The shared classification system that lets buyers and sellers describe inventory, audiences, and ad formats consistently. The IAB Content Taxonomy is the most widely adopted version. It matters because inconsistent categorization is how brand safety targeting breaks down: a buyer blocks "violence" in one system and the publisher classifies the same content differently in another. Taxonomy alignment is unglamorous infrastructure. It's also where a lot of brand safety failures actually originate.
Ad tech glossary
Taxonomy
Technical definition
A standardized classification system for digital advertising inventory that helps buyers and sellers speak the same language about content categories, ad units, and audience segments.
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