The post How peakVU.TV leverages broadpeak.io to comply with blackout programmers’ requirements appeared first on broadpeak.io.
]]>One of the early application requirements for U.S. ISPs was to enable blackouts for linear channels with live sports content such as ESPN and CNBC.
Additional ISP requirements included the ability to leverage an application service rather than building a service. The peakVU.TV team wanted to avoid carrying out lengthy integration and testing of individual functions.
Because of very tight timelines, one of the most important objectives was to find a SaaS with the capability to quickly evaluate the target workflow in its own ecosystem (i.e., including the ESNI metadata provider and the service platform partner providing the OTT client application).
The first task was to create a tenant on the broadpeak.io SaaS. With the self-service capability, this step was straightforward.
The peakVU.TV devops team could instantly create demo sources and services in their account even before creating test resources. Those default resources also helped the team quickly understand core capabilities in terms of content occultation and content replacement (e.g., default vs. slot based).
Additionally, the preview video page in the web app was handy during the preliminary stage when the team was building the service (which did not include building the app itself).
One of the key integration questions the peakVU.TV devops team had is whether the broadpeak.io platform can handle the audience category needed.
The ESNI metadata provider (ecosystem partner) requested all audiences were based upon zip codes. Although some content providers use other categories (i.e., DMA), zip code was the reference audience category chosen to normalize exchanged metadata.
The Knowledge Center key concept section offers an answer, but we had to verify it with at least one sample slot on one test service.
The key resources they needed were the API key required to authenticate our call and the SCTE 224 ESNI API endpoint URL. Luckily, both were highlighted in the web app.
After that, with the use of a tool like the Postman API platform, peakVU.TV confirmed that everything was working by using the following sample slot creation call with a single zip audience and a specific alternate source for content replacement.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Media href="ESPN_Deportes">
<MediaPoint id="/program/sid_19" matchTime="2021-08-18T16:15:57Z" expectedDuration="PT3H">
<Apply>
<Policy id="policy/sid_19">
<ViewingPolicy id="viewingpolicy/sid_19">
<Audience id="arlington">
<audience:zip>22207</audience:zip>
</Audience>
<action:Content>ESPN_Alt_1</action:Content>
</ViewingPolicy>
</Policy>
</Apply>
</MediaPoint>
</Media>
peakVU.TV could simply verify the expected behavior with the different test query parameters coming from the end-user client request.
They then extended their test cases to ensure all key use cases would be addressed, including DASH as specified by DASH IF; Apple HLS for iOS devices; behaviors before, during, and after blackout slots; end-user client requests with zip codes matching and not matching the defined audience; slots starting in the future; slots starting in the past and ending in the future; and late slots.
The next step was to scale the full linear channel lineup in an automated way and to perform end-to-end validation with broadpeak.io blackout services directly integrated with the peakVU.TV production streaming services.
In the end, although the platform was built from scratch, it took the peakVU.TV team very little time to reach the point where they knew it would fulfill our functional needs.
At one point, their ISP customers wanted to clarify whether policy IDs and viewing policy IDs were mandatory or not in API calls. They reached out to broadpeak.io Customer Success and received reactive support both through the embedded online chat and directly via one-on-one phone calls.
Today, integration has been completed and blackout services are in production. Leading American ISPs have also integrated the broadpeak.io status in their overall monitoring service, subscribing to any updates.
The diagram below shows the overall timeline of the integration of broadpeak.io into peakVU.TV.
Finally, peakVU.TV have noticed that other monetizing applications, such as targeted ads, will soon be supported and hence plan to use those apps soon.
Photo by Maxim Hopman on Unsplash
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]]>The post Understanding CPM in the Streaming and Connected TV (CTV) world: A Comprehensive Guide. appeared first on broadpeak.io.
]]>One critical metric that stands out in the AdTech world is Cost Per Mille (CPM1), an acronym deeply rooted in advertising history and universally used in the Streaming / CTV landscape as a base for any business model.
This blog post explains CPM and how it applies to the TV industry, traces its historical roots, and explores beyond its existence.
CPM, or Cost Per Mille, describes the cost an advertiser pays for a thousand impressions (views) of their advertisement. In the context of Streaming and CTV, which encompasses internet-enabled televisions and streaming devices, CPM becomes a crucial metric for advertisers aiming to gauge the effectiveness and cost-efficiency of their campaigns on these platforms.
It represents the number of times a video player has displayed an advertisement.
But let us start from the beginning. The term “CPM” originated in traditional print media advertising, a concept that transitioned into radio and television. It was a way to standardize the cost of ads across different mediums, regardless of their audience size. With the advent of digital media, CPM found new ground, adapting to the needs of online advertisers, and eventually becoming a staple in CTV advertising.
The term “Cost Per Mille” (CPM) is often thought to have roots in French, given the prominence of French in the history of advertising and media (but it is probably more coming from the Latin word, not the French one, but as a French myself, I can dream, right ?). Indeed, “mille” means “thousand”.
Its usage in advertising started probably in the mid-20th century. Its exact origin date is difficult to pinpoint. Still, it emerged as a standard advertising metric, particularly in the context of traditional media, such as print and television, before the advent of the digital age.
CPM became a crucial advertising metric to standardize the costs of ads across different media platforms. It provided a way to compare the cost-effectiveness of other advertising mediums by quantifying how much an advertiser would pay for one thousand views of their ad.
Before getting too serious, I was looking at stories around the CPM. I came across one of the CPM model’s most creative and unconventional uses.
“The Million Dollar Homepage,” created in 2005 by British student Alex Tew, is a prime example of the creative use of the Cost Per Thousand Impressions (CPM) model in advertising. Designed to fund Tew’s university education, the website offered a million pixels for sale at $1 each, in blocks of one hundred pixels, for advertisers to display their ads or logos. This unique approach effectively priced the ad space at $1,000 per 10,000 pixels, mirroring the CPM model’s rate of $100 per 1,000 impressions.
In my mind, this story underscores not just the adaptability of the CPM model across different contexts but also how innovative strategies can transform standard advertising practices.
It is essential first to understand who is paying what to whom. The following diagram shows how an advertiser passes by many stops before paying a publisher.
The essential terms to know here are DSP and SSP:
Gross Rating Point (GRP) is the traditional and standard measure used in the broadcasting industry to assess the size of an advertising campaign’s reach. It quantifies the impact of a particular advertisement or campaign by combining two metrics: reach and frequency.
The GRP is calculated by multiplying the reach (expressed as a percentage of the target audience) by frequency.
A GRP of 100, for example, means that the average person in the target audience has been exposed to the advertising campaign once or that 1% of the target audience has seen it a hundred times.
This metric has been crucial for advertisers and broadcasters because it provides a simple yet effective way to gauge the extent of an advertisement’s exposure in each market on TV. Most TV markets are still being sold by cGRP (cost per Gross Rating Point).
We notice that players in the streaming industry are talking less about GRP and more about CPM; why is that?
Well, it is a matter of definition and focus. As we mentioned, GRP measures the reach and frequency of an advertising campaign, concentrating on the breadth of the exposure. Again, it tells advertisers how many people in their target audience might have seen their ad and how often.
CPM, on the other hand, focuses on the cost-efficiency of reaching a thousand viewers or readers.
That being said, the shift towards streaming in the TV industry is the reason for the increasing preference for CPM. Digital platforms offer precise tracking and analytics, allowing advertisers to measure the exact number of impressions an ad receives. This precision makes CPM a more suitable and transparent metric for digital advertising.
Nevertheless, the unification of the data points between GRP and CPM is a hot topic, called Total Video. We may come back to this in a blog post at some point.
There are many ways to look at CPM. Here, you will find the most popular from the buyer’s side.
To calculate CPM in OTT (Over-the-top), divide the total cost of the ad campaign by the total number of impressions, then multiply by 1,000. This calculation helps advertisers in budget allocation and campaign optimization.
In broadpeak.io, we deliver ads with our Dynamic Ad Insertion application (SSAI or Video Stitcher). We apply a CPM based on Ads Inserted in our customers’ content or, sometimes, for our enterprise customers based on the number of Ads Printed.
In the Server-Side Ad Insertion (SSAI) context, understanding the difference between ad insertion’ and ad impression’ is crucial, as they represent distinct stages and aspects of the advertising process.
Ad insertion, particularly in SSAI, refers to integrating advertisements into content. What happens after the insertion does not matter; you count on the video stitcher when you insert and how many times you do it. Whether viewers watch the ads or CDN caches them does not matter.
An ad impression, on the other hand, is a measure of how many times the ad is viewed. In SSAI, an impression is counted when:
In any case, broadpeak.io fires beacons to the ad servers via Server-Side Ad Tracking or Client-Side Ad Tracking, so we always keep track of the impressions, whether you are charged and billed with us on this metric or not. For CSAT, those beacons can be compliant with IAB Open Measurement certification, which gives additional confidence and trust to the reported metrics.
Finally, in summary, ad insertion via SSAI is about counting how many times you integrate ads into streaming content, while ad impressions are about counting and measuring the visibility and reach of these ads to the audience.
While CPM is critical in the Ad Industry, it is one of many metrics. Cost Per Click (CPC) and Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) also play significant roles. CPM is about the reach, CPC focuses on the number of clicks, and CPA revolves around conversions. Savvy advertisers often balance these metrics for a comprehensive campaign strategy.
In summary, CPC and CPA are essential metrics in digital advertising, each serving a distinct purpose. CPC is necessary for measuring and optimizing engagement and traffic, while CPA is crucial for understanding and improving the effectiveness of ads in driving conversions.
You can apply the CPC and CPA concepts to the CPM methodology as soon as you understand them. Consequently, actors in the industry created the eCPM2 (effective cost per mille).
Unlike the traditional CPM, which calculates the cost per thousand ad impressions, eCPM considers the actual revenue generated per thousand impressions. This metric is particularly valuable in environments where advertising costs are not solely based on impressions but on cost-per-click (CPC) or cost-per-acquisition (CPA) models.
eCPM is calculated by dividing the earnings from an ad campaign by the total number of impressions, then multiplying by 1,000.
This calculation gives advertisers and publishers a more comprehensive view of their ad campaign’s efficiency, enabling them to compare the effectiveness of different advertising strategies on an apples-to-apples basis.
This methodology is what is called the Ad Performance model. That model emphasizes paying only for clicks that hold real value instead of traditional ad impressions. This approach operates under the principle of ‘no loss, but no guaranteed gain,’ making it a particularly suitable model for small businesses. These businesses often need more predefined advertising budgets and dedicated purchasing departments, making traditional ad-buying methods less feasible.
In this context, Google’s role in advertising is analogous to what digital technology has been to photography. Just as digital photography eliminated the need for film development, Google’s advertising model obviates the need to negotiate ad budgets. It democratizes the advertising process, allowing even small players to participate effectively without the conventional entry barriers, like hefty upfront investments and complex budget negotiations. This click-focused model provides a more accessible and performance-oriented advertising avenue, aligning costs directly with tangible results.
Unfortunately, eCPM, CPC, and CPA have been massively overlooked in the streaming industry because television, and by extension streaming, has traditionally emphasized audience advertising over performance advertising, shaping how brands interact with consumers through these mediums. CPC and CPA asked for a feedback loop, but TV never focused on giving them one.
Logically, advertising was about reaching as broad an audience as possible in the TV era, focusing on brand exposure and audience engagement rather than immediate, measurable outcomes like clicks or sales, typical of performance advertising. This approach capitalizes on TV’s broad reach to build brand awareness and loyalty over time. As streaming platforms evolved, they adopted this model, leveraging their capacity for detailed viewer data to offer even more nuanced audience targeting.
While performance advertising, emphasizing direct responses and measurable results, dominates digital platforms like search engines and social media, TV and streaming have remained bastions of audience advertising.
The situation is doomed to change; broadpeak.io will bring Performance Advertising to the main screen ? and get millions more advertisers to the streaming industry: please watch this sneak peek of our Click2 product demo.
Various advanced types of CPM are suitable to understand in the Streaming world.
Understanding these distinctions is crucial for advertisers and publishers in optimizing their strategies and maximizing the efficiency and profitability of their ad campaigns in the Connected TV landscape.
In summary, factors like inventory supply, audience targeting, and market demand influence CPM costs. Inventory sharing in CTV is a collaborative approach to managing and selling ad space, offering benefits like increased inventory, targeted advertising opportunities, and new revenue streams. The model reflects the evolving nature of advertising in the digital streaming landscape, where flexibility and strategic partnerships are vital in maximizing the value of ad spaces.
CPM in Connected TV is a dynamic and evolving metric that continues to shape the landscape of digital advertising. Its historical roots in traditional media have paved the way for its current significance in CTV, where it plays a crucial role in measuring, strategizing, and optimizing ad campaigns. Understanding and effectively utilizing CPM can lead to more successful and cost-efficient advertising efforts in the world of streaming and Connected TV.
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]]>The post Maximizing Ad Impact: The Essential Guide to Dynamic Ad Insertion and Server Side Ad Insertion appeared first on broadpeak.io.
]]>You will likely want to guarantee advertisers that most, if not all, of their ads are seen and that your solution continually finds the best ads to show viewers at any given time.
That’s where Dynamic Ad Insertion (DAI) and Server Side Ad Insertion (SSAI) come in.
When you don’t use DAI, ads are served on a schedule. You send the same ad to every viewer at the same time. If an ad is not doing well with some viewers, no changes can be made to offer other ads during the session. Instead, you have to wait until later to review the results and determine what you want to try to schedule the next time. This cannot be easy to get right, especially since you must find a way to make the ads appealing to anyone instead of a more targeted audience.
DAI is ad technology that allows you to serve dynamic ad content. Using DAI, you can choose the most effective, relevant ads for an audience or a particular device type and even get as granular as serving individual ads to different viewers. DAI inserts ads on the fly, so a benefit is that old content can be monetized with new, relevant ads whenever someone watches. And due to DAI’s ability to personalize content so effectively, advertisers can get the most out of every advertising dollar because they’ll know they’re showing the suitable ads to the right viewers. After the ads are chosen, DAI uses a video stitcher to combine the video content and the ad content into a single stream for the viewer. The video can be stitched together in two ways – using Client Side Ad Insertion (CSAI) or Server Side Ad Insertion (SSAI).
While most discussions highlight DAI’s use in video, it can also be applied to audio, including music streams and podcasts. This part of the market has yet to be focused on as much, but it’s a great opportunity, primarily due to its high growth. According to Basis Technologies, spending on digital audio ads is projected to grow by 44% between 2023 and 2027. In 2023, advertising dollars for digital audio were over $2 billion and are expected to reach nearly $4 billion in 2025. And that’s for the US market alone.
DAI doesn’t just insert ads into content; you can also use it to create pre-rolls for live streams. A pre-roll lets you play an ad or provide other information before the live stream starts.
If you’re familiar with traditional video advertising, then you know the flow goes something like this:
Traditional Static Advertising
For DAI, the flow can be made more dynamic:
While it’s possible to use DAI with CSAI or SSAI, CSAI has the significant drawback of being susceptible to ad blockers. Something CSAI does well is on-the-fly ad contextualisation. However, by combining DAI and SSAI, you get the best of both worlds. You get personalized ads that can be changed in response to viewer behavior. And, when SSAI is the video stitcher, you ensure your ads reach the viewers every time.
When you play ads for viewers, you want to track them to see if they are watched. There are two ways to do this: client-side ad tracking (CSAT) or server-side ad tracking (SSAT). CSAT is traditionally reserved for use with CSAI implementations. However, at broadpeak.io, an SDK called SmartLib is offered that allows you to do CSAT if you want to.
Check out our article for more details on why SSAI is a better choice as a video stitcher than CSAI. When placing ads into video content, DAI built on SSAI and CSAT gives you the most robust, personalized experience.
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]]>The post Unraveling SCTE 104: The Key to Streamlined Broadcasting appeared first on broadpeak.io.
]]>SCTE 104 primarily handles digital program insertion (DPI), including managing advertising slots and coordinating emergency broadcast signals. Its importance in improving the viewer experience and operational effectiveness of broadcasts is significant. This standard is relevant for broadcasting industry professionals, and anyone interested in the technology that powers television and live streams.
Understanding SCTE 104 provides insight into the complex processes involved in broadcasting. This article aims to explore SCTE 104 and explain its role in providing a consistent and high-quality viewing experience.
SCTE 104, or the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers Standard 104, is a cornerstone in digital broadcasting. Originating in the early 2000s (published initially the 24th of December 2004), this standard primarily describes the API between an Automation System and the associated Compression System that will insert SCTE 35 into the outgoing Transport Streams. The injection of the markers must be aligned either by UTC time, VITC (Vertical Interval Time Code), or upon a GPIO (General-Purpose Input/Output) transition (basically, a switch).
At its core, SCTE 104 defines a set of protocols for inserting digital cues into a television program. These cues control various aspects of broadcasting, such as ad insertions, program start times, and content ratings. In simpler terms, SCTE 104 is a conductor orchestrating the seamless transitions on the linear channels.
SCTE 104’s impact on broadcasting is profound. This standard ensures a harmonized approach to managing and switching digital signals. With SCTE 104, broadcasters can dynamically insert commercials, switch to local programming, or even trigger emergency alerts without interrupting the viewing experience.
One real-world application is during live sports events. SCTE 104 cues can trigger instant replays or switch to different camera angles, enhancing the viewer’s experience. This standard facilitates the smooth integration of live feeds, breaking news tickers, and scheduled programming in news broadcasting.
What sets SCTE 104 apart is its ability to provide detailed cue messages, allowing for precise control over the broadcasting process. This level of detail is crucial for live broadcasts, where timing and coordination are critical and must be frame-accurate.
As already explained, it has been used in collaboration with SCTE 35, and SCTE 104 serves as an API for automation systems to interact with compression systems for SCTE 35 message injection.
Few things to consider when you want to start understanding SCTE 104 and how it differentiates with SCTE35:
Integrating SCTE 104 into a broadcasting system requires careful planning and consideration. Compatibility with existing infrastructure is vital. You may think SCTE104 is not relevant anymore in the era of streaming, but it is more important than ever.
In video over the Internet, one of the challenges is to have frame-accurate replacement of content, for ads for example. Typically, SCTE35 has been used for that. But unfortunately, this accuracy is not accounted for in the 35 standard itself, consequently, SCTE 104 is necessary higher in the chain.
Indeed, one of the challenges in implementing SCTE 104 is ensuring that all components of the broadcast chain are synchronized. Every element must be calibrated from signal encoding to transmission to accurately understand and respond to SCTE 104 cues. However, the benefits of such an integration are clear: more efficient broadcasting operations, improved ad revenue through targeted ad insertions, and enhanced viewer engagement.
When implementing the SCTE 104 specification, there are several methods you can utilize.
Here is a suggested approach:
Additionally, ensure that your SCTE inserter is capable of the following:
With these capabilities, you will be able to manage Program Starts/Ends, Chapter Starts/Ends, implement traffic-driven blackout flags, and insert content identifiers effectively.
Mapping SCTE 104 to SCTE 35 involves converting the cue points and instructions from the baseband (SCTE 104) to the MPEG transport stream (SCTE 35). As you see in the diagram below, you can map both standards to ensure continuity in the flow. That is typically how encoders are doing to create the markers.
The conversion step from SCTE 104 to SCTE 35, specifically the mapping between the splice request data (SCTE 104) and the splice insert command (SCTE 35), involves a detailed process to ensure accurate and synchronized signal transmission for digital program insertion.
Here is a breakdown of this process:
Here you have the list of data important on the SCTE104 side:
Here is how it is described on the SCTE 35 side:
And here you have the mapping between the two – process typically done by your encoders:
SCTE 104/35 in-band signaling and SCTE 224 out-of-band API-based signaling are highly complementary technologies. As we mentioned, SCTE 104/35 excels in providing precise, frame-accurate signaling. On the other hand, SCTE 224 operates as an out-of-band signaling mechanism, utilizing APIs to convey scheduling and policy information for content and advertising.
This approach offers greater flexibility and scalability, allowing for more complex decision-making processes and integration with broader broadcasting systems and workflows. Together, these two standards offer a comprehensive signaling toolkit: SCTE 104/35 ensures accurate and immediate execution of broadcast commands, while SCTE 224 allows for sophisticated, rule-based content management and distribution strategies. This synergy enables broadcasters to effectively manage and monetize their content across diverse platforms and formats, ensuring a seamless viewing experience for the audience.
As broadcasting technology evolves, so too does SCTE 104. This standard will adapt to new formats like 4K and 8K and emerging technologies like ATSC 3.0. SCTE 104’s flexibility and adaptability will ensure its continued relevance in the industry.
Finally, the future might also bring deeper integration with internet-based broadcasting, offering more personalized and interactive viewing experiences. SCTE 104 will evolve as these technologies develop to meet these new demands, remaining a crucial part of the broadcasting landscape.
SCTE 104 might not be a household name, but its impact on our daily entertainment is undeniable. This standard is crucial in ensuring our viewing experiences are seamless and enjoyable. As technology advances, SCTE 104 will continue to adapt, maintaining its position as an essential tool in the broadcasting industry.
And if you require generating SCTE 104 messages at the right time for your linear stream, we recommend checking the AdIT software from Middleman.
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]]>The post CSAI vs. SSAI: What’s the Best Choice When You Serve Ads? Client-Side Ad Insertion or Server-Side Ad Insertion? appeared first on broadpeak.io.
]]>When viewers watch content, the advertisements they see must be placed in their video streams. The process of placing an ad in video content is called ad stitching. It’s basically what it sounds like – when it’s time to show viewers an advertisement, a method like CSAI or SSAI is used to ‘stitch’ the ad into the video stream. If you use CSAI, the ad stitching happens on the viewer device.
Client-Side Ad Insertion is when ads are included in a video stream through the viewer’s player. The player requests an ad from the associated ad server when the video playing hits an ad marker. The ad is retrieved, the video player places the ad content where the marker specifies it should go, and the ad is seamlessly integrated into the stream and displayed.
Multiple things make CSAI ideal for ad stitching. Here’s a list:
After hearing the benefits of CSAI, including the incredible ad personalization possibilities and lower cost, why would you choose SSAI?
Server Side Ad Insertion (SSAI) is a method of ad stitching where ads are stitched into video on the server side. The video is delivered as a single stream to the video player with everything already assembled. The way it works for SSAI, is the server receives video and ad content from different sources. The server stitches the ad into the video using a technology called Manifest Manipulation.
As an example, our own broadpeak.io is a SSAI
SSAI offers many benefits when it comes to ad stitching:
While SSAI provides many benefits that CSAI doesn’t, there are still some drawbacks:
In conclusion, there are pros and cons for CSAI and SSAI.
CSAI offers more real-time information about viewer behavior and has the potential to offer interactive ads, but suffers from the effect of ad blockers and video quality problems. SSAI allows for ad personalization, better video quality, and the opportunity to get all advertisements seen by the viewer. The drawback is it can be more resource intensive due to transcoding and packaging. Fortunately, SaaS companies like broadpeak.io can eliminate this drawback.
On top of just SSAI, broadpeak.io also offers a hybrid option – use SSAI to get your ads seen and complimented with their SmartLib SDK, allowing you to track ads on the client side. In a future blog post, we will look at broadpeak.io’s hybrid offering.
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]]>The post Avoiding pitfalls when moving to AVOD appeared first on broadpeak.io.
]]>The good news is that Broadpeak and Bitmovin have joined forces to facilitate and streamline this transition. This blog sheds some light on how we ensured anyone could make this move smoothly and what care we took to ensure end-users would still enjoy a premium UX.
Creating ad inventory is one of the first steps to consider when adding AVOD workflows. While non-linear ads, overlay ads, or instream pre-roll ads do not require specific attention for asset media files, in-stream mid-roll ad breaks directly impact the encoding of content. From a content preparation standpoint, media assets must be stream-conditioned to ensure the desired ad insertion cue points can be frame-accurate.
The following examples illustrate the difference between transitioning into an ad break without and with this careful preparation.
Upon listening, you will notice that in the default use case (Poor UX), the “Dior” ad comes in slightly late, right after the sentence, “So now… Now, I need you to go up there and find that woman”. However, in the Premium UX use case, the timing has been adjusted to ensure that the “Dior” ad plays at the appropriate moment.
User Experience | Poor | Premium |
Content Preparation | None | With stream conditioning |
Symptom | See the video on the left below | Frame accurate break positioning |
Sample (with audio) | See video on the left below | See the video on the right below |
One point worth noting is that creating a cue point does not necessarily mean all end users will have an ad break. The final decision on whether to utilize the opportunity for ad placement is determined by the ad decision server. This decision is typically based on the business rules for the targeted audience and the corresponding commercial plan. On the other hand, achieving a frame-accurate ad break always requires this video processing to be applied to the VOD asset.
There are many options and considerations to automate or at least semi-automate the identification of optimal cue points (automatic scene change detection, default use of chapters, etc.)
Below are concrete examples showcasing how to create a keyframe on the Bitmovin VOD Encoder with a simple API call or a few code lines. Additionally, this Python playbook provides a single method for defining specific splice-point timecodes.
Regarding Server-Side Ad Insertion (SSAI), the configuration on broadpeak.io is straightforward (see AVOD DAI use case). The following snapshot shows what a DAI service looks like on the web app:
In this configuration, the Ad Server leverages the Ad Proxy feature, which enables a dynamic VMAP (Video Multiple Ad Playlist) schedule of ad breaks for every AVOD session request. Below is a snapshot that exemplifies a demo/test setup:
Making sure you have control of what ads end users can skip or not is critical. Achieving the right balance between skippable and non-skippable ad ratio requires careful fine-tuning (look at this blog for more details).
Nevertheless, one of the critical components in the solution to enforce whatever ad-skipping policy you have chosen is the SDK running alongside the Player on the end user client app or device. In the Broadpeak case, this lightweight piece of software is called Smartlib.
The Smartlib client SDK enables the locking of player controls or the display of the skip button based on the ad events it detects. Broadpeak and Bitmovin have integrated to facilitate and accelerate the deployment of this capability.
From an end-user experience standpoint, one can enable a “YouTube”-like experience and many other use cases over which you keep control.
Advertisers and DSPs buy inventory from publishers through Ad Servers (and SSPs when trading is done programmatically). In both cases, reporting tracking information (aka ad beacons) to the ad server is an essential part of the monetization process. Some DSPs are only buying when the tracking is done client-side.
In this solution, the same component (Smartlib SDK) handles Client-Side Ad Tracking (CSAT) and returns impressions quartiles to the Ad Server. The following test player extension is an efficient tool to monitor and test sample use cases or assets.
Additional benefits, such as advanced QoE analytics, are also enabled with this implementation. Specific monetization (sample below) and end-user QoE insight can be easily accessed through Broadpeak dashboards providing key metrics and KPIs.
Today’s end users’ expectations in terms of ergonomics have increased significantly. As part of the default capabilities expected by any streaming viewer, scrubbing (when allowed) is a convenient way to navigate within the content (skip to, skip back, rewind, fast forward, jump to bookmark, jump to chapters, etc.).
Making sure you keep control of your monetization while users navigate back and forth is essential. If you want to test such features, reach out to us. We will ensure you can quickly validate your content and AVOD workflow for optimal monetization and user experience.
Adding AVOD to an existing SVOD platform can be smooth if you know what to expect and are adequately prepared.
Although we have seen some of the most prominent features to look for, many other considerations have not been highlighted in this blog (e.g., what ad tech stack to choose, should the ad inventory be sold through Direct or Programmatic, what anti-ad skipping policy is it best to start with, …).
If you want to know more about those topics, please read this SVOD + AVOD E-book or contact us.
In addition, the Bitmovin SSAI and CSAI overview guide or Monetization Whitepaper guides will help you get more perspective on those specific questions. In any case, we will be in the starting blocks to do a test with your content and assist you through this exciting path!
Banner picture from Ignacio Amenábar on Unsplash
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]]>The post Let’s stack .io up! – EPISODE 5 – GitLab appeared first on broadpeak.io.
]]>Today, I’ll showcase GitLab, our go-to tool for orchestrating developments and releases.
Gitlab is a collaborative DevOps platform operated by Gitlab Inc., founded in 2011 by Dmitriy Zaporozhets and Sytse Sijbrandij. In 2018, GitLab Inc. was considered the first partly Ukrainian unicorn.
Gitlab customers include T-Mobile, Godman Sachs, Siemens, and Nvidia. According to estimates, there are around 30 million users who have registered, with 1 million active licensed users.
Initially focusing on version control, GitLab has evolved to encompass many features, including continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD), project management, and security scanning.
When our SaaS platform embarked on its journey, establishing a solid foundation for collaboration, version control, and automated deployment was important.
We needed a tool to manage our code efficiently while seamlessly integrating with CI/CD pipelines. The goal was to be able to reduce friction as much as possible to be able to ship code in production efficiently daily.
We briefly explored other options, but after a successful proof of concept with Gitlab pipelines paired with our infra-as-code tool, Pulumi (which will be the topic of another blog post), we decided to go for it.
At the start of our GitLab journey, we got invited by GitLab to a friendly competition. The challenge? To log the most steps in three weeks, injecting a healthy dose of fun and fitness into our tech-centric world. Although we didn’t emerge victorious in the step-counting race, the GitLab team surprised us with a delightful consolation prize – custom GitLab socks that I still rock today!
GitLab has become the backbone of our development process, playing a pivotal role in enabling collaboration and ensuring the reliability of our releases. Our Git repositories are managed through GitLab’s version control system, providing a centralized location for code collaboration and review. Our Git process is simple and barebone: every code change is done through a feature branch and reviewed by at least one but often two developers before merging into the main branch.
The integrated CI/CD pipelines then automate our build, test, and deployment processes, seamlessly deploying versions to our three platforms (dev, staging, prod) after successfully passing all tests. GitLab allows these platforms to operate and manage their specificities in the pipelines through variables.
Lastly, we use GitLab’s feature flag ability to roll out new features before they are ready to be used by our customers and toggle them dynamically for specific tenants. The flag allows us to test the feature, minimize potential issues, and control the release. It can also be used to activate beta features for specific customers selectively.
In the competitive landscape of SaaS development, selecting the right tools is crucial for success. GitLab has proven to be a perfect companion for our day-to-day life and platform. We use it in every DevOps process phase: code management and review to deployment and platform operation. As we continue to evolve and innovate, GitLab remains a crucial component in our journey towards efficient, collaborative, and automated software development – and the source of some fashionable GitLab socks!
Come along with us on this exciting adventure, and stay tuned to unravel more tools from our stack in the upcoming episodes of “Let’s stack .io up!”
Streamingly yours,
Remi
The post Let’s stack .io up! – EPISODE 5 – GitLab appeared first on broadpeak.io.
]]>The post FTVA 2023 takeaways appeared first on broadpeak.io.
]]>To help you save time, I decided to summarize the important points for you. Instead of going through each post, comment, or recording individually, I have gathered the key highlights in this blog to make your life easier!
With everything neatly summarized, you won’t have the fear of being left out. Consider this your VIP pass to never miss a beat. Let’s start!
As in most tech-based industries, the advertising market is a fast-moving space. Otherwise, keeping current on trends is critical for anyone doing business in the $60 billion TV market. Richard Broughton, Executive Director from Ampere, shared some insightful numbers and trends on the growth of ad-supported streaming (see presentation). If you were to keep the essential, we would retain the following five takeaways:
James Rooke, President of Comcast Advertising, was one of the first speakers on stage, sharing his views with the audience. Although the whole session was insightful, there is one quote that I found very helpful to keep in mind when defining premium video. Each word in this statement translates to heavy-weight requirements when considering the ecosystem stack required to deliver superior video to viewers. “Premium video is content delivered transparently, in a trusted brand-safe environment, seen by real people within a high-quality viewing experience”.
Kate Waters, Director of Client Strategy and Planning, effectively conveyed a simple but often left-aside message. Leveraging one of the most famous quotes from Harvard Business School Professor Theodore Levitt (“People don’t want to buy a quarter-inch drill. They want a quarter-inch hole!”), Mrs. Waters outlined the fact that most players in the industry are still very much focused on the outputs (measurements, impressions, …) while the real desire and goal are pretty much at the other end of the value chain spectrum. Everyone is looking for something more concrete and business-oriented: what is the business outcome of ad campaigns, and how do those ad campaign dollars translate into incremental sales growth?
Besides this outline on the crossroads between marketing and business fundamentals, Mrs. Kate also reminded attendees of ITV’s latest progress in ad tech business services. The recent PR “ITV Launches New Measurement Innovation Tools: Addressable Lift and TV Auction Boost” clearly highlights some of the work done by ITV in this space. Full-funnel measurement and paid search activity (together with Omnicom Media Group and Percept) are the first two outcomes of this effort.
Let’s make it clear: YouTube wants to become a ubiquitous distributor. Not just for short or very short-form content (catching up on TikTok and Instagram’s Reels). But also for live news and, more generally, premium content from TV broadcasters and sports streamers.
YouTube is open to working with everyone; this is not just a vague intention. This strategy started to be put in motion several years ago on a scale through commercial agreements and with tier-one content providers. In case you missed it, the deals signed with DAZN and Channel 4 are a good illustration of this move:
For instance, from an audience access standpoint, YouTube benefits from an impressive 90% reach in the UK. If we narrow down the audience to a younger generation, YouTube is used by 98% of online 18-34-year-olds each month. In other words, YouTube alone is becoming a go-to platform for certain advertisers, with a guaranteed reach.
No one answered the sensitive question about whether YouTube (and other streamers) should, at some point, join BARB (Broadcasters’ Audience Research Board) or whether its ad creatives should be checked by bodies such as Clearcast.
Ian Whittaker, Managing Director and Owner at Liberty Sky Advisors, shared his viewpoint leveraging historical analogies.
To put it in simple terms, social networks (TikTok, YouTube, and the like) are trying to “steal” linear advertising dollars. Even if partnerships are possible (as highlighted above), everyone is, at some point, fighting for the same ad campaign bucket.
The truth is that TV has much of what is needed to succeed. Even if linear still must transform, for instance, with addressable leveraging digital distribution, TV also has what advertisers seek: content, brand safe environment, and mass audiences. Broadcasters’ objective should be to reconquer lost audiences, and Gen Z has yet to be part of the audience. Why not use social networks’ recipes with short-form content without going into the UGC? Why not put together a linear channel with DIY episodes?
Inspired by Winston Churchill, the saying “Defeat is not inevitable, victory is possible” may not suffice alone.
This session was one of my favorite ones! Not watching anything is an advertising opportunity, for instance, with Barbie showing up on your TV.
While the original Roku City screen was a simple screensaver back in 2017, Roku has turned this homepage into an innovative and powerful brand advertiser space. Roku has more than 70 million active global monthly accounts, so this exclusive publishing environment is becoming very attractive for advertisers. Partnerships with Paramount, Barbie, Mcdonald’s, or Lego are a few examples of brands willing to spend a premium ad campaign budget to be visible in town.
In parallel, Roku is now very active on interactive ads with click-to-text (SMS), click-to-email, click-to-cart, etc – and scanned QR codes. The work done with System1 for CTV ads and showcased during the conference was a good illustration of the capabilities being prepared. Altogether, Roku seems well engaged in performance advertising and is putting self-selling in its strategy on the not-so-long-term horizon.
Disney was one of the most insightful sessions with illustrative milestones and numbers. Almost a year after the launch of ad-supported tiers on Disney +, one must admit that having one out of two new subscribers choose an ad plan when subscribing to the streaming platform is an impressive success. From the outside, Rita Ferro, President of Disney Advertising, has executed a win-win strategy, meeting market shifts with a new positioning (dealing with brands and agencies) and product and business requirements. Disney is leveraging years of experience and monetization strategy with Hulu and an advanced ad tech stack, using more than 140 clean rooms for private transactions.
With whom Broadpeak partnered for SSAI and DAI Ad Pod Serving (See Blog), Google highlighted addressable‘s pros, cons, challenges, and business benefits, including HbbTV.
Robert Curwen, Head of Advanced TV, Go to Market Partnerships EMEA at Google, also made some valid points on brand safety and viewer protection with IAB TCF (Transparency Consent Framework), Clearcast in the UK, and ARPP in France, for instance.
This question, asked during the Sky/ITV/Channel 4 panel, was interesting.
It is helpful to understand better the challenges broadcasters face in this rapidly changing landscape. From the 10000-foot view, publishers’ inventory may seem comparable, but let’s be fair: a 2-second scroll ad on display cannot be compared, apple to apple, with a 30-second video ad on TV.
And this is more than just a matter of reach and finding the right audience at the right time. TV has a unique value proposition even if platforms have been doing a great job with extensive data, scale, and “easy to buy” inventory. TV brings attention (longer form ads), trust, and a brand safety environment. This value proposition has yet to be equivalent on most platforms and social networks to date.
Besides all the challenges highlighted during the conference, the World Federation of Advertisers decided to tackle one of the most problematic pain points in the industry: cross-media measurement. As advertisers need to understand the efficiency of their ad budget in a very fragmented distribution environment, the ability to make measurements with consistency, accurately, continuously, at scale, with a full-funnel approach, in a fair way, with objective metrics and respecting end users’ privacy, is suddenly becoming paramount. That’s how the definition of an advertiser-centric ‘North Star’ set of requirements was implemented.
From that reference point, which was an advertiser-led effort, the WFA came up with a cross-media measurement framework called Halo, which the consortium has been heavily working on and advocating. Halo was presented by Rishi Saxena, Global Ad Effectiveness Research, Data, Signals, and Measurement Product Leader.
Behind the scenes, a global engineering team has put significant work into ensuring the Halo framework meets concrete requirements. The idea was to avoid any black box and establish confidence throughout the entire process. A GitHub page provides open-source code that is freely and transparently accessible.
As the first concrete example, ANA in the US and ISBA (with the Origin project) have started implementing this technology in advanced projects.
Overall, the Future of TV Advertising conference was a great place to feel market trends for 2024 and beyond, understand how the crossroads of advertising, television, content, and streaming industries interact, and network, of course! Well done to all presenters and panel moderators, and special mention to Justin Lebbon for his fine sense of humor!
In conclusion, the Future of TV Advertising Global 2023 conference provided valuable insights into industry trends and opportunities. Topics covered included ad-supported streaming, the definition of premium video, business outcomes, platforms like YouTube and Roku, ad-supported tiers on Disney+, and cross-media measurement challenges. This event was a valuable resource for staying informed and connected in the TV advertising world. Even if you missed it, you now have the essential takeaways from the conference.
The post FTVA 2023 takeaways appeared first on broadpeak.io.
]]>The post Creating Your Own VAST 3.0 Response XML appeared first on broadpeak.io.
]]>When you’re setting up your own ADS server, you may find that you need something simpler to test your configuration with, and that’s where today’s project comes in handy. Using VAST 3.0, you can create a simple XML response that will serve ads in place of your ADS server.
It is useful for testing your setup with broadpeak.io, and it’s easy to create. After you see that testing works, you can create something more robust, that includes more details for what you want to accomplish.
Today, I’ll walk you through the steps that let you make your own VAST 3.0 file and insert an ad at the start of a video clip. This is a simplified example, so it does not allow for tracking, we will explain how to add additional functionality in a future blog post. Ready? Let’s get started!
To complete this project, you’ll:
Here’s a list of what you’ll need to follow along. We’ll also review how to get access to each of these. Please note that instructions are geared towards Mac users, you will have to tweak information as needed for use with a PC.
You can sign up for a broadpeak.io account here: https://www.broadpeak.io/, just click the GET STARTED button.
This can be any text editor you prefer. When you save your file, save it as XML. Many tools, like Visual Studio Code will let you create any kind of text file you need and help with highlighting opening and closing tags. If you want an editor that’s specifically for XML, there are various free options available online if you search.
You’ll need an AWS account for this project. You can sign up for one at https://aws.amazon.com/. Click Create an AWS Account and then follow the instructions to sign up and get access to Amazon’s Free Tier products.
NOTE: You don’t have to use AWS for your sample, it is just what is selected for the walkthrough. You can host anywhere you like.
Now that you have the prerequisites squared away, it’s time to get started building your system! First, you’ll set up your VAST 3.0 file and AWS bucket. Then you’ll set up your asset catalog and ADS server with broadpeak.io, and finally, test it out.
Create a VAST 3.0 File containing the ads you want to serve. For your project, use this simple file. This file indicates the ad options, the duration of the ad (Duration tag), and when the ad can be skipped past (Linear skip offset tag). The Impression tag is left in to show where you would add a beacon to measure viewer behavior. It’s not implemented for this walkthrough so it’s empty.
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<VAST version="3.0">
<Ad id="countdown-1" sequence="1">
<InLine>
<AdSystem>GDFP</AdSystem>
<AdTitle>COUNTDOWN30</AdTitle>
<Impression />
<Creatives>
<Creative id="broadpeakio" sequence="1">
<Linear skipoffset="00:00:05">
<Duration>00:30:00</Duration>
<MediaFiles>
<MediaFile id="GDFP" delivery="progressive" type="video/mp4"
scalable="true" maintainAspectRatio="true" height="480" width="240">
<![CDATA[https://bpkcscreatives.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/commercial-slate.png_30s.mp4]]>
</MediaFile>
<MediaFile id="GDFP" delivery="streaming" width="426" height="236"
type="application/x-mpegURL" minBitrate="45" maxBitrate="3240"
scalable="true" maintainAspectRatio="true">
<![CDATA[https://origin.broadpeak.io/bpk-vod/voddemo/hlsv4/bpkiocreatives/30s/index.m3u8]]>
</MediaFile>
<MediaFile id="GDFP" delivery="streaming" width="426" height="236"
type="application/dash+xml" minBitrate="45" maxBitrate="3240"
scalable="true" maintainAspectRatio="true">
<![CDATA[https://origin.broadpeak.io/bpk-vod/voddemo/default/bpkiocreatives/30s/index.mpd]]>
</MediaFile>
</MediaFiles>
</Linear>
</Creative>
</Creatives>
</InLine>
</Ad>
</VAST>
You can test your file to make sure it’s valid by using Google’s IMA HTML5 Video Suite Inspector – https://googleads.github.io/googleads-ima-html5/vsi/. Paste your code into the box, choose VAST XML and click Test Ad. You’ll be able to see the ad run there.
The first thing to do is create a bucket. The bucket will contain your VAST 3.0 XML.
Now we need to configure the bucket policy so that the file will be publicly readable.
{
"Version": "2012-10-17",
"Statement": [
{
"Principal": "*",
"Effect": "Allow",
"Action": [
"s3:GetObject"
],
"Resource": [
"arn:aws:s3:::broadpeak-test/*"
]
}
]
}
{
"Version": "2012-10-17",
"Statement": [
{
"Effect": "Allow",
"Principal": "*",
"Action": "s3:GetObject",
"Resource": "arn:aws:s3:::broadpeak-test/*"
}
]
}
You will be able to see that your file is publicly accessible by clicking on your file in the bucket. Paste the Object URL into your browser. If the file is publicly accessible, you will see the XML in the file. Otherwise, it will say access denied.
NOTE: Save the link to your XML file (Object URL when you click on the file for more info), you will need it to set up your ADS Server with broadpeak.io.
Navigate to your broadpeak.io dashboard – https://broadpeak.io – and sign in. The first thing you’ll do is configure your source for the project. In this case, because you’re making an ADS server, you’re going to need an Asset Catalog. It’s a folder that contains all of the videos you want to insert ads into.
Now it’s time to set up your ADS server.
You should now have a demo server.
The next step is to set up your ad insertion service.
Before we close out, remember to set your bucket back to not being public. You can do that by going to your bucket in S3, clicking the Permissions tab, and checking the box for Block public access (bucket settings) again. Then save your changes.
This walkthrough shows you the basics for setting up a VAST 3.0 File to test the features of broadpeak.io and the features of the system you want to create. Use it as a foundation for more complex projects, like adding beacons and tailored ad choices.
Happy creation!
Banner picture from Sora Shimazaki
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]]>The post Ad Placement Alchemy: Harnessing the Power of VMAP appeared first on broadpeak.io.
]]>Before VMAP’s inception, it was still the early digital video advertising era. The late 2000s and early 2010s witnessed a surge in digital video content. Yet, the ad experience was often jarring for viewers. The experience would have been composed of the following:
Content creators and distributors generally needed a unified method to specify ad placements across various platforms and devices. There was no control over where and how video ads could be placed.
Consequently, this fragmentation impeded effective monetization and compromised viewer experience.
Recognizing the need for standardization and flexibility in ad placements, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) took charge. Around 2012, they introduced VMAP (Video Multiple Ad Playlist) as part of their digital video technical standards suite with version 1.0.
As the IAB presented, VMAP “enables a structure for a playlist of video ads from an ad server to a video player”. Concretely, VMAP is an XML template that allows content owners to define precisely where ads should be placed within their videos, especially when they don’t control the distribution platform.
In 2014, a new version, version 1.0.1, was published.
VMAP 1.0.1, an update to the original VMAP 1.0, focused on refining the specification by providing more explicit guidelines and addressing ambiguities. It enhanced the clarity of ad break definitions, particularly for mid-roll ads, and offered more precise guidance on time offset calculations.
This updated version also offered better guidance on managing scenarios where the same ad might be repeated in different ad breaks within the same video content, ensuring a more varied and less repetitive viewing experience.
Additionally, it improved error reporting, ensured better compatibility with VAST, and included more comprehensive documentation with practical examples.
These changes, while not fundamentally altering the core functionality of VMAP, made the implementation more straightforward and consistent, leading to a smoother and more reliable ad placement process in video content.
There are multiple reasons, looking back to the creation of VMAP, why VMAP has been beneficial in the video advertising industry:
VMAP is essentially a set of instructions in XML format. It allows us to define where and when different ads should appear within video content. Here you have the critical elements of what needs to be included in VMAP:
Imagine you have a 30-minute video and want to place ads at the beginning, middle, and end. With VMAP, you can specify that a pre-roll ad plays before the video starts, a mid-roll ad plays at the 15-minute mark, and a post-roll ad plays after the video ends. The VMAP document will detail these instructions, and in the case of SSAI, the video stitcher player will execute this plan, inserting the appropriate ads at these points in the manifest files.
Below is a simplified example of a VMAP 1.0.1 XML document. Let us describe each line to have a better understanding of the components and the structure.
VAST ad responses have been removed for clarity.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<VMAP xmlns="http://www.iab.net/videosuite/vmap" version="1.0.1">
<AdBreak timeOffset="start" breakType="linear" breakId="pre-roll">
<AdSource id="pre-roll-ad" allowMultipleAds="false" followRedirects="true">
<VASTAdData>
<!-- VAST XML goes here -->
</VASTAdData>
</AdSource>
</AdBreak>
<AdBreak timeOffset="00:10:00.000" breakType="linear" breakId="mid-roll">
<AdSource id="mid-roll-ad" allowMultipleAds="true" followRedirects="true">
<VASTAdData>
<!-- VAST XML goes here -->
</VASTAdData>
</AdSource>
</AdBreak>
<AdBreak timeOffset="end" breakType="linear" breakId="post-roll">
<AdSource id="post-roll-ad" allowMultipleAds="false" followRedirects="true">
<VASTAdData>
<!-- VAST XML goes here -->
</VASTAdData>
</AdSource>
</AdBreak>
1. XML Declaration: This line declares the document as an XML file
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
2. VMAP Root Element: This line defines the root element of the VMAP document, specifying the namespace and the VMAP version.
<VMAP xmlns="http://www.iab.net/videosuite/vmap" version="1.0.1">
3. Pre-roll Ad Break: This section defines a pre-roll ad break (an ad that plays before the video starts).
<AdBreak timeOffset="start" breakType="linear" breakId="pre-roll">
<AdSource id="pre-roll-ad" allowMultipleAds="false" followRedirects="true">
<VASTAdData>
<!-- VAST XML goes here -->
</VASTAdData>
</AdSource>
</AdBreak>
4. Mid-roll Ad Break: Similar to the pre-roll, this one is for an ad in the middle of the video.
<AdBreak timeOffset=”00:10:00.000″ breakType=”linear” breakId=”mid-roll”>
<AdSource id=”mid-roll-ad” allowMultipleAds=”true” followRedirects=”true”>
<VASTAdData>
<!– VAST XML goes here –>
</VASTAdData>
</AdSource>
</AdBreak>
timeOffset="00:10:00.000"
places the ad 10 minutes into the video. The timeOffset can also be provided as a percentage (of the duration of the asset).allowMultipleAds="true"
, allowing more than one ad in this break.5. Post-roll Ad Break: Defines an ad break at the end of the video (timeOffset="end"
).
<AdBreak timeOffset="end" breakType="linear" breakId="post-roll">
<AdSource id="post-roll-ad" allowMultipleAds="false" followRedirects="true">
<VASTAdData>
<!-- VAST XML goes here -->
</VASTAdData>
</AdSource>
</AdBreak>
Each section is critical for defining when and what type of ads will play during a video, providing a structured and controlled ad experience both for the content provider and the viewer.
Now, you may ask how VMAP works with VAST, another critical element of video advertising we presented in another blog post.
Of course, while VMAP was groundbreaking, its true potential was unleashed when combined with another IAB standard: VAST (Video Ad Serving Template).
VMAP addresses the ‘where’ and ‘when’ of ad placements, while VAST tackles the ‘what’. VAST defined the actual ad creatives to display video, interactive media, or overlay ads. This combination streamlined the entire ad-serving process, creating a holistic advertising experience.
On broadpeak.io, our Dynamic Ad Insertion app, based on a SSAI video stitcher, is compatible with VMAP. We also like the concept so much that we have developed a built-in VMAP generator within the platform. It is one application in our AdProxy service. AdProxy gathers all the different applications regarding all the non-straightforward interactions we have with the ad servers. VMAP generator is one of them.
Suppose your ad server does not support the generation of a VMAP schedule to tell broadpeak.io where to insert ads in the VOD content. In that case, you can use the AdProxy (VMAP generator) feature to define that schedule and indicate how to interact with the ad server.
Please note that in our Ad Proxy (VMAP generator), a link to the VAST tag is provided instead of an inline VAST payload like you see in the VMAP XML above.
To use the feature on the webapp, when creating your ad server Source, select the “AdProxy (VMAP generator)” template.
A schedule with a pre-roll and mid-rolls every 10 minutes for an asset 45 minute long, using the VAST tag https://my-ad-server.com/vast, and additional parameters to be forwarded to the ad server
This creates 5 ad opportunities:
You can find more information on this in the Knowledge Center article.
As video content proliferates across platforms and devices, the need for standardized ad-serving solutions becomes increasingly important. The experience is compared between AVOD services, and ads cutting content in the middle of scenes is not acceptable anymore. VMAP, with its flexibility and precision, is poised to become an indispensable tool for the video advertising ecosystem.
Moreover, with the rise of programmatic advertising and real-time bidding, VMAP’s role becomes even more significant. Advertisers can target specific ad slots, ensuring their content is contextually relevant and resonates with the audience.
Finally, with the development of new AI tools (for example, VideoAI) to detect the best mid-roll points and extract contextual data, VMAP will be even more relevant and powerful.
So, the next time you binge-watch a TV show, and an ad pops up just at the right moment, without breaking the narrative, take a moment to appreciate the magic of VMAP at work. It’s like a behind-the-scenes coordinator, ensuring the content and ads work smoothly.
The post Ad Placement Alchemy: Harnessing the Power of VMAP appeared first on broadpeak.io.
]]>The post Accelerating Monetization With Google Ad Manager While Keeping Control of Your Video Stack appeared first on broadpeak.io.
]]>broadpeak.io’s integration with Google Ad Manager’s DAI Pod Serving solution
In the bustling landscape of OTT, two key factors have emerged as the cornerstones of success: the simplicity of streaming and the efficiency of monetization. With our broadpeak.io service, our mission is to simplify access to server-side-ad-insertion, and we believe we will lead this transformation in our industry. Google Ad Manager is also a significant player in streaming advertisements, with its advanced targeting capabilities and the maturity of its ad serving and monetization suite.
Today, we are excited to announce the integration of broadpeak.io with the innovative Google DAI Pod Serving, setting a new benchmark for monetizing the OTT experience.
Google DAI Pod Serving enables Google Ad Manager to integrate seamlessly with media workflows without having to “own the manifest”. It’s flexible, allowing you to collaborate with your current video technical partner for manifest manipulation.
Google DAI Pod Serving brings your current functionalities with Google DAI for monetization while letting you control your core business’s video stack.
DAI Pod Serving is setting new industry benchmarks from live scale capacity with prefetching and early break notification to bring direct & programmatic demand at scale with verification and measurement.
Today, broadpeak.io is fully integrated with Google DAI Pod Serving, and is ready to support broadcasters and operators at scale.
First, we know that offering audiences an optimal streaming experience is crucial nowadays. Broadpeak, renowned for its cutting-edge streaming solutions, ensures that users get the best-in-class streaming experience using our OTT content processing and delivery expertise. However, a seamless streaming experience isn’t the sole ingredient for success in the OTT space; monetization plays a pivotal role. Google, a trailblazer in digital advertising, brings forth unparalleled monetization strategies. By integrating superior SSAI streaming capabilities on broadpeak.io with Google Ad Manager’s robust monetization tools, content providers can offer an outstanding viewer experience while ensuring sustainable revenue generation.
Secondly, of course, viewer engagement is vital for better CPM. For that, personalization is the key to capturing viewers’ attention. With platforms that focus on their strengths (broadpeak.io on SSAI, DAI Pod Serving on ad serving), they have a better capacity to scale overall. Advertisers and distributors now have the unprecedented ability to tailor each ad break to the individual viewer in privacy forward way. This not only elevates the user experience but also optimizes ad efficacy. Ads can now be curated based on viewer preferences, habits, and demographics, with user consent and privacy controls in place, potentially leading to a more engaged audience and better returns.
Moreover, by receiving standard analytics between the audio/video pipe and the ad stack, publishers can delve deep into understanding the true impact of their advertising content on the viewing experience. Such analytics evaluate not just the effectiveness of the ad content but also how it integrates with the overall streaming content, ensuring that ads enhance rather than disrupt the viewer journey. A unified analytics platform gives a holistic view of viewer behavior, which can then be leveraged to refine strategies and achieve better viewer retention.
Finally, it’s often challenging for publishers to consistently stay ahead without overhauling their systems. However, with the overlay Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) broadpeak.io offerings, publishers don’t need to discard their existing video stack to work with Google Ad Manager on the advertisement stack. Instead, they can supercharge it. broadpeak.io seamlessly integrates with the current ecosystem, providing the much-needed boost in SSAI capabilities without a total revamp while keeping control of the stack.
The following diagram shows the ecosystem typically deployed by customers:
In terms of workflow, here are the flowcharts:
In essence, integrating broadpeak.io with Google DAI Pod Serving isn’t merely a technical enhancement; it’s a step toward shaping the future of OTT, simplifying complexity, and maximizing potential in an ever-evolving digital landscape. Reach out now to learn more about how broadpeak.io and Google DAI Pod Serving can benefit your business!
Banner photo by Armin Rimoldi
The post Accelerating Monetization With Google Ad Manager While Keeping Control of Your Video Stack appeared first on broadpeak.io.
]]>