Real-Time Bidding (RTB)

RTB (Real-Time Bidding) is a dynamic pricing and routing system where multiple advertisers compete in real time for each incoming call.

In a traditional (static) campaign:

• The payout and billing are fixed

• Every call is priced the same

• Calls are routed based on predefined rules like priority or caps

In RTB:

• There is no fixed price per call

• Each call is evaluated individually in real time

• Multiple advertisers receive a preview of the call (ping)

• Advertisers respond with accept/reject and may submit a bid

• The system compares all valid bids

• The advertiser with the highest bid wins the call

How RTB Works in Simple Terms

When a call arrives:

• The system checks which advertisers are eligible

• A ping is sent with relevant metadata (such as location, user details, etc.)

• Advertisers evaluate the call and respond

• An auction is conducted among all valid responses

• The highest bidder is selected

• The call is routed to the winning advertiser

All of this happens in real time within milliseconds.

1. Direct RTB Calls

These are calls that directly land on an RTB campaign.

Flow:

• A call is received on an RTB-enabled campaign

• The system checks which advertisers are eligible

• An auction takes place

• The highest bidder is selected

• The call is routed to the winning advertiser

This is the main RTB flow where every call is auctioned in real time.
 

2. Wasted / Unmatched Calls (Non-RTB Calls)

These are calls from normal campaigns that fail to connect properly. This can happen when:

• The advertiser does not answer the call

• The destination is unreachable

• No advertiser matches the criteria

• Call limits or caps are reached

Instead of losing these calls, the platform can route them into RTB using RTB Settings.

This ensures that even unused or failed traffic is monetized through bidding.

1. A call arrives on the platform

2. The system checks which advertisers qualify based on rules and targeting

3. A Ping (call preview) is sent to eligible advertisers

4. Advertisers respond with a Post (their bid)

5. The system compares all bids

6. The highest valid bid is selected

7. The call is routed to the winning advertiser

All of this happens in real time within milliseconds.

a. Ping

A Ping is a preview of the incoming call sent to advertisers before the call is committed.

It contains important metadata such as:

• Caller intent indicators

• Quality score

• Location details (state, city, etc.)

• Device or source information

The purpose of the ping is to allow advertisers to evaluate whether the call is valuable for them before deciding to bid.

It does not guarantee that the advertiser will receive the call.
 

b. Post

A Post is the advertiser’s response to the ping.

In the post:

• The advertiser confirms they want to participate

• A bid amount is submitted for that call

Only advertisers who respond positively (with a bid) are considered in the auction.
 

c. Metadata

Metadata is the information about the call that is shared with advertisers during the ping.

Examples include:

• Intent score (how likely the caller is to convert)

• Geographic location (state, city, zip code)

• Device type (mobile, desktop)

• Publisher or traffic source

Metadata is critical because:

• It helps advertisers decide whether to bid

• It allows precise targeting

• It enables dynamic bid adjustments

The admin controls which metadata fields are shared with advertisers.
 

d. Bid Modifiers

Bid modifiers are rules set by advertisers to automatically adjust their bids based on metadata.

Instead of placing the same bid for every call, advertisers can define conditions to increase, decrease, or reject bids.

Each bid modifier has two parts:

Condition (When the rule should apply):

• Greater than (e.g., Intent Score > 80)

• Less than

• Equals

• Starts with

Effect (What should happen to the bid):

• Add: Increase the bid by a fixed amount

• Subtract: Decrease the bid

• Multiply: Increase the bid proportionally

• Divide: Reduce the bid proportionally

• Reject: Do not participate in the auction for that call

Important behavior:

• Rules are evaluated from top to bottom

• Multiple rules can apply to a single call

• If any rule results in Reject, the advertiser is removed from that auction

• After applying all modifiers, the final bid cannot go below the minimum bid or exceed the maximum bid

This allows advertisers to bid higher for valuable calls and avoid low-quality ones.