Ep 2: How a page asks for an ad: the GPT tag

Your page loads. Then one small script asks Google for an ad.

The Google Publisher Tag, or GPT, is the code that requests ads from Ad Manager.

On recipes.example it works in four steps. First, load the GPT library from Google. Second, define a slot. Ad unit path,/one two three four/recipes/top. Size, three hundred by two fifty. And the box where the ad goes. Third, add key values, like section equals desserts. Fourth, display. GPT sends one ad request to Ad Manager with the ad unit, size, page address and key values. Ad Manager picks a winner and returns the creative, and GPT draws it in the box.

Check one page today. Does the tag’s ad unit path match Ad Manager exactly? A mismatch means targeted line items miss it.

Next, orders, line items and creatives in one minute.