Guidelines for in-banner video creatives

In-banner video ads are HTML5 video creatives triggered within a standard display banner ad on a webpage. They usually follow standard Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) banner sizes (e.g., 300 x 250). Occasionally in-banner video creatives expand outside the initial dimensions of the banner (but only if initiated by the user). All standard display impressions are able to run in-banner video campaigns. 

In-banner video ads may be blocked and are only allowed on an impression if the Google Ad Manager publisher has opted in to specifically allow in-banner video ads to run on their inventory. Your bidder can identify if an impression does not allow in-banner video ads if the excluded_attribute field in the bid request includes VideoType: In-Banner Video (Publisher Blockable).

Types of in-banner video

The following in-banner video types are available:

  • Click to play: Creative initially displays as a static image, then the video plays once a user clicks on the creative.
  • Autoplay with no sound: Video automatically plays without sound until a user clicks on the creative.
  • Hover to play: Video plays after a user hovers over the creative.

Creative requirements

HTML5 creatives for in-banner video ads can be hosted directly in Display & Video 360 provided they comply with generic display requirements.

Requirements for specific types

The following requirements are for impressions served through Google Ad Manager.

  • General requirements

    • Creatives must include a user-initiatiable "replay" button.
    • Creatives must play inline by including the playsinline parameter. Creatives may not expand past ad unit boundaries unless initiated by the user.
    • Total playing time must be 4 minutes or less.

  • Click to play

    • Technical requirements:
      • Image GIF/JPG: 40 KB initial load, 2.2 MB total load with video.
      • Creative dimensions: 300×250 (inline rectangle) and 336×280 (Large rectangle).
      • Aspect ratio: 4:3 aspect ratio recommended; other aspects will be accepted but may be letter boxed.
      • Border: 1×1 contrasting border is suggested.
      • Frame rate: Minimum 14 frames-per-second (30 FPS recommended).
      • Audio: Must be encoded at a volume less than or equal to -12 dB.
      • Animation: 30 seconds maximum. Opening image can't be animated.
    • Interaction requirements:
      • Audio and video must play only upon user’s click.
      • "Start" and "stop" or "mute" buttons are required.

  • Hover to play

    • Interaction requirements:
      • For hover-over initiated ads, we require 2 seconds of hovering before audio is initiated.
      • When the user is no longer hovering, the audio must stop.
      • The video (animation) can start at any time (without initiation) as long as the animation is less than 30 seconds and the audio requirements are met.
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