IAB Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield IAB facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. What is audience segmentation in programmatic advertising? → Dividing audiences into groups based on shared characteristics for targeted advertising
2. What distinguishes a 'sticky' or 'adhesion' banner ad according to IAB guidelines? → It remains fixed in the user's viewport as they scroll down the page
3. What is an effective strategy for improving ad performance on mobile devices? → Designing responsive ads that fit different screen sizes
4. How does the IAB suggest handling ad viewability issues? → Setting and adhering to industry standards for ad viewability
5. What is a Deals ID in programmatic advertising? → A unique identifier for a private marketplace deal between a buyer and seller
6. What does VAST stand for in digital video advertising? → Video Ad Serving Template
7. In display advertising, how is an 'ad impression' defined? → One instance of an ad being fetched and rendered on a user's screen
8. What is the IAB's stance on user privacy? → Prioritizing user privacy and advocating for responsible data usage
9. What is a DMP (Data Management Platform) in programmatic advertising? → A platform that collects, organizes, and activates audience data for targeting
10. What does CCPA stand for and which state enacted it? → California Consumer Privacy Act, California
11. What is the IAB's 'SafeFrame' specification designed to do? → Provide a managed API enabling safe, controlled interaction between ads and host pages
12. How does the IAB suggest handling data transparency? → Providing clear and accessible information about data collection and usage
13. What is video completion rate (VCR) and why does it matter? → The percentage of video ads watched to completion, indicating ad engagement quality
14. What is programmatic advertising? → Automated buying and selling of online advertising
15. How can a digital media salesperson demonstrate the value of an ad placement to a potential client? → By showcasing high engagement and conversion rates from similar campaigns
16. What is frequency capping in programmatic advertising? → Limiting how many times a single user sees the same ad within a given period
17. In display advertising, what does 'above the fold' refer to? → The portion of a webpage visible to the user without scrolling
18. What is the primary purpose of 'rich media' in display advertising? → To deliver interactive and engaging ad experiences beyond static images or text
19. What is first-party data in digital advertising? → Data collected directly by a brand from its own customers and audiences
20. What is geo-targeting in mobile advertising? → Delivering ads to users based on their current or historical geographic location
21. What is a Private Marketplace (PMP) in programmatic advertising? → An invitation-only marketplace where publishers offer premium inventory to select buyers
22. What is viewability in digital advertising? → A measure of whether an ad had the opportunity to be seen by a user
23. What is a 'bumper ad' in video advertising? → A short, non-skippable video ad of 6 seconds or less
24. What does 'view-through rate' (VTR) measure in video advertising? → The percentage of video ad impressions where the user watched the full ad without skipping
25. According to the IAB, how should advertisers approach cross-device tracking? → By responsibly tracking users across devices with clear user consent
26. What is an 'ad pod' in video advertising? → A group of multiple video ads served sequentially in a single ad break
27. What does 'cookie deprecation' mean for digital advertising? → The phase-out of third-party cookies used for cross-site tracking and targeting
28. What does CPM stand for in digital advertising pricing? → Cost Per Mille — the cost per one thousand ad impressions
29. What is a Data Management Platform (DMP) used for in programmatic advertising? → Collecting, organizing, and activating audience data to improve ad targeting
30. What is Real-Time Bidding (RTB) in programmatic advertising? → An automated auction where ad impressions are bought and sold in milliseconds