Add a bidding ad source

Bidding ad sources compete in a real-time auction to fill your ad requests, which allows them to compete equally in a single, unified auction. This helps ensure you’re getting the highest revenue for your impressions.

There are two types of bidding ad sources: 

• Bidding ad sources that require additional setup before you can use them and must be added to a mediation group. 
• Bidding ad sources that don’t require any setup and are included as part of the AdMob Network. 

Learn more about the types of bidding ad sources.

Complete the steps below to add a bidding ad source to a mediation group.

Note: You must have a partnership with the bidding ad source before it can accept ad requests from your AdMob account. In many cases, this is as simple as creating an account on the ad source's home page. 

 

Learn how to set up a partnership with a bidding ad source.

1. Sign in to your AdMob account at https://apps.admob.com.
2. Click Mediation in the sidebar.
3. Click the name of the mediation group to which you're adding the ad source. 
4. Click Add ad source in the bidding ad sources table.
5. Find the ad source in the list that appears or begin typing the name of the ad source in the search box. Click Select next to the ad source you want to add. 
6. Review and check the Accept terms checkbox to accept the terms of using bidding and authorize AdMob and Google to access your account. If you've previously authorized this ad source, you won't be asked again.
7. Click Continue.
8. Map your ad units by entering the mapping details for each ad unit. In most cases, these details will be available in your account with the ad source.
9. Click Done.
10. Click Save. The mediation group will be saved.

Using the AdMob Network as a bidding ad source

To use bidding, the AdMob Network must be one of your bidding ad sources. When you create a new mediation group, the AdMob Network is automatically added as a bidding ad source. 

When you add a third-party bidding ad source to an existing mediation group, the AdMob Network is automatically converted from a waterfall ad source to a bidding ad source.

Converting the AdMob Network to a waterfall ad source

To convert the AdMob Network to a waterfall ad source, click  and select Move to waterfall ad sources.

To convert the AdMob Network to a waterfall ad source, you must first remove all other bidding ad sources from the group.

To convert the AdMob Network back to a bidding ad source, click  and select Move to bidding ad sources. You can also click  on the eCPM column and click the Real-time eCPM (bidding) toggle. 

Learn more about the ad sources available for bidding and their requirements in the Google Developers guide for Android and iOS.