Introduction
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      2. Getting Started with Relevant Yield
      3. Introduction

      What is the Difference Between HB Analytics and Ad Revenue Insights?

      HB Analytics logs all calls related to your Header Bidding setup.

      It is used to ensure that your Header Bidding setup functions correctly, and that the data returned from your SSPs loads in a timely and reliable manner. This data can be used for both technical monitoring and yield optimisation. The HB Analytics module is a natural companion to HB Manager for data collection, but it can also be used with other Header Bidding solutions or “wrappers”.

      The main difference between HB Analytics and Relevant Yield’s Ad Revenue reports lies in the datasets and collection methods they use.

      HB Analytics collects data directly from your website and the responses from your Header Bidding setup. This means the data is captured in near real time (with a delay of around three seconds). In contrast, Relevant Yield’s Ad Revenue Insights data is gathered once per day via the SSPs’ APIs.

      These tools also track different types of metrics, although there is some overlap. As a result, they serve different purposes and can complement each other by providing additional, valuable insights.

      The HB Analytics Module Excels At:

      • Providing near real-time feedback (approx. 3-second delay)

        This is especially useful for alerts that require urgent attention, such as ad tags being completely dropped from a webpage or bidders experiencing significant drops in activity at specific times of the day.

      • Analysing the health of your wrapper/header bidding setup

        HB Analytics logs detailed information about calls and performance for each site and placement. This makes it easier to evaluate your technology providers and the overall condition of your header bidding infrastructure. With the ability to set alerts on key metrics, it also serves as a proactive monitoring tool.

      • Building a comprehensive bid landscape

        Using all returned bids from your calls, HB Analytics generates a detailed bid landscape. This visualises winning bids from each source, helping you better understand how your adapters behave and perform across different websites or time periods.

      • Creating reliable call-level revenue data

        This data can be compared against the revenue figures reported by SSPs through their GUIs or APIs. It provides valuable insight into how much traffic is rejected after the initial call, highlighting potential losses or inefficiencies in your setup.

      • Supporting optimisation and testing

        The near-instant feedback enables rapid testing and response. However, do keep in mind that some SSPs and ad servers may react differently to changes, so results should be evaluated accordingly.

      • Offering unique dimensions and metrics unavailable via SSP or ad server APIs

        Metrics such as losing bids from other sources, full bid landscapes across multiple connections, response times, and average rendering times are generally not accessible through SSPs or ad servers. Because HB Analytics can log custom parameters and convert them into dimensions, it enables more granular performance analysis, which is particularly useful for web and app-level insights.

        The Ad Revenue Insights Module Excels At:

      • Displaying consolidated SSP and ad server data

        The API provides access to data that is officially logged and recognised as valid by SSPs and ad servers. This may differ from what is captured by your header bidding setup, so it’s important to be aware of any significant discrepancies.

      • Revealing potential revenue, as recognised by SSPs and ad servers

        Data retrieved via APIs is typically more closely aligned with financial statement reports than header bidding logs because it reflects adjustments made through SSP and ad server revenue reconciliation processes. This provides a more accurate revenue forecast.

      • Offering dimensions and metrics unavailable via header bidding returns

        Details such as advertiser and buyer-level data, as well as direct campaign insights, can only be reliably collected via SSP and ad server APIs. This data is more complete and validated as it originates directly from the platforms’ own reporting systems.

      In conclusion:

      Both products complement each other well, and it is important to understand that although both provide reports, they focus on two different areas:

      • The HB Analytics module concentrates on logging and reporting ad calls and their returns.

      • The Ad Revenue Insights module focuses on collecting and reporting consolidated bidder and ad server data.

      Both are important for a comprehensive evaluation of performance.