Last updated on July 25, 2018
This product is governed by the terms set forth in your Google DoubleClick AdX Service ("Google DoubleClick AdX Seller Terms") contract.
The Google DoubleClick Ad Exchange Service is a service for managing multiple monetization sources of online display advertising inventory. In the Ad Exchange Service, advertisers and ad networks are considered "Buyers", and publishers and publisher networks are considered "Sellers". In these Seller Program Guidelines, references to “Site” include websites, mobile apps, embedded video players and any other properties on which Seller sells advertising inventory through the Ad Exchange.
Sellers participating in any transaction on AdX, including but not limited to Programmatic Direct, Preferred Deals, Private Auction, or Open Auction must adhere, and ensure that any third party to whom they provide access to the AdX service under their account also adheres, to the following policies: (i) the Platforms program policies; and (ii) the AdX Seller Program-specific policies stated below on this page. Please note that any restatements of the Platforms program policies in these AdX Seller Program Guidelines are for clarification purposes only and do not limit the application of the Platforms program policies to Sellers. Sellers previously suspended or terminated for violating the applicable terms and/or policies of any other Google syndication products may not use Ad Exchange.
Sellers are not permitted to misrepresent to Buyers information relating to their Sites’ content such that Buyers mistarget ads to such Sites. Please refer to the webmaster quality guidelines for guidance on best practices.
Scaled Partner Management Policies
Child Registration. If Seller (“Parent”) sells advertising inventory through the Ad Exchange on a Site for which Parent does not own the root domain (“Child Inventory”), Parent must accurately register the Child Inventory and the party that owns the Child Inventory’s root domain (“Child”) through the Scaled Partner Management functionality (“SPM”), and Parent must comply with these Scaled Partner Management Policies. If Parent does not register Child Inventory and its Child via SPM, Parent may not monetize that Child Inventory through the Ad Exchange.
Parent must have a direct contractual relationship with each Child, which grants Parent all necessary rights to make available and manage Child’s Child Inventory through the Ad Exchange.
Parent must ensure that each Child owns the root domain of all Child Inventory that Parent registers to it in SPM, unless expressly permitted by Google. The Child Inventory must not have been previously disapproved by Google. For clarity, ad networks and media sales houses may not be registered as Children, except in respect to Child Inventory for which they own the root domain, unless expressly permitted by Google.
Parent acknowledges that Google or its agent may contact a Child for the purpose of verifying its relationship with Parent.
Child Inventory is subject to the same policies and rules as other inventory within the Ad Exchange; including, but not limited to auction rules. For clarity, Parent remains fully responsible for any and all policy violations on its Child Inventory, whether caused by Parent, Child, or any other party, and Google reserves the right to take any policy enforcement actions against Parent (including, but not limited to, disabling Parent’s use of SPM) as a result of such violations. If Parent’s use of SPM is disabled, Parent may no longer monetize any Child Inventory through the Ad Exchange. Google has no obligation to provide technical support to any Child or Child Inventory.
Parents must not use the Ad Exchange for selling Child Inventory for which Parent directly or indirectly pays or receives a share of revenues to or from an entity that would otherwise prevent the inventory from being monetized.
Parents must ensure that, if their Children use ads.txt on domains that offer Ad Exchange inventory, Parents must be included as authorized sellers of Child Inventory. For more information, see this Help Center page. If so requested by Google, Parents must ensure Children promptly add ads.txt to Child domains with Parents as authorized sellers of Child Inventory.
Video Inventory. Video Inventory (in-stream ad calls from both linear video content and online games) coming from a Child to the Ad Exchange is allowed only when the Parent either (i) owns the video player, (ii) owns the video content, or (iii) holds exclusive sales rights to the video content. In addition, Parent is responsible for ensuring that all Video Inventory complies with these Scaled Partner Management Policies, including ensuring that each Child owns the root domain of any Embedded Sites (a Site with an embedded video player that contains Video Inventory). Parent is responsible for ensuring that all Embedded Sites comply with the DoubleClick Ad Exchange Seller Program Guidelines.
Ad Call Requirements
Advertising Inventory Domain Information. Seller must provide accurate domain information in its calls to the Ad Exchange. Ad requests with inaccurate domain information will not be processed, and may result in a blank ad. Seller may only make calls to the Ad Exchange from domains that Seller has registered with Google as specified in Seller's contract for the Google DoubleClick AdX Service.
Restrictions on Passing and Redirecting Inventory. Once a Seller has made an ad call to AdX for a given impression, Seller is not permitted to pass that impression through any other system (including without limitation, Seller’s own system) that dynamically or programmatically allocates ad calls based on actual or estimated real-time pricing information.
Ad Caching. Ads served to mobile applications ("In-App Ads") or sites accessed through a mobile browser must be requested dynamically and, on sites designed for viewing on mobile devices, be refreshed when the page is refreshed.
Ad Code Requirements
Ad code must be implemented pursuant to the Ad Exchange Ad Code Implementation Requirements and any other instructions from Google.
Site Content
Sites that display Ad Exchange ads must not contain any content that (i) is prohibited by the Platforms program policies or (ii) contains any of the following:
- Content that threatens or advocates for harm on oneself or others.
- Content that harasses, intimidates or bullies an individual or group of individuals.
- Content that incites hatred against, promotes discrimination of, or disparages an individual or group on the basis of their race or ethnic origin, religion, disability, age, nationality, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or other characteristic that is associated with systemic discrimination or marginalization.
- Content that misrepresents, misstates, or conceals information about the Seller, the Seller’s inventory, or the Site’s primary purpose, or engages in coordinated activity to mislead users. This includes content or accounts that misrepresent or conceal the Seller’s country of origin and is directed at users in another country under false pretenses.
- Hacking/cracking content.
- Software or other content that violates the Unwanted Software Policy.
- Sale of products that are replicas or imitations of designer goods.
- Online gambling or online casino-related content, sale of alcohol or sale of prescription drugs unless expressly permitted by Google.
- Content made by or in support of terrorist groups or content that promotes terrorist acts, including recruitment, or that celebrates terrorist attacks.
- Content that appears appropriate for a general audience but contains adult themes, including sex, violence, vulgarity, or other distasteful depictions of children or popular children's characters, that are unsuitable for a general audience.
Authorized Inventory (ads.txt)
If Seller offers Ad Exchange inventory on a domain that uses ads.txt, Seller must be included as an authorized seller of that inventory. For more information, see this Help Center page.
Interest-Based Advertising
Seller's use of a remarketing list ("User List") of any DoubleClick advertising cookies associated with a User ("User Cookie") must comply with both the Interest-based advertising provisions in the Platforms program policies, and the following policies:
Advertising Cookies Policy. Seller's use of the User Cookie via a User List is also subject to the Google Advertising Cookies Policy.
User List Transparency. Seller grants to Google the right to display to any User whose associated cookie ID is part of Seller's User Lists (i) that the User's associated cookie ID is on at least one of Seller's User Lists and (ii) the applicable Seller's domain or display name. Seller grants this right regardless of whether or not Seller has opted to make its inventory available by anonymous id.
In-App Ad Remarketing. To allow remarketing of In-App Ads using mobile device identifiers designated for advertising (“advertising-specific device identifier”), Seller must disclose in its privacy policy (i) that Seller will collect and pass to third parties advertising-specific device identifiers unless the user has opted-out of ad tracking for the device, and (ii) how a user who has opted-out of ad tracking may reset such identifier to disassociate the device from remarketing data that was collected and passed before the opt-out.
Location Data
In addition to the Location data provisions in the Platforms program policies, if a Seller (i) collects (whether through direct or indirect means); (ii) processes, or (iii) discloses to Google any information that is derived from an end user’s GPS, wifi or cell tower data, then that Seller must (A) obtain express (opt-in) consent from its end users to all uses of such data, and (B) disclose in its privacy policy all such uses of such data (including without limitation, for example, any sharing of such data with third parties).
Beta Features
Services may include beta features, which can be activated at Seller’s discretion. Beta features may have unforeseen issues and are provided "as is." Any use of beta features will be solely at Seller's own risk and may be subject to additional requirements as specified by Google. Google is not obligated to provide support for beta features. Google may cease providing beta features as part of any services.
Technical Support
Prior to making any support request to Google, Sellers will first use reasonable efforts to fix any error, bug, malfunction, or network connectivity defect without any escalation to Google. Thereafter, a written request for technical support can be submitted via the Google DoubleClick Ad Exchange Help Center or by writing to the applicable email address. Sellers will provide support services to end users at their own expense. From time to time, Google will consult with Seller with the objective of optimizing the performance of their ad units on the Ad Exchange.
Payment Threshold
Sellers must have a minimum balance of $100 in their Ad Exchange account at the end of a given month to receive payment from Google. Account balances under $100 will roll-over into the following month.
Data Use
Google uses a cookie to serve ads to sites participating in the Ad Exchange as described in the Google Advertising privacy FAQ. Certain third parties may also use cookies to serve ads to site participating in the Ad Exchange as described in the Ad Exchange training guide Buyers' use of technology vendors. Sellers who elect to use the Pixel Analysis tool on their owned and operated sites authorize Google to scan and disclose all pixel activity, including pixels from third parties, on such sites. Google may use and disclose any data derived from Seller's use of Ad Exchange, subject to the terms of Google's privacy policy, the Google DoubleClick AdX Seller Terms, and any applicable laws.
Invalid Activity
In addition to the Invalid activity provisions in the Platforms program policies, Sellers must also comply with the Site Behavior and Traffic Sources provisions in the Ad Exchange Ad Code Technical Requirements.
Video (Beta)
Video Content and Site Content Requirements. Video inventory must be implemented pursuant to the AdX Video Implementation Guide and any other instructions from Google. Sellers must provide and maintain accurate metadata and description URLs for all video and game content.
Sellers using the Google Interactive Media Ads (IMA) SDK to display ads from the Ad Exchange in video inventory are responsible for ensuring that both the video content and Embedded Sites comply with the site content requirements in these Google DoubleClick AdX Seller Guidelines. Such Sellers must disclose in their privacy policies that third parties may collect certain types of information about a user's visit to their Sites, including whether the user interacted with content on such sites.
YouTube-hosted content may only be monetized through the YouTube partner program, and not through the IMA SDK.
Seller Restrictions. Sellers can choose to block advertisers, buyer networks, rich media vendors, and ads that use tagging as a means to create or use remarketing lists, or that use cookies based on interest-based categories. These restrictions can be set on an inventory segment basis or separately at the account-level. While Google does not guarantee these restrictions, Google does provide validation of sites and creatives.
Open Auction Policies
In addition to the above policies, Sellers participating in the Open Auction must also comply with all the below policies.
Ad Placement in the Open Auction. Ad code must not be: (i) displayed in expanding buttons or animation; (ii) integrated into a non-web-based desktop application except as expressly approved by Google; (iii) placed in email programs or in emails, including but not limited to email newsletters, except as expressly permitted by Google, or (iv) placed underneath or adjacent to buttons or any other object such that the placement of the ad interferes with a user’s typical interaction with the website or ad.
Sellers monetizing Sites must ensure that at any given time, in-page Ads (ads that stay within the set dimensions of the ad slot), In-app Ads (ads served within mobile applications), and other paid promotional materials do not exceed the amount of Site content.
In-App Ads Placement in the Open Auction. In-App Ads must not be placed: (i) underneath or adjacent to buttons or any other object such that the placement of the ad interferes with a user’s typical interaction with the App or ad; (ii) in a manner that otherwise obstructs the user from viewing the content in an App; or (iii) on a "dead end" screen where the user is not able to exit the screen without clicking the ad and the user is not notified that the home button will exit the App.
Additional Content Restrictions for the Open Auction. Sites that display Ad Exchange ads must not contain: (i) pornographic, adult, or mature content; (ii) violent content; (iii) excessive profanity; (iv) illicit drugs and drug paraphernalia content; (v) sale of tobacco or tobacco-related products; and (vi) sale of weapons or ammunition (for example, firearms, firearm components, fighting knives, stun guns).
Seller Restrictions in the Open Auction. Sellers can choose to block advertisers, buyer networks, rich media vendors, and ads that use tagging as a means to create or use remarketing lists, or that use cookies based on interest-based categories. These restrictions can be set on an inventory segment basis or separately at the account-level. While Google does not guarantee these restrictions, Google does provide validation of sites and creatives.
Video Inventory (Beta) in the Open Auction. Video inventory, including but not limited to in-stream ads inventory in online games, must be implemented pursuant to instructions from Google. Sellers are not permitted to: (i) traffic monetized video players using ad placements for conventional display ads such as in-banner units, or (ii) use ad banners and images as template backgrounds for video and gaming content. Ads must be placed such that users can clearly distinguish them from video and gaming content.
AdWords Ads in the Open Auction. When displaying AdWords ads on their Sites, Seller must also comply with the AdSense Program Policies, wherein "seller" is referred to as "publisher." When displaying AdWords ads within an App, Seller must also comply with the AdMob Program Policies.
