Show ads across the web on exchanges such as Google, AppNexus, AOL, Yahoo, and Taboola. Web ads are static (set image with set copy) and include image ads, native ads, rich media ads (HTML5), video ads, and third-party ads. At the least, you should have the top six web ad sizes and a native ad size to help you get in front of both new and existing shoppers.
Image Ads
Image ads are the most common type of display ad. They consist of a single file, minimal animation, and one landing page. Image ads have a background graphic, a business logo, and a call-to-action. We recommend these as an essential part of every campaign.
Recommended Sizes
We recommend that you have the six most popular ad sizes, at minimum. The more ad sizes you upload, the more inventory we can buy for you.
| Medium Rectangle: 300×250 | Leaderboard: 728×90 |
| Wide Skyscraper: 160×600 | Half Page: 300x600 |
| Billboard: 970x250 | Mobile Leaderboard: 320×50 |
Additional Sizes
| Banner: 468×60 | Skyscraper: 120×600 |
| Small Rectangle: 180×150 | Large Rectangle: 336×280 |
| Square: 250×250 | Rectangular Button: 180x60 |
| Mid Square: 200×200 |
Examples
Medium rectangle Leaderboard Wide skyscraper
Large rectangle Billboard Mobile leaderboard
Format Guidelines
| Supported File Types | JPG, PNG, and GIF (up to 30 seconds, 15-20 fps, no looping) |
| File Size | Up to 150KB |
| Destination URL (Includes UTM Parameters) | Up to 1,024 characters, no redirecting URLs, URLs can't direct to a payment processor (e.g. PayPal) or video (e.g. YouTube), macros permitted. |
Native Ads
Native ads appear as a part of the design of the web page they’re on. Rather than standing out as an ad, native ads tend to have an editorial look and feel, with a softer selling approach. For example, they can appear as recommended content on news sites. These ads have a 9% higher lift for brand affinity and a 18% higher purchase intent compared to regular banner ads. We recommend supplementing your image ads with Native ads.
Example
Sizes
| 600x600 |
| 600x315 |
| 600x500 |
Format Guidelines
| Supported File Types | JPG, PNG, GIF |
| File Size | Up to 150KB |
| Destination URL (Includes UTM Parameters) | Up to 1,024 characters, no redirecting URLs, URLs can't direct to a payment processor (e.g. PayPal) or video (e.g. YouTube), macros permitted. |
| Title | Up to 60 characters |
| Description | Up to 140 characters. |
| Brand name | Up to 30 characters |
| Call to Action | Choose from a list of 12 CTAs |
Additional Considerations
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Publishers have editorial discretion for native ads on their websites. They can choose to resize your images or hide/truncate your descriptions to ensure consistency with their website.
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Third-party ad tags are not supported.
Rich Media Ads
Rich media ads include advanced features like animations, audio, or other elements that encourage viewers to interact and engage with content. They’re typically formatted with HTML5, which allows developers to add animations directly into the source code of a page. They are also often referred to as HTML5 ads.
These ads are like mini web pages and contain multiple files types that can combine HTML, Javascript, CSS, Web Fonts, shared javascript libraries, SVG, WebGL, and other standard assets, such as images. This eliminates the need for plugins like Flash.
Note: Flash is no longer supported by AdRoll or any of its partners.
Zip File Guidelines
Each HTML5 ad must be its own zip file that contains all code and assets (including public, commonly used JavaScript libraries). It must contain all files referenced from the HTML document:
- Root of the folder should be a single, well-structured, and complete HTML document
- The ad must be loadable into an iFrame (when being served)
- Supported Shared Libraries: Adobe Edge, CreateJS (Easeljs, Movieclip, TweenJS, SoundJS, and PreloadJS), JQuery, Angular JS, Tumult Hype, Swiffy, GSAP (TweenLite, CSSPlugin, and EasePack)
Links must reference file locations
Assets must be loaded securely (using https)
Code references to external domains are not permitted (no cross-domain scripting)
Local storage or session storage libraries are not permitted
Technical Requirements
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Use the <!DOCTYPE html>, <html>, and <body> tags.
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<meta> tags must be used to identify the size of an ad:
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<meta name="ad.size" content= "width=300, height=250">
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Declare a clickTag variable. ClickTag is a click-through URL: a shortcut to set the click-through URL in the platform.
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<script type="text/javascript">
// Change the value of this string to your URL
var clickTag = "https://www.adroll.com";
</script> -
This must be passed as a parameter to any window.open event in the ad code.
<div id="clickArea" style="width: 300px; height: 250px" onclick="window.open(clickTag ,'_blank');">
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Create Rich Media Ads
To create these ads, we recommend working with a developer. If you don’t have a developer, here are a few helpful tools to create ads yourself. When the ads are ready, test them, then reach out to the AdRoll Customer Support team (or your Account Manager) to upload them.
Third-Party Ad Tags
We don’t recommend using third-party ads, because they aren’t compatible across the majority of inventory sources we offer (including Facebook and Native), and you won’t be able to take advantage of any of our future offerings around creative optimization.
A third-party ad is a snippet of JavaScript code generated from a third-party ad server in the form of an ad tag (also known as a third party ad tag). The ad tag is a digital container that allows that ads to be displayed. AdRoll collects the ad tag from you and displays the ads you’ve created from a third party. With third-party ads, there is no need to update ads in your campaigns. Any ad change on the third-party ad server will reflect on the single ad tag.
Recommended Sizes
We recommend that you have the six most popular ad sizes, at minimum. The more ad sizes you upload, the more inventory we can buy for you.
| Medium Rectangle: 300×250 | Leaderboard: 728×90 |
| Wide Skyscraper: 160×600 | Half Page: 300x600 |
| Billboard: 970x250 | Mobile Leaderboard: 320×50 |
Additional Sizes
| Banner: 468×60 | Skyscraper: 120×600 |
| Small Rectangle: 180×150 | Large Rectangle: 336×280 |
| Square: 250×250 | Rectangular Button: 180x60 |
| Mid Square: 200×200 |
Note: This ad format is only available for static web ad placements. This ad format is not permitted to be used on social or native ad inventory.
Format Guidelines
| Supported File Types | JPG and PNG (non-animated), GIF (up to 30 seconds, 15-20 fps, no looping) |
| File Size | Up to 150KB |
| Destination URL (includes UTM Parameters) | URLs cannot lead directly to a payment processor (e.g. PayPal) or video (e.g. YouTube). |
| Security | All ads must be Secure Socket Layer (SSL) compliant. This means that all URLs contained in third party ad tag code snippets must use HTTPS. This is also applicable for all additional URLs that are loaded via redirects. |
Supported Vendors and Tag Types
| JavaScript | xd, AdForm, AdTech, Bannerflow, EyeReturn, Facilitate Digital, Flashtalking, Mediamind/Sizmek, SiteScout, Speedshift, Spongecell |
| iFrame | Netmining, OpenX, Zedo |
| iFrame OR Javascript | Atlas, Doubleclick, MediaPlex, PointRoll |
Don’t see your vendor listed? Reach out to your Account Manager or the Customer Support team for help.
Create Third-Party Ads
AdRoll does not create third party ad tags but here are instructions on how to upload your third party ad tag.