Digital Video Advertising
Video Creative Specs
Review video inventory types, VAST and VPAID formats, technical requirements, recommended bitrates, and third-party trafficking guidelines for effective digital video advertising.
Why video matters
Designed to capture attention from start to finish
Video creatives are one of the most powerful tools available to digital advertisers because of their engaging and interactive nature. Video ads can deliver stronger engagement and conversion potential than traditional display formats while helping brands communicate more information through sight, sound, and motion. Video creatives can also be customized to support specific marketing goals, devices, and campaign environments.
Key benefits
Why advertisers use video creatives
Higher Conversion Potential
Video ads capture attention through motion and sound, helping increase engagement and the likelihood of conversion.
Increased Flexibility
Video creatives can be adapted into multiple rich-media formats for different devices, placements, and marketing objectives.
Enhanced Interactivity
Clickable links and dynamic features can encourage active participation and create a more engaging viewer experience.
Placement environments
Types of Video Inventory Supported
Digital video inventory is generally divided into in-stream and out-stream placements, each with a different viewing context and delivery method.
Inside video content
In-Stream Video Ads
- Placement Displayed within video players across websites, mobile apps, and Connected TV platforms.
- Ad Delivery Plays before, during, or after existing video content as pre-roll, mid-roll, or post-roll advertising.
- Serving Methods Creatives can be hosted directly or trafficked through a third-party ad server.
Inside editorial content
Out-Stream Video Ads
- Placement Appears in smart video players embedded within web content and expands when the viewer scrolls to the placement.
- Features Can support skippability, autoplay, and publisher-controlled playback settings.
- Compatibility Compatible with HTML5 across supported desktop and mobile experiences.
Video delivery protocols
Understanding VAST and VPAID Formats
VAST standardizes video ad delivery, while VPAID enables executable and interactive experiences between a creative and video player.
VAST
Video Ad Serving Template- Purpose: An XML-based protocol that transfers duration, creative URLs, and tracking beacons from an ad server to a video player.
- Supported Versions: Version 2.0 and higher.
- Communication: Primarily unidirectional after the creative loads, apart from playback tracking events.
- Best Use: Linear pre-roll, mid-roll, and post-roll video placements.
VPAID
Video Player-Ad Interface Definition- Purpose: Enables communication between an ad creative and video player for dynamic experiences.
- Interactive Uses: Forms, surveys, games, and other in-ad viewer interactions.
- Supported Features: Expandable views, zoom controls, and other rich-media elements.
- Best Use: Executable in-stream video formats that require software logic.
Quality requirements
Video Creative Specifications
Follow these technical guidelines to support reliable processing, playback quality, and inventory compatibility.
Maximum File Size
Maximum size for hosted video creatives.
Recommended Minimum Bitrate
Higher bitrates can provide better high-definition quality.
Minimum Dimensions
Higher resolutions such as 1080p and 4K are also supported.
VAST Support
Version 2.0 and higher are supported.
Supported Video File Types
Supported formats include 3G2, 3GP, ASF, AVI, FLV, MP4, MOV, MKV, MPEG, WebM, WMV, and other compatible video formats.
Hosted video delivery
Resolution and Bitrate Guidelines
Use these recommended bitrate targets when preparing hosted video creatives for different output resolutions.
| Resolution | Quality | Recommended Bitrate |
|---|---|---|
| 2160p | 4K | 30,000 kbps |
| 1280px | HD | 8,000 kbps |
| 1080p | Full HD | 7,000 kbps |
| 720p | HD | 2,500, 2,000, 1,700, 1,100, or 600 kbps |
| 432p | Standard | 1,700, 1,500, 1,000, or 500 kbps |
Externally served creatives
Third-Party Video Creative Guidelines
Follow these validation, duration, security, bitrate, and URL formatting requirements when using a third-party ad server.
VAST Check
External VAST ad servers must submit content for validation through VAST Check functionality before the creative is saved.
Google Inventory Duration
Use a maximum duration of 15 or 30 seconds. If a video exceeds 15 seconds, include a skippable option when appropriate.
Multiple Bitrates
Provide multiple bitrate renditions for video transcoded into FLV, MP4, or WebM formats.
Secure VPAID Creatives
Ensure VPAID creatives are securely tagged and every referenced file is delivered through a secure source.
VAST URL Formatting
Use alphanumeric characters and basic symbols in VAST URLs and third-party segments. Avoid unsupported vertical bars, angle brackets, carets, and unescaped curly brackets.
Heavy Ad Intervention
Google Chrome may unload ads that consume excessive network or CPU resources. Video creatives should remain within supported resource thresholds to avoid being redirected to an error message.
Campaign-ready delivery
Need help preparing your video creative?
Crosstide Media can help you review video formats, VAST requirements, bitrate renditions, third-party tags, and inventory compatibility before your campaign launches.
Before you submit
- Confirm dimensions and file size
- Provide suitable bitrate renditions
- Validate third-party VAST tags
- Check secure delivery and URLs