Dynamic Ads Glossary

Term	Description
A/B test	A creative A/B test is a method of comparing two versions of a set of ads to determine which design drives better performance. Only one design element should be modified per test. For example, a red CTA button vs. a green CTA button.
Alt image	An additional image that can be included per product in the product feed when provided, such as multiple views of a product (front, back, etc.).
Backup static image (fallback static)	A static impression that shows in the unlikely event that the dynamic ad does not load, typically due to network timeout or related errors.
BG	Refers to the file used as an ad's background. Note: file extension is “.png”
Crop	Refers to removing outer parts of an image or video to improve framing, or change aspect ratio.
Design code	Naming convention designers use to label ads. When editing an ad name, don't modify this portion of the ad name. Example: Q1C1BD = Quarter 1, Campaign 1, Base Design.
Dynamic ad	An ad with dynamically-populated product recommendations and corresponding product attributes. Product attributes are typically image or text (title, price) pulled dynamically from a feed. For other ad types, see Static and Non-dynamic.
Ease	Slowing or speeding up the motion of an animated object.
Flyover	A static image that shows periodically, covering the dynamic ad. Can be animated with different effects.
Font or typeface	The style(s) of text in an ad; Google fonts are prefered for best performance. Custom fonts hosted by AdRoll are reserved for clients spending $20k+. Common file types include .otf and .ttf.
Gradient	A gradual change or blending of color or transparency.
Hex code (#)	A six-digit number used in HTML, CSS, and design software applications to denote color.
Hierarchy	Part of a designers job involves helping clients organize and prioritize information using color, size, placement and negative space to draw attention to what's important, such as Promo copy or CTA buttons. This is referred to as visual hierarchy.
Instance	Fields included in a product feed, for example title, price, sale_price, or category. Must be present in creative file to appear in ads.
Layout	Refers to the general composition of an ad.
Non-dynamic ad	HTML5 ad without dynamically-populated product recommendations with product attributes pulled from a product feed. Can contain either animation or fixed content (images or text).
Opacity	The more transparent an image, the lower its opacity. (0% = fully transparent, 100% = solid)
Overlay	When a solid color is laid over an image as a hover effect. Can either completely obscure elements underneath or partially reveal elements through transparency. See also: Opacity
Pixels	The square-shaped dots that make up a digital raster image. The more pixels an image has, the higher its resolution. See also: Raster
PNG	Abbreviation for “Portable Network Graphic.” PNGs are the most widely used lossless image compression format on the Internet. They also support transparency (“.png” is the file extension). See also: Raster
Preloader image	Static image that is shown prior to loading dynamic product recommendations. Time shown can be adjusted by the designer. Most commonly the Failsafe/Static Backup image is used, however this isn't the only use case.
PSD	Common abbreviation for a document created in Adobe Photoshop, a raster-based editing software (“.psd” is the file extension).
Raster	A raster graphic, such as a .png, .gif, or .jpeg, is an array of pixels of various colors, which together form an image. See also: Png, Pixels, Photoshop
Stage	Refers to the dimensions of each individual ad. For example, 160x600 is the "stage" area of a wide skyscraper ad.
Static ad	Static ads are flattened images that don't utilize dynamic product recommendations and don't animate.
Static mocks	Static mocks aren't animated, but are a useful demonstration of a design concept for your brand. They're delivered as a PDF document.
Vector	Infinitely scalable graphic used to produce highest quality results. Most commonly produced in Adobe Illustrator (files types may include: .ai, .svg, .eps).
Video preloader	Video that shows before the ad turns dynamic. Audio isn't supported, and text should not be included in raw video assets. Recommended run time is less than 10 seconds.

Articles in this section