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Publisher Verification Implementation Guide

Jul 11, 2024

Publisher Verification uses a monitoring pixel to interact with the browser at the time of ad delivery. The pixel collects verification and viewability signals, which feed into rating models powered by IAS's technology. These models power the viewability, invalid traffic detection, and brand safety metrics available in the Integral Platform.

IAS's Publisher Verification solution works across desktop and mobile web display, mobile app display, and desktop video.

Publisher Verification Pixel - Google Ad Manager

IAS's Publisher Verification solution natively integrates with Ad Manager. The Publisher Verification Pixel is served via a JavaScript tag that loads asynchronously to avoid blocking either the loading of the publisher's content or the ad creative.

IAS uses several Ad Manager macros to automatically pull information such as the ad unit, line item, and order that's being served for each ad so that information is available in IAS reports. IAS's Publisher Verification pixel works in all Ad Manager tag types: Google Publisher Tags (GPT) or legacy DART, synchronous or asynchronous, JavaScript or iframe.

Display Tags Specification

Example of the specification for display tags (desktop web, mobile web, and mobile app):

<script id='ias-%%CACHEBUSTER%%'>
(function() {
var iasScriptUrl, hiddenFrame, hiddenDoc, where, domain;

    iasScriptUrl = '//pixel.adsafeprotected.com/jload?anId=[ClientID]&campId=%%WIDTH%%x%%HEIGHT%%&pubId=%eadv!&chanId=%epid!&placementId=%eaid!&pubCreative=%ecid!&pubOrder=%ebuy!&custom=[OPTIONAL]&custom2=[OPTIONAL]&custom3=[OPTIONAL]';

hiddenFrame = document.createElement('iframe');
(hiddenFrame.frameElement || hiddenFrame).style.cssText
= "width: 0; height: 0; border: 0; display: none;";
hiddenFrame.src = 'javascript:false';
where = document.getElementById('ias-%%CACHEBUSTER%%');
where.parentNode.insertBefore(hiddenFrame, where);
try {
hiddenDoc = hiddenFrame.contentWindow.document;
} catch (e) {
domain = document.domain;
hiddenFrame.src = "javascript:var d=document.open();d.domain='" + domain + "';void(0);";
hiddenDoc = hiddenFrame.contentWindow.document;
}
hiddenDoc.open().write('<body onload="'
+ 'window.__IntegralASUseFIF = true;'
+ 'var js = document.createElement(\'script\');'
+ 'js.src = \''
+ iasScriptUrl + '\';'
+ 'document.body.appendChild(js);">');
hiddenDoc.close();
})();
</script>

Video Wrapper Specification

Here is an example of the specification for video wrapper (desktop and mobile web):

https://vast.adsafeprotected.com/vast?anId=[ClientID]&pubId=%eadv!&chanId=%epid!&placementId=%eaid!&pubCreative=%ecid!&pubOrder=%ebuy!&cb=%%CACHEBUSTER%%&custom=[OPTIONAL]&custom2=[OPTIONAL]custom3=[OPTIONAL]&originalVast=INSERT_VAST_URL

Macro	Description
anId	Client ID assigned and provided by IAS Professional Services during implementation
campId	The size of the trafficked creative in the ad server (for example, "728x90" or "300x250")
pubId	An identifier for the advertiser that purchased the current ad
chanId	An identifier for the served ad unit
placementId	An identifier for the line item / flight for the current ad
pubCreative	An identifier for the creative served for the current ad
pubOrder	An identifier for the order / campaign for the current ad
custom / custom2 / custom3	Optional key/value pairs to track in IAS reports; these are often replaced with Ad Manager pattern macros such as %%PATTERN:pos%%, %%PATTERN:trafficSource%%, etc. Omit the parameter if it is not used. Use these for things that have <= 200 unique values, so no IP addresses, user Ids, zip codes, etc.
originalVast	URL pointing to the advertiser's VAST resource
ias_xappb	Use this macro to receive rendered / on screen CTV app-level metrics. Pass IAS the app macro in this parameter in your CTV pixels.

Mobile App Video

Note: Mobile app video requires AVID and OMID nodes in the tag and doesn't require the video wrapper.

<Extensions>
<Extensiontype="AdVerifications">
<AdVerifications>
<Verificationvendor="company.com-omid">
<JavaScriptResourceapiFramework="omid"browserOptional="true">
<![CDATA[ https://company.com/omid.js]]>
</JavaScriptResource>
</Verification>
</AdVerifications>
</Extension>
</Extensions>

Verification Configuration Field	Description	IAS Specific Notes
VendorKey	The key that the vendor acquires from the IAB. The vendor provides this during configuration.	integralads.com
JavaScriptResource	URI Location of the vendor's OM SDK script (should be prefixed with protocol)	Add the IAS Campaign Monitoring (CM) display pixel
VerificationParameters / URL Parameters	A free text string of data that needs to be passed to the verification node in the OM SDK. The structure of the string is specific to the vendor's implementation (some could be ordinal based, while others are key-value based).	Ignored/not required
Rejection tracker URL	The URL that should be pinged if the verification script cannot be run	Ignored/not required

Note: For mobile app, you can assign a viewability provider to an Ad Manager line item. See the Ad Manager help website for implementation instructions.

Inside Ad Manager, the IAS Publisher Verification Pixel is trafficked either by:

Using creative wrappers to automatically include the pixel on all or a subset of inventory.
Pasting the pixel at the bottom of a third party or custom creative that's already trafficked.

Note: Google Ad Manager Small Business does not support creative wrappers at this time. Publishers using Ad Manager Small Business can either paste the IAS Publisher Verification Pixel at the bottom of each creative manually, or set up a creative template that includes the IAS Publisher Verification Pixel.

Example Creative Template for an Image

<a href="%%CLICK_URL_UNESC%%%%DEST_URL%%"><img src="%%FILE:image%%" width="%%WIDTH%%" height="%%HEIGHT%%"></a><script src="//pixel.adsafeprotected.com/jload?anId=[ClientId]&campId=%%WIDTH%%x%%HEIGHT%%&pubId=%eadv!&chanId=%epid!&placementId=%eaid!&pubCreative=%ecid!&pubOrder=%ebuy!"></script>

Note: Do not apply more than one creative wrapper with the same wrapping order (other than "No preference") to a given ad unit. This can create conflicts between creative wrappers applied to your whole network and those applied to individual ad units, or between creative wrappers applied to parent and child ad units.

Google Ad Manager API Integration for Reporting

IAS supports connecting to your Ad Manager account to pull in the names of your line items, ad units, and advertisers into IAS reports. To give IAS access to your Ad Manager instance:

1) Click "Admin" > "Global settings" > "Network settings".

2) Ensure that the "API access" switch is on in the Ad Manager Admin section.

3) Click the "Add a service account use" button.

4) On the "New service account user" screen, enter the following information:

Name	Integral Service Account	This name will show up on the "Users" page in Ad Manager
Email	719622553906-armvjd283ahnotp0sajm19dfafus9dd2@developer.gserviceaccount.com	Use this email address
Role	Executive or Custom	If you are using the default, built-in Ad Manager roles, "Executive" is the most limited role applicable to IAS. If you have custom roles, IAS requires the following permissions: View companies and contacts, View ad units, placements, and custom targeting, View all orders and line items.
Teams	All Entities	If your Ad Manager account is configured to use Teams, you should select "All Entities" as the team for the Integral Service Account

Note: Provide your Ad Manager network code (for example, "1234") to your IAS representative.

Publisher Google Ad Exchange

IAS can measure ads served by Google Ad Exchange on a publisher page. In order to set this up:

Replace anId in the script below with your specific anId as a number.
Add the script in the <head> of your parent page (it cannot run from inside an ad), as high up above other scripts as possible so it loads before ads, minimizing discrepancies.

IAS can measure ads served by Google Ad Exchange on a publisher webpage. In order to set this up, add this script to your page with your specific anId as a number.

<script async src="https://static.adsafeprotected.com/iasADX.js" onload="window.__iasADX.start(anId)"></script>

Note: For more details, reach out to your IAS representative.

Xandr AdServer

IAS's Publisher Verification Pixel integrates natively into Open AdStream with the following tag as shown in the specification.

<script id='ias-%%RAND%%'>
(function() {
var iasScriptUrl, hiddenFrame, hiddenDoc, where, domain, page;
page = '%%PAGE%%';
while (page.length > 50) page = page.substring(
0,page.lastIndexOf('/'));
iasScriptUrl = '//pixel.adsafeprotected.com/'
+'jload?anId=%x%%HEIGHT%%&pubId=%%ADV%%&placementId=%%CAMP%%'
+'&pubCreative=%%ADID%%&cb=%%RAND%%&chanId=' + page;
hiddenFrame = document.createElement('iframe');
(hiddenFrame.frameElement || hiddenFrame).style.cssText
= "width: 0; height: 0; border: 0; display: none;";
hiddenFrame.src = 'javascript:false';
where = document.getElementById('ias-%%RAND%%');
where.parentNode.insertBefore(hiddenFrame, where);
try {
hiddenDoc = hiddenFrame.contentWindow.document
} catch (e) {
domain = document.domain;
hiddenFrame.src = "javascript:var d=document.open();d.domain='"
+ domain + "';void(0);";
hiddenDoc = hiddenFrame.contentWindow.document
}
hiddenDoc.open().write('<body onload="'
+ 'window.__IntegralASUseFIF =true;'
+ 'var js = document.createElement(\'script\');'
+ 'js.src = \'' + iasScriptUrl + '\';'
+ 'document.body.appendChild(js);">');
hiddenDoc.close()
})();
</script>

Where:

Macro	Description
anId	Client ID assigned and provided by IAS Professional Services during implementation
campId	The size of the trafficked creative in the ad server (for example, "728x90" or "300x250")
pubId	An identifier for the advertiser that purchased the current ad
chanId	An identifier for the served ad unit
placementId	An identifier for the line item / flight for the current ad
ias_xappb	Use this macro to receive rendered / on screen CTV app-level metrics. Pass IAS the app macro in this parameter in your CTV pixels.

There are two ways to implement this tag, through a third party pixel or a piggyback pixel.

Third Party Pixel Implementation

This method is only for a managed campaign. Third party pixel inventory in Open AdStream is similar to creative wrappers in Ad Manager.

1) Minify the tag within the 1000 character limit.

2) In the top menu bar, click "Network" > "Tools" > "Third-Party Pixels". The "Create New Third-Party Pixel" window appears.

3) Fill in the fields and then click the "Save" button.

Note: In the dropdown menu, you must select the Raw JavaScript for the custom tag and JavaScript logic.

Piggyback Pixel Implementation

Open AdStream can work on an API to plug the iasScriptUrl on all placements. Piggyback pixels in Open AdStream are similar to creative templates in Ad Manager.

Note: You cannot add JavaScript logic since it is a URL and not a script.

1) In the top menu bar, click "Publishers" > "Placement Manager". The "Placement List" window appears.

2) Select a placement and then click the "Full Edit" button. The "Edit Placement" window appears.

3) Select "Piggyback Pixel" on the top-right.

4) In the "Type" dropdown menu, select Javascript. Fill in the fields and then click the "Save" button.

Smart AdServer

IAS's Publisher Verification Pixel integrates natively into the Smart AdServer with the following tag:

<div id="ias-[timestamp]"></div>
<script>
(function() {
var ias = document.createElement('script');ias.src =
'//pixel.adsafeprotected.com/'
+ 'jload?anId=[Client ID]'
+ '&campId=[sas_creativeWidth]x[sas_creativeHeight]'
+ '&pubId=[sas_advertiserId]&chanId=[sas_formatId]'
+ '&placementId=[sas_insertionId]&pubCreative=[sas_creativeId]'
+ '&pubOrder=[sas_campaignId]&custom=[OPTIONAL]'
+ '&custom2=[OPTIONAL]&custom3=[OPTIONAL]';
document.getElementById('ias-[timestamp]')
.parentNode.appendChild(ias);
})();
</script>

Where:

Macro	Description
anId	Client ID assigned and provided by IAS Professional Services during implementation
campId	The size of the trafficked creative in the ad server (for example, "728x90" or "300x250")
pubId	An identifier for the advertiser that purchased the current ad
chanId	An identifier for the served ad unit
placementId	An identifier for the line item / flight for the current ad
pubCreative	An identifier for the creative served for the current ad
pubOrder	An identifier for the order / campaign for the current ad
custom / custom2 / custom3	Key/values to track in IAS reports such as position, traffic source, page type, etc. Omit the parameter if it is not used. Use these for things that have <= 200 unique values, so no IP addresses, user IDs, zip codes, etc.
ias_xappb	Use this macro to receive rendered / on screen CTV app-level metrics. Pass IAS the app macro in this parameter in your CTV pixels.

You can plug this tag on any third party script for any line item. To plug this tag across all the placements, ask your Amazon Transparent Ad Marketplace (Amazon TAM) representative.

Other Ad Servers

The IAS Publisher Verification Pixel also works on other ad servers but requires that publishers insert their ad server's macros in the appropriate places in the IAS JavaScript snippet. The IAS Publisher Verification Pixel should work on all common tag formats, and supports full functionality when embedded directly on a page, in friendly iframe, or in a cross-domain iframe.

The IAS Publisher Verification Pixel as specified below can be used on either HTTP or HTTPS pages.

Display Tags (Desktop and Mobile Web)

Specification for display tags (desktop and mobile web):

<script src="//pixel.adsafeprotected.com/jload?anId=[Client Id]&campId=[Creative Size]&pubId=[Advertiser]&chanId=[AdUnit]&placementId=[LineItem]&pubOrder=[Order]&pubCreative=[Creative]&custom=[Optional]&custom2=[Optional]&custom3=[Optional]">

</script>

Display Tags (Mobile App)

Specification for display tags (mobile app):

<script src='mraid.js'></script><script

src="https://pixel.adsafeprotected.com/jload?anId=[Client Id]&campId=[CreativeSize]&pubId=[Advertiser]&chanId=[Ad Unit]&placementId=[Line Item]&pubOrder=[Order]&pubCreative=[Creative]&custom=[Optional]&custom2=[Optional]&custom3=[Optional]">

</script>

Video Wrapper (Desktop and Mobile Web)

See the specification for video wrapper (desktop and mobile web):

<script src="https://vast.adsafeprotected.com/vast?anId=[ClientID]&pubId=%eadv!&chanId=%epid!&placementId=%eaid!&pubCreative=%ecid!&pubOrder=%ebuy!&cb=%%CACHEBUSTER%%&custom=[OPTIONAL]&custom2=[OPTIONAL]custom3=[OPTIONAL]&originalVast=INSERT_VAST_URL">

</script>

Where:

Macro	Description
anId	Client ID assigned and provided by IAS Professional Services during implementation
campId	The size of the trafficked creative in the ad server (for example, "728x90" or "300x250")
pubId	An identifier for the advertiser that purchased the current ad
chanId	An identifier for the served ad unit
placementId	An identifier for the line item / flight for the current ad
pubOrder	An identifier for the order / campaign for the current ad
pubCreative	An identifier for the creative served for the current ad
custom / custom2 / custom3	Key/values to track in IAS reports such as position, traffic source, page type, etc. Omit the parameter if it is not used. Use these for things that have <= 200 unique values, so no IP addresses, user IDs, zip codes, etc.
ias_xappb	Use this macro to receive rendered / on screen CTV app-level metrics. Pass IAS the app macro in this parameter in your CTV pixels.

Mobile App Video

Note: Mobile app video requires AVID and OMID nodes in the tag and doesn't require the video wrapper.

For example:

<Extensions>
<Extension type="AdVerifications">
<AdVerifications>
<Verification vendor="company.com-omid">
<JavaScriptResource apiFramework="omid" browserOptional="true"><![CDATA[
https://company.com/omid.js ]]></JavaScriptResource>
</Verification>
</AdVerifications>
</Extension>
</Extensions>

ID Attribution Specifications

The following table summarizes the values that clients can populate using the macros available through their ad server. The UI labels are all assigned macro names for the appropriate IAS / UI naming convention. IAS supports up to 40 alphanumeric characters for all client provided ID attributes.

Information Type	Parameter	Appears in UI as	Required?	IAS Specification
Client ID	anId	N/A	Required	anId=Integer
Advertiser ID	pubId	Advertiser	Required	Alphanumeric, 50 character limit. Unique Value Limit = 7500.
Creative Size	campId	Size	Required	Alphanumeric, 50 character limit. Unique Value Limit = 500. Note: You may also substitute other values instead of size that a publisher would like to track, such as "page template type", "traffic source code", etc.
Ad Unit ID	chanId	Ad Unit	Required	Alphanumeric, 50 character limit. Unique Value Limit = 7500.
Line Item / Flight ID	placementId	Line Item	Required	Alphanumeric, 50 character limit. Unique Value Limit = 7500.
Order / Campaign ID	pubOrder	Order	Required	Alphanumeric, 50 character limit
Creative ID	pubCreative	Creative	Required	Alphanumeric, 50 character limit. Unique Value Limit = 7500.
Custom	custom / custom2 / custom3	Custom (configurable); generally key/values passed to the ad server	Optional	Alphanumeric, 50 character limit. Unique Value Limit = 200.
ias_xappb	Use this macro to receive rendered / on screen CTV app-level metrics. Pass IAS the app macro in this parameter in your CTV pixels.

Note: Publishers can assign any ID values up to 50 alphanumeric to these named value pairs. IAS recommends passing all of the optional attributes listed above, however they are not mandatory. If publishers choose not to specify a parameter, remove it rather than pass it with an empty or dummy value.

Native Ad Implementation Overview

IAS introduced a way to properly locate native ads. In order to trigger the native ad logic, you need to do the following:

Use a unique CSS ID selector with the placement.
Append the ias_adpath parameter to IAS's pixel.

Additional information:

This functionality works as expected in direct and friendly iframe scenarios.
This is not supported in cross-domain iframe scenarios.

Step 1 - Use a unique CSS ID selector with the Placement.

You need to make sure the placement has a unique CSS ID selector. This ID selector can be either already on the placement's div or dynamically set at runtime. In both cases, it needs to be on the page before IAS's pixel is placed.

Step 2 - Append the ias_adpath parameter to IAS's pixel.

Once IAS knows the ID, IAS provides it to the pixel:

iasScriptUrl = '//pixel.adsafeprotected.com/jload?anId=[ClientID]&campId=%%WIDTH%%x%%HEIGHT%%&pubId=%eadv!&chanId=%epid!&placementId=%eaid!&pubCreative=%ecid!&pubOrder=%ebuy!&custom=[OPTIONAL]&custom2=[OPTIONAL]&custom3=[OPTIONAL]&ias_adpath=%23our-ad'

This pixel now attempts to find an HTML element with 'our-ad' CSS ID.

<div id='our-ad'></div>

Notice the %23 in the pixel. This is the URL encoded # symbol that you need to include.

Note: Adding the param in the following way does not work:

ias_adpath=our-ad

You need to add %23 here. For example: ias_adpath=%23our-ad

Using the Native Ad Solution with HTML5 Ads

The IAS pixel expects to be in the same container as the ad creative. With native ad support, you can specify another ID in a separate container to track the ad.

Using the Native Ad mechanism, IAS can point to a specific div inside the HTML5 structure.

CTV Implementation

Pixels

Publishers traffic these five pixels with the ANID specific to the client and whichever macros they want that are specific to their ad server.

Impression:

https://video.adsafeprotected.com/vevent/impression?xsId=[IMPRESSION_MACRO]&anId=[YOUR_ANID]&pubId=[ADVERTISER_MACRO]&chanId=[AD_UNIT_MACRO]&placementId=[PLACEMENT_MACRO]&pubCreative=[CREATIVE_MACRO]&pubOrder=[CAMPAIGN_MACRO]&campId=[AD_SIZE_MACRO]

First Quartile:

https://video.adsafeprotected.com/vevent/firstQuartile?xsId=[IMPRESSION_MACRO]&anId=[YOUR_ANID]&pubId=[ADVERTISER_MACRO]&chanId=[AD_UNIT_MACRO]&placementId=[PLACEMENT_MACRO]&pubCreative=[CREATIVE_MACRO]&pubOrder=[CAMPAIGN_MACRO]&campId=[AD_SIZE_MACRO]&ias_xappb=[APP_MACRO]

Second Quartile:

https://video.adsafeprotected.com/vevent/midpoint?xsId=[IMPRESSION_MACRO]&anId=[YOUR_ANID]&pubId=[ADVERTISER_MACRO]&chanId=[AD_UNIT_MACRO]&placementId=[PLACEMENT_MACRO]&pubCreative=[CREATIVE_MACRO]&pubOrder=[CAMPAIGN_MACRO]&campId=[AD_SIZE_MACRO]&ias_xappb=[APP_MACRO]

Third Quartile:

https://video.adsafeprotected.com/vevent/thirdQuartile?xsId=[IMPRESSION_MACRO]&anId=[YOUR_ANID]&pubId=[ADVERTISER_MACRO]&chanId=[AD_UNIT_MACRO]&placementId=[PLACEMENT_MACRO]&pubCreative=[CREATIVE_MACRO]&pubOrder=[CAMPAIGN_MACRO]&campId=[AD_SIZE_MACRO]&ias_xappb=[APP_MACRO]

Fourth Quartile/Complete:

https://video.adsafeprotected.com/vevent/complete?xsId=[IMPRESSION_MACRO]&anId=[YOUR_ANID]&pubId=[ADVERTISER_MACRO]&chanId=[AD_UNIT_MACRO]&placementId=[PLACEMENT_MACRO]&pubCreative=[CREATIVE_MACRO]&pubOrder=[CAMPAIGN_MACRO]&campId=[AD_SIZE_MACRO]&ias_xappb=[APP_MACRO]

Implementation

FreeWheel

Publishers can either traffic these pixels in the ad server or they can work with their FreeWheel Solutions Engineer to append the pixels in the backend via the Always On configuration.

Google Ad Manager

Publishers can either traffic these pixels in the ad server or they can use the bulk ad unit tracking feature within GAM.

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