Definition

Unsold advertising inventory filled with the publisher's own promotional content rather than leaving it blank. The digital equivalent of restaurants putting the owner's daughter's artwork on empty walls.

Example Usage

When our fill rate dropped to 60%, we ran house ads promoting our newsletter rather than showing blank spaces like amateurs.

Origin

Print publishing terminology dating back over a century when newspapers promoted their own subscriptions

Fun Fact

High house ad percentages often indicate poor monetization strategies or premium pricing that's scaring away buyers.

Source: Publishing and digital advertising terminology

Related Terms

Beginner

permission marketing

A marketing approach where companies obtain explicit consent before sending promotional messages, as opposed to interruption marketing which assumes everyone wants to hear about your product. Revolutionary concept: not annoying people who didn't ask.

📣 Marketing / Advertising
Intermediate

grecian urn

An advertising concept that looks beautiful and timeless in the boardroom but is completely impractical for actual implementation. Named after objects better suited for museums than utility.

📣 Marketing / Advertising
Beginner

post-testing

Research conducted after a campaign runs to measure effectiveness and extract learnings. The marketing equivalent of an autopsy, but hopefully with better news.

📣 Marketing / Advertising
Beginner

hallway testing

Impromptu user research conducted by grabbing random people in office hallways to review creative or test functionality. The lazy marketer's focus group.

📣 Marketing / Advertising
Intermediate

zombie account

A customer account that's technically active but generates no revenue or engagement, cluttering your metrics like digital dead weight. They're not users, they're ghosts.

📣 Marketing / Advertising
Advanced

header bidding

An advanced programmatic advertising technique where multiple ad exchanges bid on inventory simultaneously before the ad server is called, maximizing publisher revenue. It's like having multiple auction houses compete for your antique vase instead of just going with one.

📣 Marketing / Advertising

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