required! Note: This is usually not the case with inherited agency accounts – with us as a reseller this is guaranteed!)
• There is the possibility of “Private Deals”, i.e. placements for publishers who don’t offer their inventory publicly

So I would say: You can cover and learn a lot with the GDN – it’s an ideal start! Once you reach a certain size and/or professionalism, you go towards RTB, because this is the only way to successfully implement programmatic marketing concepts and campaigns.

PS 1: Thanks to Alexander Friese and Christian Arold for their content contributions

PS 2: Further information can be found on Programmatic Marketing and the DoubleClick Suite – Feel free to ask us if you want to get into the RTB and programmatic world!