Managing your ads.txt file in Google Ad Manager involves ensuring that all authorized digital sellers of your ad inventory are explicitly listed. To do this, you need to create or update the ads.txt file at the root level of your domain’s server. This file should contain information specific to each advertising partner, including the domain name of the advertising system, the publisher’s account ID, and the type of relationship (direct or reseller). Regular updates and audits are crucial to ensure that any changes in partnerships or selling arrangements are accurately reflected, which helps in maintaining transparency and preventing ad fraud. Are you planning to create or update an ads.txt file for your site?
What is Ads.txt in Google Ad Manager (GAM)
The ads.txt (Authorized Digital Sellers) is a text file that website publishers create to declare authorized sellers of their digital ad inventory. This program is initiated by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) to increase transparency in the programmatic advertising ecosystem. By using an ads.txt file, publishers can prevent counterfeit inventory from being presented to advertisers. When using Google Ad Manager, creating and maintaining an up-to-date ads.txt file ensures that your ad inventory is only sold by trusted partners.
Ads.txt, which stands for “Authorized Digital Sellers,” is an initiative by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) to improve transparency in programmatic advertising by helping ensure that a website’s digital ad inventory is sold only through authorized sellers.
In Google Ad Manager, you can manage your ads.txt file by:
- Creating your ads.txt file: Start by listing the ad network partners you authorize to sell your inventory. Each line in the file typically includes the domain name of the ad system, your account ID with that system, the type of relationship (either DIRECT or RESELLER), and the ID of the advertising system.
- Hosting the file: Upload this file to the root directory of your website so that it is accessible at
https://yourdomain.com/ads.txt. - Verifying its accuracy: Ensure the information is correct and appears exactly as specified by your ad suppliers. Regularly review and update it to include any changes or new partnerships.
- Monitoring Google Ad Manager: Use Google Ad Manager (or other analytics tools) to ensure your ads.txt implementation is working correctly and helping to prevent unauthorized sellers.
Ads.txt in Google Ad Manager – Highlights
Here’s a table highlighting key features of Ads.txt in Google Ad Manager:
| Feature | Description | Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Authorized Sellers | Specifies which companies are authorized to sell your ad inventory | Prevents counterfeit inventory and ensures transparency |
| Publicly Accessible | The file is publicly available and crawlable by exchanges and buyers | Enhances trust with advertisers and buyers |
| App-Ads.Txt Support | Extends Ads.txt to support ads shown in mobile apps | Provides control over who can sell ads on your app |
| Syntax Validation | Ad Manager provides validation of file syntax | Ensures the file is correctly formatted and functional |
| Easy Management | Manage and update Ads.txt files directly within Ad Manager | Simplifies the process of maintaining and updating the file |
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app-ads.txt in Google Ad Manager
App-ads.txt is an initiative by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) to help combat advertising fraud for mobile apps and connected TV. It’s an extension of the ads.txt standard that was initially designed for websites. Here’s a brief overview of what it is and how it works:
- Purpose: The purpose of app-ads.txt is to allow app publishers to publicly declare who is authorized to sell their digital ad inventory. This helps prevent unauthorized and domain-spoofed ad inventory from being sold to advertisers.
- How It Works: App publishers create a “app-ads.txt” file, similar to a text document, that lists authorized sellers. This file is placed within the website developers’ domain declared in the app store, such as the Google Play or Apple App Store.
- Advertiser Trust: By ensuring that only authorized sellers are involved, advertisers can trust that they’re buying legitimate ad space directly from the publishers.
- Implementation: You need to list all authorized seller accounts used for all your apps in the app-ads.txt file and ensure it’s placed correctly in the root domain associated with your app.
- Google Ad Manager: Google Ad Manager supports app-ads.txt, meaning it will automatically verify the sellers against this file when purchasing ad space from apps.
Creating ads.txt/app-ads.txt in Google Ad Manager
Creating an ads.txt or app-ads.txt file in Google Ad Manager involves defining your authorized sellers of digital inventory and then hosting this file on your domain. Here’s a general guide to help you through the process:
Steps to Create ads.txt or app-ads.txt:
- Identify Authorized Sellers:
- Log into your Google Ad Manager account.
- Navigate to the “Admin” section.
- Look for the “ads.txt management” or similar option to view or export the list of authorized sellers for your account.
- Format the File:
- Each line in the
ads.txtorapp-ads.txtfile should have three to four fields: the domain of the advertising system, the Publisher ID, the type of relationship (DIRECT or RESELLER), and an optional certification authority ID.
google.com, pub-1234567890123456, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 - Each line in the
- Create the File:
- Open a text editor and add the authorized sellers in the specified format.
- Save the file as
ads.txtfor a website orapp-ads.txtfor a mobile app.
- Host the File:
- For
ads.txt: Upload this file to the root directory of your website. This should be accessible viahttp://yourwebsite.com/ads.txt. - For
app-ads.txt: Upload to the root of your app developer website. Make sure it’s accessible viahttp://yourappwebsite.com/app-ads.txt.
- For
- Verify the File:
- Ensure the file is accessible publicly at the prescribed URL by visiting it through a browser.
- Confirm that all entries are correct and align with what Google Ad Manager has provided.
Setting up Ads.txt for Google Ad Manager (GAM)
Setting up an ads.txt file for Google Ad Manager (GAM) is an essential step in securing your ad inventory. Start by creating a text file named ads.txt using any text editor. This file should be placed in the root directory of your website to be accessible via http://yourwebsite.com/ads.txt. The primary purpose of this file is to list all authorized sellers who can sell your ad inventory, thus preventing unauthorized reselling and increasing transparency.
Each line in the ads.txt file should represent an entity authorized to sell or resell your ad inventory. For Google Ad Manager, the entry will look like google.com, pub-XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX, DIRECT, where pub-XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX is your publisher ID from Google Ad Manager. Use DIRECT if you directly manage the account; otherwise, use RESELLER if someone else manages it on your behalf. You should also include entries for other ad networks or partners by obtaining their specific ads.txt details.
After preparing your ads.txt file with the relevant entries, upload it to the root directory of your website. Verify its accessibility by visiting the URL in a web browser. To ensure ongoing compliance and accuracy, regularly update your ads.txt file to reflect any changes in your advertising partnerships. Keeping this file up to date not only helps protect your revenue streams but also aligns with industry best practices for ad inventory management.
ads.txt for Google Ad Manager: FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions regarding ads.txt management:
Ads.txt (Authorized Digital Sellers) is a simple, flexible, and secure method that publishers can use to declare who is authorized to sell their digital inventory.
It helps prevent unauthorized inventory sales, making it clear which companies are allowed to sell your ad space, thereby reducing fraud.
Create a plain text file named “ads.txt” at the root domain of your site. Each line should include the domain name of the ad system, your account ID, the type of account, and an optional certification authority ID.
It should be publicly accessible at http://yourdomain.com/ads.txt.
Regular updates are necessary whenever you add or remove partners or platforms authorized to sell your inventory.
Errors can lead to revenue loss since advertisers may not be able to verify authorized sellers, leading them to shy away from buying your ad space.
You can manually review the entries or use third-party tools that validate ads.txt files against known ad systems for errors.
Ensure all partners you work with for Google Ad Manager, such as Ad Exchanges and authorized sellers, are listed correctly in your ads.txt file.
