In our latest release, we discuss VPAID controls, account and partner optimization default parameters, and various UI improvements.
Feature Additions
VPAID Controls
It is no secret that there have been many attempts to stop support for Flash over the years, most of which have been largely unsuccessful. Google’s announcement that they will discontinue all Flash support across their platforms on Monday (July 3rd), is the latest.
Will this be the one that brings about the beginning of the “Flashpocalypse”? Whether it is or not, we have certainly seen a marked rise in impressions served via JS in recent months. As such, while we have already built support to serve Flash demand via JS VPAID, we are now also releasing additional VPAID controls over what and how your supply tags work. Specifically, you now have the option to choose to return both Flash and JS VPAID in a supply tag VAST response:
Selecting VPAID Both might seem like the obvious choice for all supply tags, and it might well be, but there are certainly scenarios where it can also be detrimental to supply tag performance. At the end of the day, knowing your supply is the most important piece of the equation, but please reach out if you have any questions about best practices.
We know publishers are sometimes sensitive to the use of Flash on their sites, so if your supply tag is a JS VPAID tag, you now also have the ability to allow or disallow demand from demand tags that return Flash VPAID. Unchecking the box to “Allow flash demand” will only allow JS demand to serve through JS VPAID.
We also offer a fourth choice of a supply tag returning no VPAID. If you are interested in this, please talk to your account manager.
Note that the VPAID for your connected supply depends on the settings on the managed supply tag that is selling to your DirectConnection.
Custom Optimization Defaults
SpringServe supply tag optimization occurs every twenty minutes and reprioritizes the waterfall depending on the Optimization parameters – the metric, lookback minutes, and minimum request threshold. Default optimization parameters are request fill, 60 minutes, 250 minimum request threshold. Based on these parameters, a demand tag will be prioritized according to its fill rate over the last 60 minutes if it has at least 250 requests during that time.
There is not a one size fits all set of parameters for optimization. Based on your supply, you may want to use a different optimization metric. Perhaps you want a more stable waterfall and would like to use a longer lookback window. You may have low volume on a supply tag and need to set a lower minimum request threshold. See our wiki for more information about optimization parameters.
We have added the ability to set custom optimization parameters on the account level. In your basic settings, you will see Optimization Defaults. If you would like to use SpringServe defaults, no actions need to be taken. If you would like to set Custom Optimization Defaults, toggle to Custom and set your desired metrics.
Changes can also be made on a Supply Partner level. You may have a direct publisher that requires a fast response time or you may be more conserned with your profitability with a supply partner and therefore want to set score as your optimization metric. You may want to manually optimize the waterfalls for a partner and disable optimization entirely. On the Settings tab of a supply partner, you can now set custom partner Optimization parameters by toggling to Custom in the Optimziaiton Defaults section.
Note that any changes made to Optimization Defaults on both the account and partner level will apply to newly created supply tags and connected supply; no changes will be made to existing supply tags. If you would like to make a bulk update to existing tags, please contact your account manager.
Supply Side Edits
You can now disable Demand from being editable on the Supply side. On the Supply Tags tab of a demand tag or connected demand, toggle Supply Side Edits from Enabled to Disabled.
When Supply Side Edits are disabled, supply alignments can only be made from the demand side and the demand tag cannot be added using the Add Demand modal on a supply tag or connected supply.
UI Improvements
Changelogs
Partner changelogs now show all changes to associated tags as well as partner settings. Demand Partner changelogs also show changes to Campaigns. Changelogs for Campaigns now show changes to any associated Demand Tag.
Change flags now appear on the by-minute performance graph on your supply and demand tags. Hovering over the flag will show the change summary. When you click on the flag, a modal showing the change details will appear.
These flags show both changes made by your team members and by optimization. Having this visibility into changes can help you diagnose performance changes in your tags.
Key-Values
Now when you use the csv upload functionality for pre-defined values and Value Lists, you can select append, replace, or remove.
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