Ads.txt (Authorized Digital Sellers) is an initiative from the IAB Technology Laboratory. It specifies a text file that companies can host on their web servers, listing the other companies authorized to sell their products or services1.
Ads.txt (Authorized Digital Sellers) is an initiative from the IAB Technology Laboratory. It specifies a text file that companies can host on their web servers, listing the other companies authorized to sell their products or services1. This file helps ensure that digital ad inventory is only sold through authorized sellers. Here are some key points about ads.txt:
- Purpose: The primary purpose of ads.txt is to combat ad fraudby providing transparency and authenticity in the programmatic advertising ecosystem.
- Implementation: Publishers (website owners) create an txt fileand upload it to their domain. The file contains a list of authorized sellers (ad networks, exchanges, and SSPs) who are allowed to sell their ad inventory.
- Format: The ads.txt file is a plain text filewith a specific structure. Each line represents an authorized seller and includes the following information:
- Domain name of the seller
- Publisher’s account ID or TAG IDassociated with that seller
- Verification: Advertisers and ad buyers can check the ads.txt file on a publisher’s website to verify the legitimacy of the sellers. If a seller is not listed in the ads.txt file, it’s a red flag for potential fraud.
- Implementation Example: Let’s say a publisher uses Google AdSense to monetize their website. In their ads.txt file, they would include a line like this:
- com, pub-1234567890123456, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0
- com: Domain of the authorized seller (Google AdSense)
- pub-1234567890123456: Publisher’s account ID
- DIRECT: Indicates a direct relationship between the publisher and the seller
- f08c47fec0942fa0: TAG ID (optional, but recommended for additional security)
- Benefits: Ads.txt helps prevent domain spoofing, unauthorized reselling, and ensures that advertisers’ budgets are spent on legitimate inventory.
Remember, ads.txt is an essential tool for maintaining trust and transparency in the digital advertising ecosystem. Publishers should regularly update their ads.txt files to reflect any changes in authorized sellers.