Working with Us
SpotXchange is a leader in targeted In-Stream and In-Banner video commercial syndication.
SpotXchange is a hosted ad matching and serving platform that provides targeted insertion and scheduling, campaign management and reporting. Advertisers target their campaigns against particular contextual, geographic and demographic criteria associated with publisher properties.
When a viewer requests a piece of ad-supported content from your site, your integration will query the SpotXchange platform for an ad, passing a number of parameters that will characterize the ad opportunity in real-time. SpotXchange compares these parameters against all ads that target the parameters sent and serves the most valuable to the user. Once the ad has completed, the requested content will play. Upon the next SpotXchange query, the second-most valuable ad is served, etc. If no ads match the parameters sent, or if the user requests a number of ad-supported content pieces from your site that exceeds the number of ads available for a given set of parameters, a backup ad is requested or the content will play ad free.
Video Opportunities
In-Stream Video
Also referred to as “Linear Video”, these ads are set to run in-line with your video content, either before (pre-roll), during (mid-roll), or after (post-roll).
SpotXchange supports a number of in-stream video set-up options, and our integration experts can help you find the best fit for your needs. The best in-stream integration options are:
- ActionScript Syndication
- VAST / VAST+VPAIDia
Preloader Video
Preloader Video was previously referred to as “in-game” and these video ads run while your page content is loading in the background. This is great for sites that do not have video content and cannot run in-stream ads, such as online game sites.
SpotXchange has created EASI, an all-in-one video ad player, to use as a preloader, or let our integration experts help you find the best fit for your needs.
Floating Video
Sometimes also referred to as “Interstitials,” these ads float on top of your page for the duration of the video then disappear to allow a user access to your site. We do not support pop-up video ads.
SpotXchange has a variety of options for floating video ads, through EASI, and is the most simple to immediately get started.
In-Banner Video
In-Banner video is a 300x250 display banner that runs auto-play video ads with the sound muted. A user must interact with the ad before audio is played. We support expandable video ads, but at a higher CPM.
SpotXchange provides in-banner JavaScript code for publishers interested in this opportunity.
Set-up/Integration Options
EASI JavaScript
SpotXchange provides JavaScript code that you, the publisher, place into the existing HTML code of the page(s) used to load content. This JavaScript code enables you to play commercials as pre-rolls or pre-game ads, no matter how your site is laid out. Because of the nature of this integration, it will not work with mid-roll but can be used for post-roll.
EASI is designed for publishers with no video player, without access to update/change their video player, or with less technical expertise.
Video Ad Opportunities
Our EASI player is designed to offer these video ad formats to publishers:
- Traditional Video Ads
- VPAID Ads
- Interactive Ads
Example
ActionScript Plug-in-Play
SpotXchanges has pre-built ad players for publishers to plug into their current video players. We have both ActionScript 2 and ActionScript 3 versions available. We recommend upgrading any AS2 players to AS3, if possible, so that we can provide you additional inventory coverage.
Video Ad Opportunities
Our AS players are designed to offer these video ad formats to publishers:
- Traditional Video Ads
- VPAID Ads (AS3 Integration only)
- Interactive Ads
VAST / VAST+VPAID
VAST stands for Serving Template developed by the IAB to create a standard XML-based ad response for in-stream video. Please visit the IAB site if you have additional questions: http://www.iab.net/vast
There are two versions of VAST, 1.0 and 2.0. Most video ad servers and players (if integrated) support the updated VAST 2.0 format. This is the format we recommend integrating into your player; however, we do support both versions.
IAB developed this standard as a way for publishers to utilize multiple video ad exchanges or ad servers and to accommodate third party served video without having to integrate different technologies into their video player. This is the most flexible of our integrations for publishers to be able to support either their own ad server or multiple video ad exchanges.
Video Ad Opportunites
VAST compliancy offers these video ad formats to publishers:
- Traditional Video Ads
- VPAID Ads (VPAID integration only)
- Interactive Ads (VPAID integration only)
Video Glossary
FAQ
Q: How many ads am I guaranteed to have returned?
A: There are no guarantees of any ad delivery level. The marketplace allows advertisers to target the content that performs for their needs and place as many or as few ads as they want.
Q: What happens if no ads are returned?
A: If no ad is returned from SpotXchange, the user will see either your backup ad or the content ad-free.
Q: What duration commercial will be returned?
A: If you set the max ad duration, ads that do not exceed the max duration will be shown. If you did not set the max ad duration, ads that meet your channel settings will be shown.
Q: Will an ad be shown before all content on my site?
A: As long as there are SpotXchange ads that match the ad query, an ad will be shown before the content.
Q: What is “session capping”?
A: Session capping is a mechanism to ensure that a single visitor to your video content is not subjected to seeing the same advertisement over and over during any single viewing session. SpotXchange’s agreements with its advertisers require that a single ad be shown no more than a single time to a unique user within a single user sessions of 20 minutes. A cookie is used to track and enforce session capping. While testing your implementation, if you cease seeing ads returned, you can go into your browser’s cookie settings and delete the cookie “SpotXchange” and that will clear your session cap, allowing you to see the ads again.
Q: Is there a way to know if an ad is available or not?
A: Yes. The feed will return a blank page if no ad is available and you can call your backup feed.
