How to Verify Ad Server / Ad SSP Integration with Zype

Zype already integrates with a number of Ad Servers / SSPs to enable you to generate ad requests on your videos for ad monetization. That said, we’re always happy to verify integration with new Ad Servers / SSPs, or allow you to use any ad tag you’d like as long as it matches our specifications. If you have an Ad Server / SSP that you’d like to use that isn’t on Zype’s verified integration list, follow the instructions below to see if you can use their ad tag for ad monetization.

1. Check if your Ad Server / SSP already has a verified ad integration with Zype

Supported Ad Servers and SSPs

If your Ad Server / SSP already has a verified ad integration with Zype, you can skip directly to step 5, setting up an integration test. If not, please continue to step 2 to learn more about getting a supported ad tag URL from your Ad Server / SSP.

2. Confirm if your Ad Server / SSP can supply one of Zype’s supported ad protocols and ad URL specification

• Ad protocols
  • VAST 1.0/2.0/3.0
  • VMAP
  • VPAID
  • Google IMA
• Additional specifications
  • Ad tag URLs must be secure - HTTPS
  • Web ad creatives must be non-flash (served in HTML5 player on the web)
  • Preroll, midroll, and postroll ad timings are supported

3. Confirm if your Ad Server / SSP can supply ad tags for the endpoints you’d like to distribute to, including but not limited to:

• Web (desktop and mobile)
• Set top / CTV (Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, SmartTV)
• Mobile app (iOS, Android mobile)

4. Review for additional macro requirements

Zype supports a number of ad macros (dynamic replacement of values via ad tag URL parameters) across different player endpoints. How To Use Ad Tag Macros

Please review if your ad server requires additional macros for approval for the endpoints where you’d like to enable ad monetization. If you notice a gap in Zype’s macro support required by your Ad Server / SSP, please feel free to submit a feature request at our support portal.

5. Set up an integration test

Assuming all Ad Server / SSP requirements have been fulfilled and their protocols and specifications can be supported by Zype, the next step is typically setting up a test integration.

• Ideally you can request a test ad tag from your Ad Server / SSP that will have guaranteed fills for every ad request.
• This way you can verify that ads are playing back when you fire your test tags in Zype.
• Depending on whether you will be specifically targeting different player endpoints, you may need to request multiple test ad tags (one for each device you’ll be ad monetizing).
• Add your test ad tags to your Zype account using our ad tag manager service.
• Follow these instructions to add and configure test ad tags.
• Be sure to configure any ad macros that are required by your Ad Server / SSP using Zype’s ad macro format.
• Set up ad timings on at least one test video.
• If you haven’t done so already, be sure to set up ad timings on at least one sample video for testing purposes.
• We generally suggest setting up at least a preroll and midroll ad timing to ensure ads will fire for both ad request locations.
• Verify test ads are playing for any ad timings you have configured on your videos.
• Be sure to test every single endpoint you have an ad tag enabled for. To complete testing, you’ll want to open the website or endpoint to view the video you’ve added ad timings on. Play the video and check to make sure an ad is displayed at the timings you’ve configured (e.g., make sure a preroll ad is shown before the video plays, as well as a midroll ad at whatever timing you configured).
• If ads are not playing, you should consult with your Ad Server / SSP to ensure they’re receiving the ad requests and that all required macros are being sent as part of the ad requests.
• After verifying test ads are playing consistently on every endpoint, you should be ready to proceed!

6. Get production ad tags and going live with ad monetization

You’re now ready to go live with your production ad tags.

• Delete or make inactive any test ad tags that are still enabled in your Zype account. You can again follow these instructions to delete or make your test ad tags inactive.
• Request production (live) ad tags from your Ad Server / SSP.
• Finish configuring ad timings on all the videos in your Zype account that you’d like to monetize with ads.
• Add your production ad tags into your Zype account and again make sure you’ve properly configured any required macros.

7. Conduct final production testing

Again, we recommend testing all of your device endpoints to ensure ads are playing as expected for any ad timings you have configured.

• Once again, to complete testing, you’ll want to open the website or endpoint to view the video you’ve added ad timings on. Play the video and check to make sure an ad is displayed at the timings you’ve configured (e.g., make sure a preroll ad is shown before the video plays, as well as a midroll ad at whatever timing you configured).
• If ads aren’t playing as expected, please contact your Ad Server / SSP to confirm they’ve received ad requests for your test videos. Depending on the Ad Server / SSP, sometimes it will take a period of time and/or minimum number of ad requests to begin ad filling.