Ad Operations Online » How-To’s

Trafficking 101: How to Create Companion Ads Without Using ptile in DoubleClick DFP

Otilia Otlacan — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 08:00:32 +0000

Companion ads (also called partner ads, or synchronized ads / synchronized banners) are widely used as part of various ad package offerings to agencies and advertisers, and are, perhaps, the most common arrangement to build brand awareness online.

They’re commonly created using the reserved key “ptile” in DoubleClick DFP (DART for Publishers), however, there are certain situations when you need to look for workarounds. For example, if you have already used a “tile” key, you cannot use a “ptile” in the same time.

Scenario: you use a “tile” key-value on a web page with multiple ad slots to prevent competing ads from displaying. Later, you find out that you will need to traffic companion ads on that page: several banners to rotate in a 468×60 ad slot, and each banner has a companion 120×90 button ad and a companion ad 160×600 skyscraper. You would normally traffic such an arrangement using “ptile”; however, you cannot use the “ptile” and “tile” key-values together on the same page.

Solution: each 468×60 banner must be booked as a separate Ad in DFP, as master ad. Each creative should be set as Rich Media type (even if the creative is a standard image) with the following example code:

where the following macros are (optionally) used:
%c = DART click-through tracking url.
%u = Is replaced with the click-through entered for the creative placement.
%h = DART host name.
%e = DART expand macro. Is replaced by the Ad ID of the ad within which this creative is booked.
%t = Replaced with the DART site’s click-through target window setting. Usually _top or _blank.

The JavaScript statement: adid=”%eaid!”; will pass the Ad ID of the 468×60 banner creative through to the 120×90 and 160×600 ad tags on the page to use as a targeting value in calling the companion partner ad. (You can give the adid variable a different name; however, it must be matched exactly in both the 120×90 and 160×600 ad tags.)

Each 120×90 and 160×600 creative must also be booked in separate ads. These creative are booked “As fast as possible” with a priority higher than default (eg, for standard ad type default is 8, set to 6). On the Content tab of each companion ad, you must target it to the key-value with the exact Ad ID from the companion 468×60 banner ad. If the companion banner ad has an Ad ID of 12345678, the key-value targeting for the companion ads would look like: comp=12345678.

The 468×60 DFP tag implemented on the web page will not be altered from your usual tag structure. But the 120×90 and 160×600 ad tags must be modified to have the comp key inserted, and the “adid” value called:
src=”http://ad.doubleclick.net/adj/site/zone;comp=’ + adid + ‘;sz=120×90;tile=2;ord=’ + rand + ‘?

Just as the rand value is dynamically populated with a random number, the adid value will be dynamically populated with the Ad ID 12345678 (or whatever Ad ID corresponds to the decision-making banner that was displayed in the 468×60 ad tag).

How to declare the adid variable: you must declare the adid JavaScript variable on the web page above/before the first ad tag (preferably in the section of the webpage) to avoid receiving JavaScript error messages in instances where an ad is served to the page without the adid=”%eaid!” statement. Here’s an example:

…

…

…

Important: it is recommended that this solution only be used with JavaScript ad tags. You should ensure that, in this example, the 468×60 banner tag is the first among the three ad tags to display on the page, otherwise the companion ads will not serve. Given this condition, it is recommended that you use the integrated DFP Roadblock feature that serves companion ads.

Trafficking 101: How to Traffic Mediaplex Creatives in DoubleClick DFP

Otilia Otlacan — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 08:00:44 +0000

Mediaplex is a third party ad serving service – you’re bound to be asked to traffic MediaPlex creatives at some point, so here are the guidelines.

Mediaplex tags do not come with macros already inserted, so you will need to insert them yourself: use random numbers (%n) to bust caching and %c count clicks. The tags should arrive with detailed instructions as to where to insert these elements.

In DFP, you will need to traffic these tags as custom rich media creatives: once you have created the campaign, create a new ad and select “Standard” as product type, fill in the ad details, then assign to it a “custom” creative where you can enter the tags discussed below.

1) Standard/Banner tags

In general the tags will arrive in a format such as this for a simple Ad Creative ( Image GIF or JPG):

This A HREF/IMG SRC combination maybe trafficked in the Rich Media field in DART or (more simply) as a Redirect Creative.

To traffic as a Redirect creative simply extract the 2 URLs from the code above, replace [CACHEBUSTER] with %n and insert the appropriate URLs into your redirect creative. The A HREF URL is the Click Through and the IMG SRC URL is the Image Redirect.

e.g. Redirect URLs for Sample Mediaplex Creative.

Click Through = http://altfarm.mediaplex.com/ad/ck/1234-12345-1234-1?mpt=%n
Image = http://altfarm.mediaplex.com/ad/bn/1234-12345-1234-1?mpt=%n

Alternatively, if you wish to traffic your ad in the Rich Media field you should take the entire Mediaplex code fragment, replacing %n where necessary. As the creative is being set in the Rich Media field it is necessary to indicate to DART where the clickthrough is to be counted by placing the %c…%3a%2f%2f macro on the A HREF URL.

e.g. Rich Media Code for Sample Mediaplex Creative.

For Richmedia ads ( such as Flash banner,expandables, popups, layers …), tags will more often be sent as Iframe/Ilayer, Iframe/Javascript or Javascript only tags.

To ensure accurate tracking, you are required to implement a Cache Buster on your end. Please replace all occurrences of [CACHEBUSTER] in the ad tags below with our %n macro.

To track clicks using the iframe/ilayer/script tags provided, please insert our redirect string %c as the value following “mpvc=”.

Alternatively for the A HREF/IMG call in these tags, do the same modifications as described just above for trafficking the redirect tag in the Richmedia field.

2) IFRAME/ILAYER tags

Initial code:

Modified code:

3) IFRAME/JAVASCRIPT tags

Initial code:

Modified code:

4) JAVASCRIPT only tags

Initial code:

Modified code:

Trafficking 101: How to Traffic Tristitials from snap2eyes in DoubleClick DFP

Otilia Otlacan — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 08:30:36 +0000

Although not widely used (yet), Tristitials may be something you’re bound to bump into if you spend enough time in an Ad Ops position. We’ve previously discussed what Tristitials are (in our newly launched “Ad Products” section) so I’m not going to reiterate everything here: instead, I’d recommend you review the ad product brief if this is the first time you work with Tristitials.

Below are the steps to get the Tristitial up and running on your site, using DoubleClick DART for Publishers (DFP).

1. Start by uploading 3 clear GIFs to DFP while treating each clear GIF as if it were a regular ad. These clear GIFs would represent a separate banner (or advertiser*) in the same Tristitial.

2. Export the static URL of each of these clear GIFs (also known as the standard ad request within DFP).

3. Export the click command for each clear GIF.

4. Send the following information/data to snap2eyes:
a. 3 banner images, each between 12KB to 20KB in size, depending on the dimensions of the Tristitial to be created, which banners should each ideally conform to IAB size guidelines;
b. a set of 3 click-through tag names applicable to DoubleClick or to the rich media code that is used in conjunction with DFP. For example, clickTAG1, clickTAG2, and clickTAG3;
c. 3 click commands (1 for each preloaded clear GIF) to be used as a default click-through URL;
d. 1 standard ad request for each of the preloaded clear GIFs;
e. optional 3 standard ad requests for the 3 preloaded Flash creatives to be downloaded at run-time (in case of an Enhanced Tristitial).
f. the order in which the 3 banners should appear and the order in which the standard ad request/click command pair should refer to each banner;

5. Upload the Tristitial supplied by snap2eyes in DFP .

6. Modify the Rich Media source code used to serve the particular Tristitial so that it supports 3 click-through tags (by adding the following query string to the SWF file request: ?clickTAG1=[click command 1]&clickTAG2=[click command 2]&clickTAG3=[click command 3].

Note: apply these changes to both and tags in order to support both Internet Explorer and Firefox.

Validate the functionality of the deployed Tristitial.

* You should not include multiple advertisers within a Tristitial unless clearly agreed to do so with the advertisers. Using Tristitials is not a way to triple your ad impressions and ad inventory.

Trafficking 101: How to Traffic Flashtalking Ads in DoubleClick DFP

Otilia Otlacan — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:13:38 +0000

Although using Flashtalking tags in DART for Publishers (DFP) is not yet documented in DoubleClick’s knowledge base, they’re nothing too difficult to work with and pose little to no issues.

The agency or the advertiser using Flashtalking will be giving you an URL with a structure similar to this:

www.flashtalking.net/tag/xxxx/xx/?AgencyName/AdvertiserName/CampaignName/
PublisherName/AdName/AdSize

To traffic such ads in DoubleClick DFP, follow these steps:

1. Open the URL described above in a browser window;

2. Amend the script to count clicks on your end if you wish to, and don’t forget to update it;

3. Copy the tag to your clipboard (click the button, or select and copy the tag manually);

4. Traffic in DFP as Custom Rich Media ads, as you would do with any JavaScript code, for example;

5. You don’t need to edit the code in any way, as Flashtalking ads are auto cachebusting and don’t require a random number or a timestamp.

A sample Flashtalking code ready to be trafficked in DFP would look like this:

If you have any questions at all in regard to using Flashtalking tags / code, you can contact Paul Cunningham at paul.cunningham @ flashtalking.com or call +44 (0)20 7637 2213. Additionally, if you are new to Flashtalking, check out www.flashtalking.com – these guys know rich media!

Trafficking 101: How to Traffic Bluestreak Tags in DoubleClick DFP

Otilia Otlacan — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 11:58:10 +0000

Bluestreak ad tags can be trafficked in DoubleClick DFP (DART for Publishers) very easily. The only aspect you need to be looking after is amending the ad code to ensure clicks are counted correctly and possible discrepancies are reduced.

Bluestreak ad tags usually come as SCRIPT SRC with a backup NOSCRIPT section. These are then trafficked in DoubleClick DFP as Rich Media creatives. You will then need to add the %n and %c macros to minimize caching and ensure clicks are counted correctly.

Your initial Bluestreak ad code may look like:

As you may have guessed already, Insert_Time_Stamp_Here this should be replaced with %n and Insert_Click_Track_URL_Here this should be replaced with %c – the good folks at Bluestreak make this really easy.

Your new Bluestreak ad code, ready to be trafficked in DFP should then look like:

Regardless of the complexity of the ad tags you may receive through Bluestreak, the placeholders for the macros will always be clearly marked – they’re really the easiest tags to work with!

Trafficking 101: How To Traffic Atlas DMT Tags in DoubleClick DFP

Otilia Otlacan — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 10:17:50 +0000

When you receive Atlas DMT tags to be trafficked in DFP, chances are that they will be in one of the following three different formats:

- simple redirects for image and click only
To traffic these in DART, treat them as Redirect creatives.

- IFRAME tags for Rich Media creatives.
To traffic these, treat them as Rich Media creatives.

- SCRIPT tags for Rich Media creatives.
To traffic these, treat them as Rich Media creatives.

Still, there are a few aspects to look after: adding cachebusting (%n) and ensuring that DFP will correctly counts the clicks (%c).

Simple Redirect tags

The look and format of such tags will be something along the lines of:

View URL = http://view.atdmt.com/HRV/view/mnysptpf01234567hrv/direct/01/
Click URL = http://click.atdmt.com/HRV/go/mnysptpf01234567hrv/direct/01/

Cachebusting: add %n to the end of each of the tags, then traffic as a Redirect creative, using View URL as the Image Redirect and Click URL as the click through.
Click counting: is not needed for a Redirect creative.

The tags to be trafficked will be:

View URL = http://view.atdmt.com/HRV/view/mnysptpf01234567hrv/direct/01/%n Click URL = http://click.atdmt.com/HRV/go/mnysptpf01234567hrv/direct/01/%n

IFRAME tags

If your tags are IFRAME tags, they will look like the example below:

These tags will be trafficked in DFP as Rich Media creatives:
- copy and paste the tags into a Rich Media creative;
- add %n for cache busting, on all URLs, right after /01/
- add %c to count clicks, at the very end, after click= , and in front of the A HREF URL.

The new tags will become:

SCRIPT tags

There are 2 types of script tags, please refer to the examples below.

SCRIPT tag version 1:

New SCRIPT tag version 1:

Script tag version 2:

Additionally, you may want to take a look at the trafficking instructions provided by Atlas whenever the tags are generated and sent. The following is an excerpt that Atlas normally includes in the tag generation message:

‘The redirects are unique for each placement. Please note that you must use our redirects for both the image and the click.

Atlas DMT recommends that cache-busting tags (a time/date stamp or random number generating tag to defeat proxy caching) be applied to these redirects. Please ensure that this tag does not include a question mark (“?”) character; this character can cause problems for sites using Active Server Pages.

Please test these code fragments before entering them into your system. If you do not see an image during your test, it is possible that the ad serving scheduler has not updated yet. The scheduler update occurs every 30 minutes. Please test your redirects at least 30 minutes after you have assigned ads to placements.

It is no longer necessary to encode the :// in http:// before all url strings.’

Note: for some strange reason, the DoubleClick DFP help center does not return any result if you look up ‘Atlas tags’. The keyword to use if you wish to dig for more information is ‘adtmt‘ – this will pull whatever knowledge base entries are available on Atlas.

Trafficking 101: How to Traffic Google AdSense ads in DoubleClick DFP

Otilia Otlacan — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 09:34:08 +0000

Trafficking Google ads (through Google’s AdSense program) is not the most straightforward thing to do, regardless if you use Google ads for your remnant inventory or as normal priority ads.

The lack of integration between DoubleClick and Google, which I briefly touched in a previous post, makes trafficking Google ads a little difficult but not impossible. As you probably know already, Google ads are served through an iframe with a JavaScript code. In order to traffick such ads, you will need to think of them as rich media ads and proceed accordingly:

- create a new order (for your in-house advertiser, for example);

- create, one by one, ads for each format and/or AdSense channel you will be using;

- set delivery to ‘time-based bulk’ and priority to ‘default’, which would be the appropriate one in most cases of remnant inventory;

- assign a rich media creative, where you have copied the JavaScript ad code generated from the AdSense account, not forgetting to remove the bits (these will prevent correct execution if left in the code).

Of course, you would first need to think of the structure and different channels you would like to use in order to distinguish between different content categories and ad slots, and create them in the AdSense account. After you generate the ad code and adapt it to be trafficked in DFP, it should look like this:

In case you are using the ‘allowed sites’ feature in your AdSense account (you should, really), do not forget to ad dfp.doubleclick.com in the list.

If your experience differ or have any suggestions to share, please leave a comment – discussions are always welcome.

Ad Operations Online » How-To’s

Trafficking 101: How to Create Companion Ads Without Using ptile in DoubleClick DFP

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