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Video ad zones

Applies to: Publishers

What this is#

A Video ad zone serves video ads to a video player you already run. The zone gives you a VAST URL: you paste it into your player's ad-tag field, and the player asks the ad server for an ad before (or during, or after) your own video. The same section covers the two zone types that work inside your player: the In-Video plugin and the In-Video banner.

Which formats you can create depends on your network: it decides which ad zone types are switched on, and some types also need a permission on your account.

When to use it#

  • You host video content in your own player (HTML5, JW Player, Kernel Video Sharing, Flow Player or any VAST-capable player) and want pre-roll income.
  • You want banner overlays or pause ads inside that player — use the In-Video plugin.
  • You have no player at all — use In-page video instead.

Settings#

The Video Ad Settings card on the zone's settings tab:

Setting What it does Default
Video type Where in your video the ad plays: Preroll, Midroll or Postroll. Only shown when your network offers more than one of them. Preroll
Player type The player the zone is built for: Html5 Video, JW Player, Kernel Video Sharing or Flow Player. Html5 Video
Capping How often the same visitor may get an ad from this zone: from 1 Minute to 24 Hours. Hidden when your network fixes capping for everyone. No capping
Enable Skip Button Lets the viewer skip the ad. Skip Time sets after how many seconds. Off, 5 seconds
Vast Player does not support LiveStream Leaves the streaming (HLS) version out of the VAST response, so players that only play a plain MP4 file still work. Untick it if your player plays HLS streams. On for new zones
Pass on external click ID Adds a click ID to the video click-through, so the network you send this traffic through can pass its own click ID back on conversions. Enter that network's macro in Network click ID macro (e.g. {ACLID}). Off
Country filter None, As Whitelist (only these countries) or As Blacklist (all but these). Quick select fills in a tier of countries at once. None

Every other setting (name, website, category, rating, statuses) is the same for all zone types; see Ad Zones.

In-Video plugin and In-Video banner#

The In-Video plugin runs inside your own player and places ads at four moments. In In-Video Plugin Settings you tick Preroll, Pause, Midroll and/or Postroll, and for each one pick:

  • Ad spot (banner zone on this site): the zone that fills that moment: an In-Video banner zone or a Video zone on the same website.
  • Position: where the ad sits on the player (nine positions, from top-left to right-bottom).
  • Fade in: lets the ad fade in instead of appearing at once.

Pop on press play and Pop on press close can open one of your pop zones when the viewer presses play, or closes the ad.

The In-Video banner is a banner zone sized for an overlay. Its code is an iframe, plus an XML VAST URL (linear) that returns the banner as a VAST 4.3 non-linear overlay for players that load overlays through VAST.

Getting the code#

Open the zone's Ad Zone Code tab:

  • Video: copy the VAST URL (https://<your ad domain>/vast.go?spaceid=…) into your player's ad-tag (VAST) field. Additional Parameters adds optional values such as subid or sid1–sid5 for your own reporting.
  • In-Video plugin: a script that wraps your player. Put your player inside the video_wrap element and set playertype to video, jwplayer, ktplayer or flowplayer. See Ad Controller.

Use Preview to check the VAST response: it plays the video and shows its duration, click URL and media file.

Selling it#

Video, In-Video plugin and In-Video banner zones can be filled by RON campaigns, CPM campaigns and flat-rate (direct) deals, as your network allows.

Tips#

  • Leave Vast Player does not support LiveStream on unless you know your player plays HLS. Most players in the field only play MP4.
  • Use Capping on sites with long sessions: a pre-roll before every clip drives viewers away.
  • A short Skip Time (5 seconds) keeps viewers; advertisers paying per view still get the impression.

Troubleshooting#

Symptom Likely cause Fix
Player shows nothing before the video The player can't play the media in the VAST response, or no campaign targets the visitor. Use Preview on the Ad Zone Code tab; if it plays there, check your player's VAST support and the ad-tag field.
Preview says "VPAID creative" The ad is a VPAID script, not a video file. It only runs in players that support VPAID; check yours.
Ads play for some countries only Country filter is set. Change it to None or edit the list.
In-Video ad spot list is empty No In-Video banner or Video zone exists on this website. Create one on the same website first.