FAQ & Support

HBDR is a header bidding and ad monetization company for publishers, founded in 2015. It works with 500+ publishers, serves 1B+ ad impressions a month and connects 65+ demand sources. Services cover header bidding, Google Ad Exchange (AdX) access, programmatic optimization, display ads, CTV/OTT advertising, in-app ads and yield management.

We work with publishers of all sizes, from websites with 500,000+ monthly pageviews to large media companies. We work with web publishers, app developers, CTV/OTT content providers, and digital media companies across all verticals.

HBDR operates on a transparent revenue share model. We take a percentage of the incremental revenue we generate for your properties. There are no setup fees, hidden costs, or minimum commitments. You only pay when we deliver results. Contact our team for specific revenue share details based on your inventory volume.

Most publishers see measurable revenue improvements within the first 2-4 weeks after integration. Our onboarding process typically takes 1-2 weeks, and our optimization algorithms continuously improve performance over the first 60-90 days as they learn your traffic patterns and audience behavior.

Header bidding collects bids from several demand sources (SSPs and exchanges) before the ad server is called, so those bids compete directly with the ad server's own demand. The flow: the page starts to load, the header bidding code (usually Prebid.js) asks each partner for a bid, the partners reply until the auction timeout, and the bids go to the ad server with the ad request. The ad server still picks the final winner for each slot, weighing the bids against direct-sold, guaranteed and other line items. The timeout is the main setting: too short and bids are lost, too long and the ad server call is late enough that some visitors leave first. Source: Prebid.org, Introduction to Header Bidding; Prebid.org, Prebid Timeouts

Yes, we support both Prebid.js client-side header bidding and server-side bidding (S2S) through Prebid Server. Client-side, the browser calls each bidder itself. Server-side, the browser sends one request to Prebid Server, which runs the auction for the bidders listed in Prebid.js's s2sConfig; Prebid Server also supports apps, AMP and CTV. Set the Prebid Server timeout to 50–75% of the auction timeout so that server bids return before the ad server call. We recommend a hybrid approach for most publishers, using client-side for latency-sensitive environments and server-side for mobile, video, and high-demand-partner configurations. Source: Prebid.org, Prebid Server Overview; Prebid.org, Prebid Timeouts

Our implementation is optimized for minimal latency impact. We use asynchronous loading, lazy initialization, timeout management, and server-side bidding to ensure ad auctions do not block page rendering. Most publishers see less than 100ms added to their total page load time. Google rates page experience with three Core Web Vitals, measured at the 75th percentile of page loads: Largest Contentful Paint (good at 2.5 seconds or less), Interaction to Next Paint (200 milliseconds or less; INP became a Core Web Vital in March 2024) and Cumulative Layout Shift (0.1 or less). Ads mostly affect layout shift: reserve each slot's space with CSS min-height and min-width, not with JavaScript, so that a late creative does not push content down. Source: web.dev, Web Vitals; Google Publisher Tag, Minimize layout shift

We support all major ad formats including display (standard IAB sizes), native ads, video (instream and outstream), rewarded video, interstitials, rich media, CTV/OTT video ads, and custom high-impact units. Our team will recommend the optimal format mix based on your content and audience.

All publishers receive access to our real-time analytics dashboard, which includes detailed reporting on impressions, CPMs, fill rates, revenue by demand partner, and more. Reports can be filtered by date range, ad unit, device, geography, and other dimensions. We also support automated report delivery via email. Three figures tell you most of the story: page RPM (earnings ÷ pageviews × 1,000), eCPM (earnings ÷ impressions × 1,000) and fill rate (impressions ÷ ad requests). Source: Google AdSense Help, RPM; Google AdMob Help, Glossary; Google Ad Manager Help, sell-through report

HBDR pays publishers on a Net-60 basis with a minimum payment threshold of $100. Payments are processed via wire transfer or ACH. Detailed payment statements are available in your dashboard, and our finance team is available for any billing inquiries.

Yes. HBDR is designed to work alongside your existing ad stack. We integrate with your current Google Ad Manager setup and add our demand sources to your existing configuration. Our goal is to complement and enhance your current monetization strategy, not replace it. Two checks when partners overlap: every partner needs its own line in your ads.txt file, and no SSP should reach your inventory through two routes, because a duplicate route sends more bid requests to the same buyers.

Our onboarding process consists of four phases: Discovery (understanding your current setup and goals), Integration (implementing our header bidding wrapper and connecting demand partners), Optimization (fine-tuning configurations and floor prices), and Growth (ongoing optimization and scaling). Most publishers are fully integrated within 1-2 weeks.

No, HBDR works with your existing Google Ad Manager (GAM) setup. We integrate our header bidding solution alongside your current configuration, adding demand without disrupting your existing ad operations. If the work runs through Google's Multiple Customer Management (MCM), you receive an invitation from the parent publisher and accept it in your Ad Manager account. Under Manage Account, the parent has access to your account (except billing), manages the inventory there and the reports stay in your network; you can have only one such parent. Under Manage Inventory, the parent has no access to your account and manages the delegated inventory from its own network; you can have up to 15 such parents, but not the same parent under both types. Source: Google Ad Manager Help, About Multiple Customer Management

Minimal technical resources are required. Our team handles the majority of the implementation. You will need someone with access to your website's code (to place the header bidding script) and your Google Ad Manager account. For most CMS platforms, integration is as simple as adding a JavaScript snippet. Have these ready: a Google Ad Manager user who can create line items and key-values, edit access to the site's head or tag manager, edit access to the ads.txt file at your root domain, and the name of your consent management platform.

Yes, we provide the necessary ads.txt entries that need to be added to your domain's ads.txt file. This is required for authorized digital selling and ensures that our demand partners can bid on your inventory. Our team will provide the exact lines and assist with implementation. Each line names the ad system's domain, your account ID on that system, the relationship (DIRECT if you control the account, RESELLER if another company sells for you) and an optional certification authority ID. Post the file at the root of your domain, for example example.com/ads.txt. Apps use app-ads.txt, an extension of the same standard. Each ad system's sellers.json file then lets buyers identify the seller behind a bid request. Source: IAB Tech Lab, ads.txt 1.1 and sellers.json