When it comes to ad serving, default creative and reserve creative are two important terms to understand. Default creative refers to the ad that is shown when no other ads are available. Reserve creative, on the other hand, is a backup ad that is shown when a specific ad cannot be displayed.
Ad serving is the process of delivering ads to websites, mobile apps, or other digital platforms. Ad servers are used to manage and optimize the delivery of ads to ensure that the right ad is displayed to the right user at the right time.
Creative optimization is the process of testing and refining ad creatives to improve their performance. This can include testing different headlines, images, calls-to-action, and other elements to see what resonates best with users.
Dynamic creative optimization (DCO) is a type of creative optimization that uses real-time data to adjust ad creatives on-the-fly. This allows advertisers to personalize their ads based on factors like user behavior, location, and device type.
Real-time creative refers to ad creatives that are dynamically generated in real-time based on user data. This can include things like personalized product recommendations or location-based messaging.
Rich media refers to interactive ad formats that can include video, animations, and other engaging elements. Rich media ads often have higher engagement rates than traditional display ads.
Default creative and reserve creative work together to ensure that ads are always being displayed to users. If an advertiser has no active campaigns or if all of their active campaigns have spent their budgets for the day, the default creative will be displayed. If a specific campaign cannot display its intended ad for any reason (such as an issue with targeting), the reserve creative will be displayed.