Third-party tracking URLs are used to measure ad metrics. They provide details about user interaction with creatives. Advertiser-supplied tracking URLs are usually used for video line items. If the advertiser is using VAST, it's recommended that the publisher book a VAST redirect that eliminates the need for third-party tracking URLs.
- All the following tracking events are supported for video creatives on reservation, Programmatic Guaranteed, and Preferred Deal line items.
- You can associate third-party URLs with line items or on the ad unit level via creative wrappers and labels.
You can enter multiple URLs for each type of tracking, except for Survey, Custom click, and Click tracking, which only support one.
Available tracking events
| Tracking URL | Description of tracked activity |
|---|---|
|
Accept invitation |
The number of times a user expands the viewable area and launches another portion of an ad. |
|
The number of clicks on the video. |
|
|
Close* |
The number of times a user closes a video. |
|
Collapse* |
The number of times a user collapses an ad, either to its original size or to a different size. For overlays, this tracks the number of times the user minimizes the ad without fully removing it from the player. |
|
Complete |
The number of times the video plays to the end. |
|
Creative view |
The number of times the first frame of the video initially plays for a user. Often used as a synonym for "impression". |
|
The number of times a user performs a custom click, such as clicking on a video hot spot. |
|
|
Engaged view |
The number of times the ad was viewed to completion. For VAST 3 or 4, a completion occurs either when the user reaches the end of the ad, or reaches the "Skippable view time" defined in your network settings, whichever comes first. |
|
Expand* |
The number of times a user expands a non-linear creative, such as an overlay. |
|
First quartile |
The number of times the video plays to 25% of its length. |
|
Fullscreen |
The number of times a user expands the video to full-screen size. |
|
Fully viewable and audible for 50% duration |
The number of impressions considered audible and had 100% of their pixels in view for 50% of its length. |
|
Measurable impressions |
The number of impressions measurable by Active View out of the total number of eligible impressions. |
|
Midpoint |
The number of times the video plays to 50% of its length. |
|
Mute |
The number of times a user mutes the video. |
|
Pause |
The number of times a user pauses the video. |
|
Resume |
The number of times a user resumes the video. If the resume control is the same as the pause control, reporting should be able to differentiate between the two. |
|
Rewind |
The number of times a user rewinds the video. |
|
Skip |
The number of times a user skipped the creative (different to "Close"). |
|
Skip shown |
The number of times the "skip" button was shown (the skip button is shown 5 seconds after a skippable ad starts). |
|
Start |
The number of times the first frame of the video plays for a user (different to "Creative view"). |
|
The URL that calls a survey to accompany an ad. For example, when a creative is served for an ad, a survey may also be served in a pop-up window. |
|
|
Third quartile |
The number of times the video plays to 75% of its length. |
|
Unmute |
The number of times a user unmutes the video. If the un-mute control is the same as the mute control, the reporting should be able to differentiate between the two. |
|
Video abandon |
The number of times a user views the video but does not complete. |
|
Viewable impression |
The number of impressions viewable by Active View out of all measurable impressions. For in-stream video ads, 50% of its area must be displayed for at least two seconds. |
* Appears in the creative set interface in Ad Manager but it is not yet included in the VAST response.
