Hybrid demand — what it means for your CPM

"Hybrid demand" is our name for a simple idea: every legitimate kind of demand should be allowed to compete for your impressions, because competition is what a publisher is actually selling access to.

The three kinds, in publisher language

• Live bidding (OpenRTB). Partners bid server-to-server in real time for each request. This is the core auction — fast, deep, and visible live in your dashboard.
• Prebid (header bidding). Some partners bid in the browser instead. Their best bid is compared, net of fees, against the server-side winner — so a strong browser bid can still win your impression.
• Tag partners. Some established networks only supply an ad tag. Their tags sit in the waterfall at an expected value and serve when they beat the alternatives; their revenue is settled from their reporting and credited to the same ledger.

Why not just one kind?

Because demand is fragmented. A partner who would pay the most for your audience might only connect one way. A single-format network silently leaves that money unbid. Hybrid demand means fewer no-fills, more contested impressions, and a winner chosen on net CPM — what actually reaches your revenue share — rather than the biggest headline number.

What you do differently

Nothing. One tag, one dashboard, one payout. The hybrid part happens inside the auction; what you see is the result — more of your impressions contested, at better prices.