What does disableInitialLoad() do?

By default, calling googletag.display() on an ad slot triggers three things at once:

1. Registers the ad slot
2. Sends an ad request to Google Ad Manager
3. Renders the returned creative

This is a problem for publishers using Prebid or other header bidding technologies. The wrapper needs time to collect bids before the ad request goes to GAM. If GPT fires instantly, bid data never reaches the ad server and the publisher loses revenue.

disableInitialLoad() fixes this by splitting the process in two (see Google’s guide on controlling ad loading):

• display() only registers the slot (no ad request is sent)
• The ad request is deferred until the publisher explicitly calls googletag.pubads().refresh()

This gives the header bidding auction time to complete and attach bid targeting to the slots before GAM sees the request.

Nearly every Prebid.js integration in production today depends on this mechanism. Other common use cases include:

• Holding ad requests until user consent is granted (GDPR/TCF flows)
• Implementing custom lazy loading logic
• Controlling ad loading on single-page applications where slots are defined dynamically

What is changing now that disableInitialLoad is deprecated?

Google is not removing the ability to disable initial load. The feature remains fully supported. What is changing is how you configure it.

As part of a broader migration to a unified configuration API, Google deprecated several legacy PubAdsService methods and replaced them with the new googletag.setConfig() interface. Now that disableInitialLoad is deprecated, the old method call no longer represents best practice.

Similarly, the companion check method has changed:

• Old: googletag.pubads().isInitialLoadDisabled()
• New: googletag.getConfig("disableInitialLoad")

The legacy methods still work today. Behind the scenes they already route through the new config framework. But Google has stated they will be removed in a future GPT release. No specific date has been announced, and Google does not typically publish sunset timelines far in advance.

It is not just disableInitialLoad: other deprecated GPT methods

While disableInitialLoad is deprecated and gets the most attention from header bidding publishers, Google has deprecated over a dozen other PubAdsService methods in the same migration. Depending on your ad stack, some of these may be equally critical for your setup. The fact that disableInitialLoad is deprecated alongside so many other methods signals that Google is serious about moving the entire ecosystem to the new API.

Here are the most important deprecated methods grouped by what they control:

Ad loading and rendering

• disableInitialLoad() controls when ad requests are sent. Critical for header bidding. Replaced by googletag.setConfig({ disableInitialLoad: true }).
• enableSingleRequest() enables Single Request Architecture (SRA), which batches all ad requests into one call. Important for roadblocks and competitive exclusions. Replaced by googletag.setConfig({ singleRequest: true }).
• enableLazyLoad() enables lazy loading of ads based on viewport proximity. Replaced by googletag.setConfig({ lazyLoad: {...} }).
• collapseEmptyDivs() hides ad slots when no creative is returned. Affects layout stability and CLS scores. Replaced by googletag.setConfig({ collapseDiv: "ON_NO_FILL" }).

Targeting and key-values

• setTargeting() / clearTargeting() manage page-level key-value targeting sent to GAM. Replaced by googletag.setConfig({ targeting: {...} }).
• setCategoryExclusion() / clearCategoryExclusions() manage ad category blocking labels. Replaced by googletag.setConfig({ categoryExclusion: [...] }).
• setLocation() passes geo-location data for line item targeting. Replaced by googletag.setConfig({ location: "..." }).

SafeFrame and rendering controls

• setForceSafeFrame() / setSafeFrameConfig() control whether ads render inside SafeFrame containers. Replaced by googletag.setConfig({ safeFrame: {...} }).
• setCentering() controls horizontal centering of ads. Replaced by googletag.setConfig({ centering: true }).

Video and AdSense

• enableVideoAds() / setVideoContent() configure video ad settings and content exclusions. Replaced by googletag.setConfig({ videoAds: {...} }).
• set() / get() / getAttributeKeys() manage AdSense attributes. Replaced by googletag.setConfig({ adsenseAttributes: {...} }) and googletag.getConfig().

The same pattern applies to slot-level methods on the googletag.Slot object: setTargeting(), clearTargeting(), setCategoryExclusion(), setCollapseEmptyDiv(), setClickUrl(), setForceSafeFrame(), setSafeFrameConfig(), and set() are all deprecated in favour of slot.setConfig().

In every case the underlying feature is preserved. Only the method you use to configure it is changing. The new setConfig() API groups all settings into a single, structured interface, which makes configuration easier to manage and less error-prone.

How does the disableInitialLoad deprecation affect publishers?

Every publisher using header bidding needs to check whether their ad tag still relies on the now deprecated disableInitialLoad method. With disableInitialLoad deprecated, the tag must be updated before Google removes the legacy API. But the audit should not stop there. Any tag using the legacy methods listed above needs attention.

The migration itself is typically a one-line code change per method. But the timing is unpredictable. Google does not pre-announce removal dates, so there is a real risk of missing the window.

Yieldbird Platform is ready

Key takeaways

• Google has deprecated over a dozen legacy GPT methods as part of a migration to the new googletag.setConfig() API. The features remain, only the syntax is changing.
• For header bidding publishers, disableInitialLoad deprecated is the most critical change. Without updating, your Prebid integration will silently break.
• Other commonly used methods like enableSingleRequest(), enableLazyLoad(), collapseEmptyDivs(), and setTargeting() are also deprecated and need the same migration.
• Google has not announced a removal date, but they rarely give advance warning. Audit your tags now.
• If you are a Yieldbird Platform client, we have it covered. All deprecated methods used by Yieldbird Tag are already migrated.

The post disableInitialLoad deprecated: What every Publisher must do now first appeared on Yieldbird - Research Hub.

In ad tech, labels are never just cosmetic. Category definitions shape who holds real power and who captures the money in the ecosystem. That’s why The Trade Desk’s latest move is making waves – even if many are pretending nothing happened.

What Happened

A few weeks ago, The Trade Desk downgraded all SSPs (Supply-Side Platforms) in its Kokai platform to the role of “resellers.” This isn’t just semantics:

• SSPs are now flagged as less efficient sources,
• Kokai scores them lower in auctions,
• A growing share of ad budgets is redirected through OpenPath (TTD’s direct publisher connection) and SP500 (a curated set of 500 “cleanest” supply routes).

For publishers, this means lower CPMs and the need to rethink header bidding strategies. For SSPs, it means reputational damage and lost leverage. For The Trade Desk, it means greater control and new revenue streams.

Why SSPs Are Pushing Back

The loudest response came from Andrew Casale, CEO of Index Exchange, who called TTD’s move “ignorant.” Here’s why:

• Not all SSPs are the same.
• Some act like distant intermediaries, taking margin without adding much value.
• But heavyweights like Index, Magnite, and PubMatic hold direct publisher contracts and serve as true revenue partners.
• Treating them all as mere resellers unfairly penalizes those who genuinely add value.

Casale summed it up: it should be publishers, not DSPs, who decide who’s a partner and who’s just a reseller.

Market Impact

This move has a clear ripple effect across the entire ecosystem. Publishers on OpenPath stand to gain, as more ad budgets are increasingly funneled their way. Conversely, publishers who aren’t integrated with OpenPath are losing out, with some reporting revenue drops of up to 50%. For SSPs, this re-labeling means a loss of both significance and negotiating power. Meanwhile, advertisers may get “cleaner” supply paths, but they also risk becoming more dependent on The Trade Desk.

The Bigger Trend

This shift is a symptom of a larger trend: the line between DSPs and SSPs is blurring. The Trade Desk is not alone in its pursuit of a full-stack model. Magnite is building ClearLine and PubMatic launched Activate, with each major player working to control both demand and supply. While this may seem to streamline the market on paper, in reality, it centralizes power in the hands of a few major players.

What’s Next?

This quiet change is about more than just cleaning up the supply chain-it’s a power shift in programmatic advertising. The Trade Desk is steadily moving toward a position similar to what Google once held: not just a participant in the market, but the one writing its rules.

For the industry, this means a few key things:

• Publishers should carefully consider whether an OpenPath integration is becoming essential to their revenue.
• SSPs must now work harder to prove the genuine value they add beyond simply “reselling” inventory.
• Finally, advertisers should critically evaluate whether TTD’s version of efficiency is truly about a clean supply chain or simply another form of lock-in.

One thing is clear: this “quiet relabeling” is just the opening move in a much larger game for control of the programmatic landscape.

The post Resellers, Not Partners: How The Trade Desk Is Rewriting Programmatic Rules first appeared on Yieldbird - Research Hub.

Google Changes Its Mind: Cookies Are Staying (For Now)

The biggest twist came in July 2024, when Google officially announced it would not phase out third-party cookies in Chrome, at least not in the way it had promised back in 2020.
Instead of default blocking, Google decided to let users manage cookies via privacy settings, keeping them enabled by default.

Why the change? Several reasons drove this decision:

• Regulatory pressure, especially from the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which raised concerns about competition and how Privacy Sandbox could unfairly concentrate ad tech power.
  
• Strong pushback from advertisers and publishers, who warned that abruptly cutting off cookies would lead to massive drops in ad revenues and disrupt the open web.
  
• Doubts about the maturity of replacements, such as Google’s own Privacy Sandbox, which is still evolving and faces scrutiny from regulators and privacy advocates.
  

Privacy Sandbox Still Under Construction

Even though third-party cookies are still alive in Chrome, Google is heavily investing in the Privacy Sandbox, which aims to reduce individual tracking while still enabling ad targeting and measurement.

Some of the core components include:

• Topics API, which allows browsers to share broad interest categories instead of detailed browsing histories.
  
• Protected Audience (FLEDGE) for on-device retargeting.
  
• Attribution Reporting, to measure ad conversions without exposing user-level data.
  

However, these technologies are still being tested and debated, and many advertisers remain cautious about fully shifting budgets to these new methods.

Meanwhile, Other Browsers Still Block Cookies

While Chrome continues to support third-party cookies, Safari and Firefox have long blocked them by default, driving many marketers to build alternative strategies such as:

• First-party data initiatives, collecting consented data directly from their own users.
  
• Contextual advertising, targeting based on the content of a page rather than user profiles.
  
• Server-side tracking and universal IDs, to future-proof campaign measurement and targeting.
  

What This Means for the Industry Now

The upshot is that third-party cookies are not going away immediately, but their role is undeniably shrinking. Brands and publishers who spent the last few years preparing for a cookieless world-by investing in robust first-party data, testing Privacy Sandbox, and adopting contextual tools-are now better positioned for long-term resilience.

Meanwhile, regulators across the globe are still eyeing both cookies and cookie alternatives, so it’s possible more changes could come by 2026.

Key Takeaways for Marketers & Publishers

Marketers and publishers shouldn’t slow down their first-party data strategies or consent management just because Chrome’s phase-out of third-party cookies has been delayed. It remains essential to continue experimenting with Privacy Sandbox APIs, since they are likely to become industry standards in the future. At the same time, investing in stronger contextual and semantic targeting capabilities will help reduce dependence on user-level tracking and prepare for a more privacy-centric ecosystem. Finally, it’s crucial to keep a close watch on regional data privacy regulations, as these laws are evolving on their own timelines, often independently of Google’s decisions, and could significantly impact how data-driven advertising is executed.

The post Are Third-Party Cookies Really Going Away? The Latest Status in 2025 first appeared on Yieldbird - Research Hub.

In programmatic advertising, curation refers to the process of selecting and packaging publisher inventory-often within private marketplaces (PMPs)-and enhancing it with audience data to create more valuable offerings for advertisers. Traditionally, advertisers would layer third-party audience data onto their campaigns through demand-side platforms (DSPs). However, the industry is shifting, with supply-side platforms (SSPs) now taking a leading role in curation to reduce dependence on third-party cookies.

Over the past few years, SSPs have rolled out specialized curation solutions like PubMatic Encore (2020) and Xandr Curate (2021), with platforms such as Magnite, Index Exchange, and Nexxen following suit. Even companies once firmly in the data management platform (DMP) category-like Audigent and Lotame-have pivoted toward offering curation services.

At its core, curation involves a third-party entity that does not own or directly transact media but instead selects and organizes inventory into premium packages. These curated packages might include audiences browsing certain content categories, showing specific purchase intent, or even inventory with high viewability scores.

While curation may resemble traditional ad networks (which also connect buyers and sellers), it’s rooted in modern programmatic infrastructure. By shifting more of the audience data application to the sell side, curation strengthens supply-side optimization and reduces reliance on DSP-driven targeting. This approach may prove crucial for sustaining large-scale activation of second- and third-party audiences in an open market as third-party cookies disappear.

Why is Curation Gaining Momentum?

Curation isn’t entirely new, but it’s booming now due to the decline of legacy audience signals such as third-party cookies and Apple’s IDFA. Previously, advertisers mostly applied audience data through DSPs. As the industry pivots toward first-party data strategies, SSPs and publishers offer more transparency and control over the buying process.

This shift has fueled the rise of sell-side curation, changing how data is applied and optimized while keeping the core DSP–SSP relationship intact. Enter curation houses: specialized intermediaries that connect advertisers, publishers, and third-party data providers.

Here’s how it typically works:

• A curation house matches identity graphs across these players on the sell side.
  
• It ships audience segments to the SSP.
  
• The SSP finds matches with first-party data or universal IDs across publisher sites.
  
• The SSP then packages this audience into a Deal-ID and sends it to the DSP.
  

This means the DSP doesn’t have to process user-level identifiers within bid requests-the audience has already been matched upstream. This process boosts addressability, user privacy, and operational efficiency.

As a result, SSPs and curation houses now offer many capabilities once reserved for DMPs, helping keep second- and third-party audience activation alive in a programmatic world that’s rapidly losing cookies.

The Benefits of Sell-Side Curation

Sell-side curation has taken off because it creates meaningful advantages for all stakeholders: data owners, publishers, and buyers.

For Data Owners

• Integrate data once and deploy it across all DSPs via Deal-IDs, simplifying workflows.
  
• Gain more control over monetization through flexible pricing (revenue share, CPM, etc.).
  
• Choose exactly which buyers get access via private marketplaces.
  
• Apply data not only to users but also to contextual signals like site categories or placements.
  
• Stay independent from direct media transactions.
  

For Publishers

• Extend the reach of their audiences beyond owned sites through curated deals.
  
• Better leverage their first-party data in programmatic auctions.
  
• Improve contextual targeting capabilities.
  
• Reduce dependence on DSP-driven supply path optimization (SPO).
  
• Gain clearer insights into why and how their inventory is being purchased.
  
• Maintain stronger pricing control tied to audience data.
  

For Buyers

• Access higher-quality inventory with built-in brand safety measures.
  
• Embrace privacy-centric targeting models fit for the post-cookie era.
  
• See improved efficiency and scale-some buyers report 25–40% greater reach.
  
• Reduce reliance on opaque DSP audience segments by tapping directly into curated data.
  
• Enjoy more flexible targeting compared to programmatic guaranteed (PG) deals.
  

Challenges and Considerations

Despite these benefits, sell-side curation does introduce some complexities:

• Potential DSP pushback: With more data activation happening on the sell side, DSPs might lose influence over audience strategy.
  
• An added layer in the chain: Some advertisers are trying to reduce intermediaries, and curation introduces another step.
  
• Higher costs: Curated marketplaces often come at a premium due to their enhanced targeting and scale.
  
• Data infrastructure requirements: Effectively handling audience data demands tech investments and trusted partnerships, adding operational overhead.
  

Conclusion

Sell-side curation is reshaping programmatic advertising by offering a privacy-friendly, future-proof alternative to traditional audience targeting. By moving data application to the sell side, it delivers greater transparency, efficiency, and control-helping advertisers thrive even as third-party cookies fade away.

Yes, there are challenges, from added supply chain complexity to premium costs. But the benefits of curated marketplaces-from richer data applications to improved campaign performance-are driving widespread adoption. As the industry evolves, sell-side curation is emerging as a vital bridge connecting advertisers with high-quality audiences in a secure, efficient, and scalable way.

The post How Curation Is Transforming Programmatic Advertising in the Post-Cookie Era first appeared on Yieldbird - Research Hub.

Why TCF v2.2 matters in today’s digital landscape?

Launched back in April 2018, the TCF (Transparency & Consent Framework) has really helped make sense of the fast-moving world of digital ads, while also sticking to the tough rules of things like the ePrivacy Directive and GDPR. It’s all about setting a standard that really values user privacy, and now, Yieldbird’s totally on board with this too.

Setting standards: Yieldbird’s commitment to users

By using TCF’s clear-cut way of doing things, we at Yieldbird are making things better for users. We’re all about giving them simple, easy-to-understand choices for their privacy. With integrating TCF’s standardized approach, Yieldbird is enhancing the user experience, providing clear, concise, and user-friendly options for privacy choices. Our goal is to empower users, giving them control over their data and the assurance of privacy.

Our TCF membership signifies our commitment to ethical advertising. We’re now part of a collective that shapes policies and practices, ensuring they align with the evolving digital advertising landscape while keeping user rights at the forefront.

Implementing Practical Requirements: Adhering to TCF v2.2 means Yieldbird is not just compliant but also a forerunner in applying practical requirements that stem from guidelines of Data Protection Authorities.

As we embark on this journey with the TCF, we’re not just advocating for a shift in programmatic advertising; we’re actively participating in a movement that prioritizes transparency, respect, and user privacy. This is not just a compliance milestone; it’s a statement to our commitment to creating a digital ecosystem where user trust is our top priority.

The post Yieldbird embraces IAB Europe’s TCF v2.2 for Enhanced User Privacy and Compliance first appeared on Yieldbird - Research Hub.