Facebook introduces in-app header bidding

A year after offering header bidding to publishers, Facebook is introducing in-app advertising.

This will allow advertisers and agencies that are members of the Facebook Audience Network to participate in auctions for publishers that insource app monetization.

Publishers that outsource app monetization can partner with Facebook through MoPub, Fyber, and MAX. App bidding offering publishers the opportunity to earn more and conduct real-time auctions with ad networks.

According to Vijay Balan, head of publisher solutions partnerships for the Facebook Audience Network, current ad networks can overlook a demand source that is willing to pay more for an impression.

"App bidding enables app publishers and developers to establish an impartial and open auction over their ad inventory," said Balan in the announcement post. "All advertising networks are called simultaneously and the highest bidder for the placement wins, thereby providing publishers with opportunities to earn more," adding that publishers can maximize access to high-value advertisers.

Campaign analysis

According to PubMatic's Q1 2018 Quarterly Mobile Index, global app impression volumes rose 84% from the first quarter of 2017 through the same period in 2018.

The reason for the takeoff has primarily been driven by publishers, earning more from ad networks that are willing to pay the most for an impression, rather than the historical CPM led waterfall system.

In this format, Facebook will be competing with Google, Oath, MoPub, PubMatic and an array of third-party vendors.