These release notes are archives provided for your convenience only and might not reflect current product functionality. For the latest releases, see AdMob Announcements.
Q4 2021
We’re introducing a new report type called the Ads Activity report. This new report, which contains metrics and dimensions from the AdMob Network report, Mediation report, and Bidding report, provides a centralized view of your ads performance.
What’s new?
With the Ads Activity report, we’re combining the functionality of the AdMob Network report, Mediation report, and Bidding report into a single, unified report. You no longer have to switch between reports to understand how the AdMob Network, waterfall ad sources, and bidding ad sources are performing.
Using the ad source (full list) dimension
We’re also increasing transparency around the ad sources that are included in the AdMob Network by introducing a new dimension called ad source (full list).
The AdMob Network includes both Google and third-party demand. Unlike other AdMob reports, however, the Ads Activity report lists these sources separately when you use the ad source (full list) dimension.
This new dimension allows you to view data for each of the ad sources that are included as part of the AdMob Network. When you select the ad source (full list) dimension in the Ads Activity report, you'll see new sources like "Google (Google Ads, Display & Video 360)" and several third-party bidding sources.
What’s the difference between ad source and ad source (full list) dimensions?
The table below explains how we’re reporting ad sources in the different dimensions.
| Ad source (full list) dimension | This dimension allows you to view all the ad sources that are included as part of the AdMob Network listed separately:
|
|---|---|
| Ad source dimension |
AdMob Network = Google demand + third-party bidding sources This dimension collapses all the ad sources under the AdMob Network. |
What's next?
The ads activity report is currently in beta release. Learn more about the filters, dimensions, and metrics that are included with the ads activity report
As of today, AdMob metrics are deprecated in the AdSense Management API. If you use the AdSense API to access AdMob data, you’ll need to migrate to the AdMob API.
Request for extension
We’re temporarily accepting extension requests for v1.4 of the AdSense Management API. All extensions expire on October 26, 2021, regardless of when the request was made.
Request an extension by following these steps:
- Sign into your account in the Google Cloud Platform Console.
- Select the correct AdMob project in the top navigation.
- Click IAM & Admin
Settings in the sidebar.
- Locate the “Project number”. Disregard the Project ID.
- Send an email to [email protected] with the subject "Extension Request." Include your project number in the email body.
Your request will then be reviewed. It will take approximately 1 business day for the extension to take effect.
Benefits of the AdMob API
The AdMob API allows you to programmatically get information on your AdMob account. The AdMob API replaces the need to use the AdSense API and provides enhanced capabilities:
- Insight into mediation performance: The AdMob API has access to mediation and bidding data to give you a more holistic review of your earnings.
- Consistency with AdMob reports: The AdMob API uses the same metrics and definitions as the reports in your AdMob account.
- Continuous improvements: AdMob continuously develops and adds features to this API, such as the ability to list the apps and ad units.
Migrate to the AdMob API
If you use the AdSense API to access AdMob data, use the migration guide for step by step instructions. You can also use the following resources:
- AdMob API Guides: Get started with the AdMob API and learn about supported metrics and dimensions.
- Reference documentation: View detailed information on each REST method and its specific parameters.
- Client Library Samples: Access code samples for how to make requests in Java, PHP, and Python.
For help implementing or using the API, you can reach out via the AdMob API Developer Forum
Q3 2021
Google is committed to supporting our publisher partners with their Age Appropriate Design Code (AADC) compliance approach. We recommend that you work with your legal advisors to determine whether AADC is applicable to your business and, if so, how to comply.
As part of your compliance approach, if you would like to apply child treatment (as defined under the GDPR) to applicable traffic, you may make use of our “Tag for users under the age of consent (TFUA)” feature.
Q2 2021
We’re enhancing the Rewarded ads report with new metrics and dimensions, and renaming it to the User Activity report. The existing rewarded ads report will be deprecated in mid-2021. All of your saved rewarded ads reports will automatically convert to the user activity report, and continue to work in the future.
What’s changing?
All of the current rewarded ads filters, dimensions, and metrics will still be available in the user activity report. In addition, we’re introducing new metrics to help you get a more comprehensive view of your apps. New metrics include earnings per daily active users, impressions per user (for all formats), impressions / session, and more. Check out the full list of metrics that will be available in the user activity report.
About the user activity report
The user activity report provides a more comprehensive view of your apps than the rewarded report. In addition to data about your rewarded ads, the user activity report also captures data about how users are engaging and how your app is being monetized.
You can use this report to monitor app health, troubleshoot issues, and understand how changes impact your app.
What’s next?
The user activity report is available to all publishers. Learn more about the filters, dimensions, and metrics that will be included with the user activity report.
On October 12, 2021, AdMob metrics will be deprecated in the AdSense API. If you use the AdSense API to access AdMob data, you’ll need to migrate to the AdMob API as soon as possible to ensure continuity.
Note that the current version of the AdSense Management API (version 1.4) will stop returning AdMob data on October 12, 2021.
Benefits of the AdMob API
The AdMob API allows you to programmatically get information on your AdMob account. The AdMob API replaces the need to use the AdSense API and provides enhanced capabilities:
- Insight into mediation performance: The AdMob API has access to mediation and Open Bidding data to give you a more holistic review of your earnings.
- Consistency with AdMob reports: The AdMob API uses the same metrics and definitions as the reports in your AdMob account.
- Continuous improvements: AdMob continuously develops and adds features to this API, such as the ability to list the apps and ad units.
Migrating to the AdMob API
If you use the AdSense API to access AdMob data, use the migration guide for step by step instructions. You can also use the following resources:
- AdMob API Guides: Get started with the AdMob API and learn about supported metrics and dimensions.
- Reference documentation: View detailed information on each REST method and its specific parameters.
- Client Library Samples: Access code samples for how to make requests in Java, PHP, and Python.
For help implementing or using the API, you can reach out via the AdMob API Developer Forum. For API suggestions or improvements, you can share feedback with the AdMob API team via this form.
We’re excited to announce a significant redesign of the Policy center. The Policy center’s newest features, like reporting the amount of ad requests affected by policy issues and advanced filters, aim to help you better understand, prioritize, and resolve issues.
What is the Policy center?
The Policy center is a tool that helps you adhere to our Program policies and restrictions. Use the Policy center to discover, understand, and resolve issues that affect ad serving in your apps.
Welcome to Inside the Policy center
What’s changing?
To make it easier to understand how your account is affected, we’re introducing an overall account health summary at the top of the Policy center that shows the status of ad serving across your apps. For example, you’ll be able to see at a glance how many apps are affected by issues and what percentage of your ad requests are restricted or disabled.
We’re also introducing more ways to filter and sort in the Policy center. When you access the Policy center, issues are automatically sorted by the number of ad requests. You can also sort by app name, status, type of issue, or date reported. To sort by any of these categories, click the category name.
We’ve also made it easier to filter issues. To find the Must fix issues, navigate to the top of the Policy center and click on the number in the Must fix category. You can also filter by ad serving status by clicking on the numbers in the Disabled ad serving or Restricted ad serving categories. Clicking a number in a category creates a filter for you. You can also click Add filter.
Lastly, you now have the ability to download a CSV file that contains the details of your apps with issues. Click Download CSV and choose Download all items or Download filtered view to create your file.
What's next?
Check out the new Policy center by signing in to your AdMob account and clicking Policy center in the sidebar.
Q1 2021
When you create a new mediation group or edit an existing mediation group, you can use the new IDFA availability parameter to target ad requests based on the availability of the IDFA. Having separate waterfalls can help you optimize the performance of ad requests with and without IDFA.
To set a mediation group to target ad requests based on the availability of the IDFA:
- Sign in to your AdMob account at https://admob.google.com.
- Click Mediation in the sidebar.
- Select the existing mediation group you’d like to edit, or click Create mediation group.
-
For IDFA availability, select one of the following options:
- All: The mediation group applies to all ad requests (with or without IDFA).
- Available: The mediation group applies to ad requests with IDFA.
- Not available: The mediation group applies to ad requests without IDFA.
- Click Save.
Note: For all mediation groups, we recommend that you use ad network optimization to dynamically adjust your waterfalls based on performance.
If you use bidding, you should continue using bidding. Bidding helps ensure your impressions get the highest revenue for both segments of traffic (with and without IDFA) without having to manage separate waterfalls.
Limited ads give publishers the ability to serve ads in a limited way in the absence of consent for the use of cookies or other local identifiers. Limited ads for apps in Ad Manager and AdMob are now generally available.
On March 18, newly certified Ad Technology Providers (ATPs) will become available for use with the LGPD. Review the “Upcoming changes” section of Ad Technology Providers for the LGPD to learn more about these new ATPs.
Ad Manager, AdSense, and AdMob have released an additional GDPR/LGPD compliance feature that will enable you to opt-in to allow Google to check RTB (real-time-bidding) creatives for user consent. The “Check RTB (real-time bidding) partner creatives for user consent” option appears on the EU user consent page and applies to both GDPR- and LGPD-eligible traffic.
Beginning March 2021, we’re introducing a new process for reviewing and approving apps that are newly linked to an app store.
To help us understand the source of apps, all new apps linked to supported app stores after May 2021 will need to be reviewed and approved. Ad serving will be limited until review is completed and the app is approved.
Note that new apps must be listed and linked to a supported store in order to be approved and remove the ad serving limit. New apps not listed to any supported stores won't be able to be reviewed. To have an app reviewed and eligible for approval, list and link the app to a supported store.
This new process will be rolled out gradually during 2021.
All monetizing apps will eventually need to be listed and linked to a supported app store. We recommend linking your apps as soon as they're listed and then submitting for review to avoid interruptions in monetization.
About the review process
This is part of the standard review process for new AdMob apps. During the review, apps will experience limited ad serving. Reviews will typically take 24-48 hours, but may take longer in certain cases.
You will be notified via email once the review is completed regardless of whether your app is approved or not. You can also check your app’s review status in the All Apps section by clicking Apps in the sidebar and then View All Apps.
If an app is approved, the ad serving limit will be lifted. If an app hasn't been approved, it will not be able to fully serve ads, but can be resubmitted for review after resolving issues highlighted in the Policy center. If you don’t want to address an app that hasn't been approved, you can hide the app in the All Apps section.
Learn more about how to set up an app in AdMob or link an existing app to an app store.
Apply by March 7th to join the 2021 Women of Publishing Leadership Series. This March, we’re bringing together female leaders, who have successfully funded their passions through monetization platforms using Google AdMob or AdSense. This two-day virtual event (March 16-17) will teach you how Google tools can help fuel your business growth through data-driven monetization tactics and connections with other women-led businesses.
We’re excited to announce that you can now A/B test your mediation group set up directly in your AdMob account. The new A/B test feature helps you make informed decisions about how to maximize your mediation performance.
How it works
A/B tests let you evaluate 2 variations of a mediation group and compare the results. You can use an existing mediation group and create a variation of it to see which performs better. The test splits your app’s users between your existing mediation group setup and the variation, so that their performance can be measured side by side.
To help you analyze the results of your A/B test, AdMob compares the estimated earnings of your existing mediation group and the variation.
Get started
To start an A/B test, sign into your AdMob account and click Mediation in the sidebar. Then, click Set up A/B test next to the mediation group you’d like to test.
This is a reminder that the grace period provided to give publishers time to manage errors and misconfigurations related to the launch of IAB Europe’s Transparency & Consent Framework v2.0 is ending. The grace period will end on or after January 14, 2021.