1. Introduction
2. Setting Up an Application
3. Application Details & Completing Integration
4. Setting Up Ad Zones in your Application
5. Application & Zone Status
1. Introduction
As a publisher, you’ll need to set up applications and zones for each of your mobile titles that you would like to monetize. You can set up an application in minutes, whether it is live on the iOS App Store, Google Play, Amazon App Store, or in development.
If you need help setting up your applications and zones, configuring allowable ads, implementing rewarded or anything else and you can’t find the solution in our help center, please email [email protected].
Back to Top
2. Setting Up an Application
This is a step-by-step tutorial on how to setup an app in AdColony’s self-serve client portal.
— Step 1: Go to Publisher Dashboard, Setup New App
Go to the “Monetization” or Apps section of the client dashboard (clients.adcolony.com/apps) and click on the blue button labeled “+ Setup New App” near the right side of the screen.
— Step 2: Select Platform and Application
Select the country for which your app is localized. If your app is not localized to any particular country, you can select the “Global” option. Then enter the app’s name and select the application’s store location, iOS, Android or Amazon.
You’re done with this step because our system will automatically link your app’s information after you have successfully integrated our SDK and played impressions for a few days. When this is complete you’ll see something like this:
— Step 3: COPPA & Allowable Ads Configuration
If your application is directed to children under 13, your app should comply with COPPA. It is the publisher’s responsibility to ensure compliance. If the box is checked, ad targeting capabilities for your application will be limited to those which comply with COPPA.
Select the ad types you will allow in your application. By default, all categories are selected so uncheck boxes to disallow. If your apps are aimed at a younger or general audience, be sure to restrict ads that may be inappropriate or offensive to your audience. Note that disallowing ad types can reduce your fill rate and/or eCPMs as it limits your ads.
When finished, click the blue button labeled “Create” to create your new application.
Back to Top
3. Application Details & Completing Integration
Your application has now been created and set up. You will automatically be directed to the application detail page where you can view/edit your application configuration, see a chart of recent earnings, create/edit your app’s ad zones, and a button to view reports. When you create a new application, there will be an ad zone named “Ad Zone #1” which is automatically created and set to “Testing” status, meaning it is showing test ads. The AdColony App ID seen on this page is used in the SDK integration to identify your application in communication with AdColony servers.
4. Setting Up Ad Zones in your Application
Once you have an application created, you’ll need to have ad zones set up to play ads. Ad zones are designated placements for ads that can be trafficked and analyzed. You can have up to 15 active ad zones per application. Learn more about ad zones in the following articles:
— Step 1: Configure Zones in Selected Application
Select the application in the “Monetization” section of the client dashboard to manage the applications zones and click on the “Ad Zone #1” link to view/edit the ad zone configuration.
The “Integration” section shown below is where you can toggle your ad zone as active or inactive (inactive will not show ads), get your Zone ID for integration, rename your ad zone, and enter in any comments.
Test ads will be turned on by default in a new zone, when you are done testing come back to these settings and toggle them off (select NO) to show live ads.
AdColony provides test ads that perform identically to live ads, with a few exceptions. Test ads will not affect your account balance. In rewarded video zones, test ads will not obey the ‘Daily Max Per User’ setting. We have a policy to avoid directing live ads to applications that are still in development or testing.
— Step 2: Ad Type Setup
The Ad Settings section is where you set up what type of ad you will show in this zone and set up rewarded video. The process is outlined in detail here in the iOS Integration Guide’s section for Showing Rewarded Interstitial Ads.
First choose the size of your zone, full screen or banner. Do note that video can only play in the full screen size.
If your zone will be showing rewarded video, check the option to Reward Users for Viewing an Ad, and enter the currency name and reward amount.
If you are implementing a server-side reward system, you will need to set up a Callback URL, configure currency name, and reward amounts and limits. Server-side implementation is more secure (cannot be hacked locally) and rewards configs can be modified here at any time.
— Step 3: Choose Ad Formats and Options
The next option is what types of ads to allow in the zone. We recommend allowing all formats and campaign types as this will make the largest number of ads available to your app.
The “Options” setting lets you define per session play caps and play frequency. These settings can be used to limit ads shown in this zone, but by default they are set to no limit and to play ads every time.
— Step 4: Ad Skipping
The last option to set is if ad skipping will be allowed in this zone. We recommend using this sparingly as skipped views do not count toward your app’s earnings. As such the option is disabled by default in every new zone.
If you do want to allow skipping change the dropbox selection to Enabled and set the number of seconds into the box that appears.
Finally click the Create button to finalize your settings and create the zone.
5. Application & Zone Status
— Application Status
In the AdColony Publisher section, you will notice the application status when you create new applications. The following is an explanation of each status.
Market ID not provided: The app’s store bundle ID has not been linked yet. Its store bundle ID will be automatically linked when we see impressions from 100 unique devices in the app.
SDK not integrated: Our SDK has not been integrated in the app or a live impression has not yet been reported in our dashboard. Once a live view is reported, this status requirement will be fulfilled.
Active zone status bar: This bar indicates the number of zones in the app and divides the bar by color based on the status of each zone. Green indicates the zone/s are active and have live ads enabled. Red indicates the zone/s are active and have test ads enabled. Grey indicates the zone/s are inactive and will not receive ads. This view will not appear until your app’s store bundle ID has been linked, you’ve completed the SDK integration, and a live impression has been reported in the app.
— Ad Zone Status
There are three states your app’s zones can fall under. The following is an explanation of each zone status.
Testing: This is the default status of your newly created zone. It indicates that your zone is currently receiving test ads.
Active: Your zone will enter active status once you manually disable test ads on the edit zone page. In this state, your zone will receive live ads.
Inactive: Your zone will enter inactive status if you manually deactivate your zone on the edit zone page. In this state, your zone will not receive any ads.
Back to Top