What is a deal ID in programmatic?
A deal ID is a unique code attached to a bid request that tells a buyer the impression is part of a pre-negotiated programmatic agreement, such as a private marketplace, preferred deal or programmatic guaranteed buy. The buyer's DSP recognizes the code and applies the agreed terms, price and targeting, instead of treating it as an open-auction impression.
A Deal ID is created by the seller (a publisher, SSP or curator) and shared with the buyer, who enters it into their DSP. It is carried in the OpenRTB bid request's deal object with the floor price and auction type.
Deal IDs are now also used by curators and data companies to package audiences across many sites, which is why buyers should still check where deal inventory actually comes from. A deal label does not guarantee quality; DoubleVerify's 2026 research found bot activity in some direct CTV deals.