If you get far enough down the digital advertising rabbit hole, you’re going to run into the term, VAST. A VAST tag is a piece of code that allows you to serve video ads through an ad server. This code can be used for both display and video ads, and it can be used to track ad views, clicks, and other important engagement metrics. These tags can also be used to target specific audiences with specific video content on different video players. VAST can be used to customize the user experience by controlling the placement and timing of video ads as well. In this post, we’ll go over how VAST tags work, how to implement them, how to preview and test them and resources you can go to for help.
How do VAST work?
A VAST tag is an XML file that serves as a container for ad creatives from an ad server to a video player. This allows you to specify the type of ads you want to display, as well as other important information such as delivery method and frequency (XML which stands for eXtensible Markup Language).
A VAST tag is served through an ad server, which allows you to track impressions, clicks, and other data. These tags can be used with a variety of video players, including popular web browsers and mobile apps. They provide a way to deliver advertising content in a format that is compatible with most video players.
How do you implement and preview a VAST tag?
You can implement a VAST tag on your website or app by following the instructions on the IAB website or your ad platform’s help center. Once you have implemented the tag, you will need to test it to ensure that it is working properly. You can use tools like the Google video suite inspector and Previewads.com to preview and test your VAST tags. If you are having trouble implementing a tag, you can contact your ad network or the IAB for assistance. For additional information, check out this introduction on how a VAST tag works: