Ad Manager counts an impression each time a creative is downloaded in the user's device and begins to load. Mobile app impressions are counted when one or more pixels of the ad creative are visible on a device's screen.
When setting up display and native creatives, you may have the option to add a third party impression tracking URL. These URLs may fire on download or when one or more pixels have been rendered.
Image, Campaign Manager 360, custom, HTML5, or third party creative types
When you select a creative type, that is, image, Campaign Manager 360, custom, HTML5, or third party, you can check Set impression tracking URLs to enter third party impression tracking URLs. The URL that you enter fires on download when the creative serves on web, and it fires when one or more pixels have been rendered in app.
Standard creative template - Image banner with optional third party tracking, Standard creative template - Mobile Interstitial with Auto-close (app)
When you select Standard creative template - Image banner with optional third party tracking as the creative type, you can enter URLs in the “Third party impression tracker 1 (optional)” and “Third party impression tracker 2 (optional)” field(s). When you select Standard creative template - Mobile Interstitial with Auto-close (app) as the creative type, you can enter a URL in the “Third party Impression Tracker (optional)” field. The URLs that you enter fire on download for web and in app. We do not recommend using these creative types for app ads that require third party impression tracking URLs.
Custom creative template
When you select Custom creative template as the creative type, you can add a field of type URL that has a URL type of “Third party impression tracker” in the code snippet. You can’t save the code snippet without a reference to the variable. The URL that you enter for this field fires on download for web and in app only via the reference in the code snippet. We do not recommend using this creative type for app ads that require third party impression tracking URLs.
Native content ad, Native video content ad, Native custom formats
When these creative types have a third party impression tracking URL, there must be a reference in the style for it to fire and be counted for web. For app, the URL fires when one or more pixels have been rendered without a reference in the style. If there is a reference in the style, in app, the URL fires twice. We do not recommend using the same style for both web and app. A style for web should include a reference to the URL, and a style for app should not.
Native app install ad, Native video app install ad
When these creative types are selected, there is a “Third party impression tracker (optional)” field. The URL fires when one or more pixels have been rendered without a reference in the style. If there is a reference in the style, the URL fires twice. Make sure not to include a reference in the style to the third party impression tracker when using these creative types.
