Compared to previous specifications, VAST 4 allows for more diverse and higher quality ads, including high resolution, augmented reality and 360° videos. It also allows for better impression, viewability, and click tracking.

This guide provides only brief descriptions of some of the advantages, features, and options of VAST 4.2. We highly recommend reading the IAB's specification document for more information.

In this guide, you will learn:

1. What a VAST ad item is.
2. How to add a VAST wrapper that connects to a third-party server.
3. How to add a VAST creative.
4. How to add a linear ad.
5. How to add a companion ad.
6. How to add a non-linear ad.
7. How to assign a VAST campaign to a VAST ad zone.
8. How to set a VAST ad item zone tag.

VAST ad items

A Video Ad Serving Template (VAST) ad item is meant to be played or displayed within or around a media player, such as the ads in YouTube videos and podcasts. Aside from supporting various media files, VAST allows AdButler to track various indicators of user behavior, such as how long someone watched an ad or if they muted it.

VAST ad items and VAST creatives are significantly different from other ad item types and creatives in AdButler. In other ad item types, one ad item contains information about one ad, and its creative is only either a media file, a URL to a media file, an HTML5 ZIP file, or a script. For example, an image ad item is one ad that has one image creative.

However, a VAST ad item can have one or more VAST creatives, and a VAST creative itself can be one ad or a group of ads. In particular, a VAST creative can have only one linear media ad, but it can also have one or more non-linear media ads and companion ads. Each of these ads can have their own click and event trackers.

The IAB highly recommends linear media ads to have three quality versions of the same file - low, medium, and high quality - to ensure that the ad will be served in even in low bandwidth environments. In addition, if your ad will be sent through an ad-stitching server, the IAB also recommends that you include a mezzanine file, which is the raw video or audio file. For more information, read VAST file recommendations.

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Step 1: Add a VAST ad item

When adding a VAST ad item, you can choose to add a linear ad, a non-linear ad, a companion ad, or simply point to a third-party resource using a wrapper.

1. Create a VAST campaign.
2. Go to the campaign's section (Advertisers > Your Advertiser > Your VAST Campaign).
3. Click + Add Ad Item under the VAST Ad Items table. The VAST Ad Item window will appear.

4. Click VAST4.2. The VAST Ad Item Edit page will appear. From here, you can:

   • Add a VAST wrapper
   • Add a VAST creative

Add a VAST wrapper

1. In the Details tab, give the VAST ad item a name.
2. Under Ad Type, click Wrapper.
3. Paste the wrapper ad URI from the third-party server in the Ad Tag URI field.
4. Select Yes or No from the following options as needed:
   • Follow Additional Wrappers - Whether to accept subsequent wrappers in response to a request. When set to Yes, the wrapper will accept another wrapped ad, which itself can link to a wrapped ad, and so on. When set to No, the wrapper will accept actual inline ads only.
   • Allow Multiple Ads - Whether to allow both pods (separate ads played in succession) alongside standalone ads in the response.
   • Allow Fallback Ad - Whether to allow the media player to select from any standalone ads available when the response returns no ads.
5. Add one or more metadata tags to the ad item. (optional)
6. Enter the ad item's weight. Defaults to 1.
7. Click Save Ad Item.

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Add a VAST creative

As mentioned in the introduction, a VAST creative can contain one or more VAST ads.

1. In the Details tab, give the VAST ad item a name. Leave InLine as the AdType.

2. Add one or more metadata tags to the ad item. (optional)
3. Enter the ad item's weight. Defaults to 1.
4. Click on the Creatives tab.

5. If you are going to add multiple creatives to the VAST ad item, enter the Sequence value for this creative. The first creative you want to appear should have a Sequence value of 1, the second should have a Sequence value of 2, and so on. Otherwise, leave Sequence at 0.

6. If an API framework is required to execute the linear ad, enter the API string in the Required API field.

7. Enter one or more Universal Ad IDs for the creative. Ads that will be shown in different countries may require a different Universal Ad ID per country.

From here, you can:

• Add a linear ad
• Add one or more companion ads
• Add one or more non-linear ads

Click + Add Creative at the bottom of the page to add more creatives to the same VAST ad item.

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Media files

Before you proceed with creating linear, non-linear, or companion ads, check that your files comply with IAB's guidelines. For more information, read VAST File Recommendations.

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Add a linear ad

A linear VAST ad appears before, in the middle of, or after the content on the same media player.

1. Ensure that you are in the Linear Media tab under Creative Medias.

2. Enter the duration of the linear media file.

3. Choose an ad skip offset, or the point at which the viewer will be given the option skip the ad.

4. Enter the ad parameters that will be sent to the media file as well as the encoding for those parameters. (optional)

5. Under Video Clicks, enter the destination URL and click tracking URL for the linear ad. (optional)

6. Under Icons, configure the icon or icons that will appear alongside the linear media ad. Note that each icon can have its own click tracking details. (optional)

7. Under Tracking Events, select one or more events to track alongside their parameters. You can send the same event to multiple URLs, but you have to make a separate entry for each URL. (optional)

8. Add at least one media file. Click on the appropriate tab to upload or provide the URL to the corresponding file type. When uploading a file, the Media File Properties fields will be automatically populated. When providing only the URL, you must fill in those fields manually. For more information, read VAST File Recommendations.

9. Click + Add Media File at the bottom of the page to add more media files to the linear ad. (optional)

10. Click Save Ad Item once you've finished configuring all the components of the ad item.

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Add a companion ad

Companion ads are ads that appear near the media player in addition to the linear or non-linear ad. They can be anything from a standard banner to a skin that wraps around the player. A VAST creative cannot contain only companion ads.

1. Ensure that you are in the Companions tab under Creative Medias.

2. Choose a display requirement:

   • Any - the media player must display at least one of the companion ads. Otherwise, the media player will disregard the entire ad item (including the linear or non-linear ad) and return an error message to notify the server.
   • All - the media player must display all of the companion ads. Otherwise, the media player will disregard the entire ad item (including the linear or non-linear ad) and return an error message to notify the server.
   • None - the media player can opt not to show any of the companion ads. This allows the main linear or non-linear ads to be served even if the companion ad cannot be displayed alongside them.

3. Choose the ad's resource type and upload or enter the information for the resource. When uploading a file, the file properties fields will be automatically populated. When providing only the URL, you must fill in those fields manually. For more information, read VAST File Recommendations.

4. Under Companion Clicks, enter the destination URL and click tracking URL for the linear ad. (optional)

5. Under Tracking Events, select one or more events to track alongside their parameters. You can send the same event to multiple URLs, but you have to make a separate entry for each URL. (optional)

6. Under Advanced Options, configure your desired serving settings: (optional)

   • Ad Slot ID - Specifies a placement on the page. This is an optional value that must be decided between the publisher and advertiser.
   • Alternate Text - Text that appears when the viewer hovers over the ad.
   • Expanded Width/Height - The maximum dimensions of the companion ad when expanded.
   • Pixel Ratio - The pixel ratio of the companion creative. Defaults to 1.
   • Render Mode - End Card tells the media player to show the companion ad after content playback. Concurrent tells the media player to show the companion during content playback. Default lets the media player decide.
   • Required API - The API string for any API framework required to display the ad, if any.

7. Click + Add Media File at the bottom of the page to add more media files to the companion ad. (optional)

8. Click Save Ad Item once you've finished configuring all the components of the ad item.

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Add a non-linear ad

Unlike linear VAST ads, non-linear VAST ads do not bookend or interrupt content playback. Instead, they occupy a small portion of the player while the content plays.

1. Ensure that you are in the Non-Linear Media tab under Creative Medias.

2. Choose the ad's resource type and upload or enter the information for the resource. When uploading a file, the file properties fields will be automatically populated. When providing only the URL, you must fill in those fields manually. For more information, read VAST File Recommendations.

3. Under NonLinear Clicks, enter the destination URL and click tracking URL for the linear ad. (optional)

4. Under Tracking Events, select one or more events to track alongside their parameters. You can send the same event to multiple URLs, but you have to make a separate entry for each URL. (optional)

5. Under Advanced Options, configure your desired serving settings: (optional)

   • Scalability - Whether the ad will also resize when the video player is resized.
   • Maintain Aspect Ratio - Whether the ad will maintain its original aspect ratio when the video player is resized.
   • Expanded Width/Height - The maximum dimensions of the non-linear ad when expanded.
   • Min. Suggested Duration - The desired period during which the non-linear ad will be displayed.
   • Ad Parameters - Additional information that will be sent to the media file, if any.
   • Ad Parameter Encoding - The format of the ad parameters.
   • Required API - The API string for any API framework required to display the ad, if any.

6. Click Save Ad Item once you've finished configuring all the components of the ad item.

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Step 2: Assign the VAST campaign to a VAST ad zone

1. Create a VAST zone.
2. Go to the VAST campaign's section (Advertisers > Your Advertiser > Your Campaign).
3. Click Assign to Zone under the Zone Assignments table. A list of eligible VAST zones will appear.
4. Select the VAST zone to which you want the campaign to be assigned.
5. Choose a serve method. The New Placement page will appear.

6. Configure the settings as needed. For more information, read Pacing & Schedule, Targeting, and Frequency Capping.
7. Click Save.

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Step 3: Set the VAST ad item zone tag

1. Go to the relevant publisher's section (Publishers > Your Publisher).

2. Click on the Get Tags button on the far right of the relevant VAST zone. The Zone Tags window will appear.

3. Ensure that the Protocol is set to https (Default).
4. Copy the link and paste it into your video player.

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