Schedule ad breaks

Video advertisements allow you to monetize the videos that your viewers watch. An ad schedule enables you to add video advertisements (pre-roll, mid-roll, and post-roll ads) into your video content.

Use this article to create a VAST, Google IMA, or VMAP ad schedule from your dashboard.

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If you are a developer or have developer resources, you can use code to Schedule VAST ads.

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Select your ad client

1. From the Advertising page, on the Web (Ad Schedule) tab, click Create Ad Schedule. The ad schedule settings appear.
2. Enter a name for the ad schedule.
3. In the Select Your Ad Client section, choose an ad client: VAST or Google IMA. You can now configure ad breaks.

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Configure ad breaks

Use the following sections to set the configurations for the ad client you selected.

VAST

The following sections explain how to Configure ad breaks manually or Configure VMAP ad breaks when using the VAST ad client.

Configure ad breaks manually

1. Under Configure Ad Breaks, choose Add breaks manually.

2. Click the + icon to create a Preroll, Midroll, or Postroll ad break. A configuration panel appears.

3. In the text box, enter the URL of the ad tag. Macros can be added to each ad tag to target the ads returned. These macros are replaced in real time.

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   It is common to add 10+ macros to a single ad tag

4. (Optional) Click + Add Waterfall Tag to enter additional ad tag URLs. Creating an ad tag waterfall helps you to maximize ad revenue by attempting to show a valid ad to your viewers during an ad break.

5. (Optional) To increase viewer engagement, click Skippable after ___ seconds and enter the length of time in seconds a viewer must watch an ad before having the ability to skip the ad.

6. (Optional) Click Non-linear overlay ad to allow an ad banner to display over video content without disrupting the video.

7. (Mid-roll ad breaks only) Select an option from the Break Timing dropdown menu.

8. (Mid-roll ad breaks only) Next to your Break Timing dropdown menu selection, enter the location in the video where a mid-roll ad break occurs:

   • For Seconds into Video, enter the location in seconds
   • For % of Video, enter the location as a percentage -- without % (for example, 15 for 15%) -- of the video.
   • For Timecode, enter the location in the following format: hh:mm:ss:mmm.​

9. Click Done after configuring each ad break.

10. (Optional) Set ad rules. To set ad rules, follow the instructions in the "Set ad rules" section below.

11. Click Save.

Configure VMAP ad breaks

1. In the text box under Configure Ad Breaks, enter the URL of the ad tag.
2. (Optional) Set ad rules for the ad breaks. To set ad rules, follow the instructions in the "Set ad rules" section.
3. Click Save.

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Google IMA

The following sections explain how to Configure ad breaks manually or Configure VMAP ad breaks when using the Google IMA ad client.

Configure ad breaks manually

1. Under Configure Ad Breaks, choose Add breaks manually.

2. Select a VPAID Mode:

   • Insecure: VPAID ad will load in a friendly iFrame. This allows the ad access to the site via javascript.
   • Enabled: VPAID ad is enabled using a cross domain iFrame. VPAID ads cannot access the site. A VPAID ad that depends on friendly iFrame access may not play.
   • Disabled: VPAID ad will not play and an error will be returned if VPAID ad is requested. ​

3. Click the + icon to create a Preroll, Midroll, or Postroll ad break. A configuration panel appears.

4. In the text box, enter the URL of the ad tag. Macros can be added to each ad tag to target the ads returned. These macros are replaced in real time.

   💡

   It is common to add 10+ macros to a single ad tag

5. (Optional) Click Non-linear overlay ad to allow an ad banner to display over video content without disrupting the video.

6. (Mid-roll ad breaks only) Select an option from the Break Timing dropdown menu.

7. (Mid-roll ad breaks only) Next to your Break Timing dropdown menu selection, enter the location in the video where a mid-roll ad break occurs:

   • For Seconds into Video, enter the location in seconds.
   • For Timecode, enter the location in the following format: hh:mm:ss:mmm.

8. Click Done after configuring each ad break.

9. (Optional) Set ad rules for the ad breaks. To set ad rules, follow the instructions in the "Set ad rules" section.

10. Click Save.

Configure VMAP ad breaks

1. Under Configure Ad Breaks, choose VMAP.
2. Select a VPAID Mode:
   • Insecure: VPAID ad will load in a friendly iFrame. This allows the ad access to the site via javascript.
   • Enabled: VPAID ad is enabled using a cross domain iFrame. VPAID ads cannot access the site. A VPAID ad that depends on friendly iFrame access may not play.
   • Disabled: VPAID ad will not play and an error will be returned if VPAID ad is requested.
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3. In the text box, enter the URL of the ad tag.
4. (Optional) Set ad rules for the ad breaks. To set ad rules, follow the instructions in the "Set ad rules" section.
5. Click Save.

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Set ad rules

1. (Optional) Expand the Advanced Ad Rules panel.
2. (Optional) In the Ad Frequency Rule section, define how frequently ads run throughout a playlist. Read more about ad rules.
3. (Optional) Use Long-form Ad Engagement Rules. You can define how much time must elapse before playing the next ad within a specific video. And if a user returns to partially-viewed content, you can choose whether the user sees a pre-roll ad or no ads. Read more about ad rules.