A simple guide to Global Placement ID (GPID)

The GPID function helps publishers and advertisers uniquely identify ad placements across the entire supply chain.

Before GPID, different platforms had trouble identifying ad locations, as they used their own non-standard parameters and codes, creating confusion and inefficiencies for advertisers when purchasing ad space.

With GPID, the publisher assigns a unique code to each ad placement, which remains consistent regardless of the advertising platform used. This greatly simplifies the ability for companies to compare, buy, and analyze online ad placements—leading to smarter investments and better results.

What is GPID?

The GPID (Global Placement ID) is a unique code that clearly identifies a specific ad placement (for example, a banner on a website’s homepage or within an app), regardless of the technology or platform being used. This identifier is defined by the media owner and stays consistent throughout the entire advertising process, allowing buyers to always recognize the same placement.

How does it work?

When an ad space is offered in an auction (for example, on a website):

• The publisher includes the GPID in the imp.ext.gpid field of the bid request (OpenRTB).
• This code travels through all selling platforms (SSPs) and header bidding integrations.
• All buyers (DSPs) receive the same GPID across different auctions.

This way, everyone sees the same code and knows exactly which placement it refers to.

Why is it important for buyers?

For advertisers, GPID offers:

• More transparency: they know exactly where their ads will appear.
• Greater data granularity: they can analyze which placements perform better (clicks, views, conversions).
• More efficiency: they can choose the best path to reach the same placement (Supply Path Optimization).
• Greater control: they can make smarter decisions and achieve better results.

Why is it essential for publishers?

For publishers, implementing GPID can increase competition for their inventory (potentially boosting revenue) by making their ad placements more attractive to advertisers, who prefer clearly identified locations. Additionally, some DSPs only participate in auctions that include GPID, allowing publishers to access more demand and improve overall inventory performance.

Its environmental impact

For both buyers and sellers, using GPID improves efficiency throughout the advertising supply chain by eliminating low-performing inventory and avoiding the processing of redundant requests.
This reduces energy consumption and carbon emissions by lowering the volume of data that needs to be processed and exchanged—promoting a more sustainable approach to digital advertising.

Example

Implementation tips

• Use a clear structure to describe the ad placement (e.g., page/section/position).
• Avoid repeating information already present in other parts of the bid request (such as website, ad format, or device type).
• Use descriptive names instead of codes or numbers.
• Use separators (such as /) to organize placement names.
• Ensure a consistent format is used at all times.

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