How Prebid Server Handles PMP Deals: Targeting, Setup, and Publisher Implications

Private Marketplace (PMP) deals are an essential part of sophisticated programmatic monetization strategies for publishers. With the shift toward server-side header bidding, understanding how Prebid Server (PBS) manages and exposes PMP deals is critical for ad ops teams seeking to maximize fill and yield.

Many publishers struggle with integrating PMP deals, especially given the nuances of deal targeting and ad server setup. Clear knowledge of how PBS surfaces deal information, interacts with Prebid.js, and fits with your ad server is key to unlocking incremental deal revenue while maintaining control.

The Flow of PMP Deals in Prebid Server

Prebid Server supports PMP deals by allowing bid adapters to return deals within their bid responses. This is represented as ‘dealid’ in the OpenRTB specification. Each incoming bid can be tagged with a deal ID if it’s part of a PMP setup, which then needs to be surfaced effectively for ad server targeting and reporting.

Example: Server-Side vs. Client-Side Deal Exposure

Suppose a mobile publisher runs header bidding through Prebid Server without Prebid.js on the page (such as with AMP or in-app integrations). Here, deal information isn’t automatically surfaced as granular key-values for every bidder unless specifically configured. Contrast this with a web integration using Prebid.js, which ensures that deal keys like ‘hb_deal_BIDDER’ reach your ad server, enabling full reporting and targeting granularity.

Key-Value Targeting for Deals: How It Works in PBS

To successfully leverage PMPs, ad servers rely on key-value pairs (KVPs) passed from Prebid Server. The most critical KVPs for deals are ‘hb_deal’ (the winning deal overall) and ‘hb_deal_BIDDER’ (the winning deal per bidder). Whether PBS sets these depends on your request’s targeting parameters.

Configurable Targeting Options in PBS

PBS offers several options to influence how deals are prioritized and which KVPs appear:

– ‘includewinners’: If enabled, PBS populates ‘hb_deal’ with the winning deal ID.
– ‘includebidderkeys’: Adds ‘hb_deal_BIDDER’ for every winning bidder, crucial for tracking multi-partner PMPs.
– ‘preferdeals’: If true, PBS prefers the highest PMP deal over the highest open-market bid. This can impact revenue and the prioritization of guaranteed or preferred partners.

For example, enabling both ‘includewinners’ and ‘includebidderkeys’ allows for fine-grained line item tracking in your ad server.

Implications for Ad Server Setup: Common Publisher Pitfalls

How you structure ad server line items to recognize Prebid KVPs can make—or break—deal monetization. Misconfigurations often mean deals don’t deliver or can’t be tracked for yield analysis.

Example: GAM Line Item Targeting Scenarios

If your GAM line items are targeted only to ‘hb_deal’, only the absolute top PMP deal wins will trigger the line item. However, if you target by ‘hb_deal_BIDDER’ and configure PBS to send all winning bidder deals, your ad server can report on all deal wins, letting you optimize and troubleshoot by demand partner.

Real-World Recommendations and Best Practices

Publishers adopting PBS should ensure their config is aligned to their deal reporting and prioritization goals. The way deals are surfaced in KVPs, and how your ad server is structured, determines the visibility and fill of PMPs.

Checklist: Operationalizing PMP Deals in Prebid Server

– Confirm with tech/development that ‘includewinners’ and ‘includebidderkeys’ are correctly enabled in PBS
– Regularly audit ad server line items for proper deal key targeting
– Test changes with real traffic to validate reporting across both direct and PMP lines
– Document any exceptions or overrides for specific partners or integrations

Tip: Coordination with Demand Partners

Communicate your deal setup and KVP conventions to major bidders. Ensure they know which KVPs will drive delivery and that they pass consistent deal IDs in bid responses.

What this means for publishers

Prebid Server’s approach to PMP deals directly affects your ability to capture, report, and optimize deal revenue. If targeting options aren’t carefully configured, deals may be won by your demand partners but go unrecognized by the ad server, leading to missed revenue and unclear reporting. A precise setup streamlines troubleshooting, empowers yield management, and supports scale as new deals and partners come online.

Practical takeaway

To fully realize the benefits of PMP deals with Prebid Server, publishers must enforce rigorous configuration of both PBS and ad server targeting. This includes enabling both overall and per-bidder deal targeting, aligning line item targeting in GAM, and routinely auditing traffic to catch gaps early.

Prioritize clear documentation and internal checks at each integration step—especially as your mix of demand partners grows or evolves. Take the time to review and adapt your settings with technical teams whenever launching new PMPs. In this way, you’ll maximize CPMs, maintain control over inventory, and avoid the silent revenue leaks that often plague server-side deal integrations.