CodeFuel Launches a New Analytics Center for Publishers to Boost Performance & Increase Revenue

CodeFuel Launches a New Analytics Center for Publishers to Boost Performance & Increase Revenue

by | Nov 14, 2022 | Monetization, Search

We are delighted to announce the launch of our new Analytics Center, a suite of tools that empower publishers to grow their businesses across desktop and mobile worldwide.

Here at CodeFuel, we utilize advanced technologies, including Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to ensure that user intent results in higher yield for publishers, putting an emphasis on capturing consumers at the right moment and delivering them to the right advertisers.

Today, 68% of all shopping begins online, even if the actual purchase itself happens at a store. This is partly a result of the fact that two-thirds of consumers conduct some form of online research before making their purchase. The more often consumers turn to online content to help them decide on their next purchase, the more decipherable online shopping journeys become. This is where we come in, our efforts are focused on converting intent to revenue, revolutionizing the advertising landscape for both publishers and media buyers.

The newest addition to our publisher-centric tools, The CodeFuel Analytics Center is a data-rich dashboard and a sophisticated tool that enables publishers to gain valuable, actionable insights, improve their strategy, and increase revenue. The center features include real-time insights for traffic optimization, pre-defined performance reports, and customizable analytics presented using various filters and metrics.

CodeFuel Center Dashboard

“The new dashboard has already received positive feedback from our publishers who are pleased with its ease of implementation, advanced analytical capabilities, and reporting capabilities,” said Tal Jacobson, General Manager, CodeFuel.

“Our teams continue to invest in additional features and tools to help publishers maximize yield and monetization for their digital assets.”

Care to learn more about how you can turn intent into revenue on your digital properties?

What is an SDK & What it does? – A Quick Guide for You [With Examples 2023]

What is an SDK & What it does? – A Quick Guide for You [With Examples 2023]

by | Nov 13, 2022 | Search, Software

The SDK is one of the most commonly used tools in advertising technology (AdTech). Although most publishers and advertisers routinely use SDKs for serving ads, you may be wondering about the details: what it is, how it works, and what it contains. Understanding what SDKs are and how developers use them is critical to understand what makes one suitable for your needs.

Definition & Meaning of an SDK

SDK stands for Software Development Kit. Alternative terms include “devkit” or “dev-kit.”

SDKs are software packages containing multiple programs and tools designed to create computer applications. The SDK can be considered the computing equivalent of a toolkit.

The type and nature of an SDK’s tools vary depending on its intended purpose. They may include documentation, compilers, code libraries, code samples, development environments, editors, debuggers, testing and analytics tools, and many more.

SDKs are typically designed for building an application on a specific operating system or platform using one or more programming languages. For instance, developing an Android application usually requires an Android-specific SDK.

Resources and Sets of Tools Found in SDKs

Although each SDK is unique, most contain the same types of tools. Below are some of the most common types of SDK tools and software.

Compiler

The compiler is one of the most critical elements of an SDK. Compilers are specialized software capable of translating a program’s human-readable source code into machine-readable, executable code. 

Developers need compilers to create applications and programs from code written in a specific programming language for a particular operating system or environment. 

For example, a developer building an application using the C++ programming language meant for a Windows system needs a compiler that can read and interpret C++ code and compile it into a format executable by the Windows operating system (e.g., a .exe file).

Most compilers work according to a 5-step process:

  1. Lexical and syntax analysis: The compiler splits the source code into lexical tokens, which can be viewed as the programming equivalent of sentences. It then reads each sentence and checks for syntax errors. If it finds none, the compiler proceeds to the next step
  2. Semantic analysis: The compiler analyzes the code a second time to verify its accuracy and check for logic errors.
  3. Intermediate representation: After verifying the source code has no semantic errors, the compiler translates it into a format known as Intermediate Representation (IR). IR code is a representation of the source code in a format closer to that of machine-readable executable code but isn’t yet ready for execution.
  4. Optimization: Compilers optimize the IR code to ensure it runs faster and more efficiently (consumes less computing resources). Optimization may trim, tune, or rewrite specific parts of the IR code to make it leaner, but it cannot change the code’s functionality or meaning.
  5. Output: The compiler uses the optimized code to generate a machine-readable executable program.

Debugger

Debuggers, also known as debugging tools, are another category of essential tools found in SDKs. Debuggers are specialized software capable of reading other programs and checking for software bugs, a broad term encompassing a range of programming flaws, errors, unintended behaviors, and other faults.

Although debuggers cannot detect and remove every bug in a program, they are crucial to the development process because they can help developers remove as many errors and issues as possible from the software or application before release.

Developers primarily employ debugging tools during the testing phase of a typical software development cycle, which takes place just before deployment and release and after design and development. 

Debugging occurs relatively late during a program’s development cycle because it is essential to a program’s testing and quality control phases. It can only be efficiently performed after the code no longer needs fundamental changes, as adding new code after debugging carries the risk of introducing new, undetected bugs.

APIs

API stands for Application Program Interface. Although SDKs are often confused with APIs, they are not the same and perform different tasks.

An API is a set of functions designed to allow communication between two different programs, applications, or computing platforms. SDKs typically contain multiple APIs designed to facilitate development. Although the purpose of an SDK is to develop applications, a developer can also use the tools in an SDK to build their own APIs.

Documentation

SDKs typically feature documentation detailing how to use each of the tools and elements it contains. SDK documentation may either be offline and included in the SDK in the form of readable files or hosted online on a website. Besides text file documents, an SDK’s documentation may also include sample images, illustrative graphics, FAQs, and even tutorials.

Code Samples

Code samples are snippets of pre-written code. In SDKs, code samples feature functional examples of what a developer can do with the SDK, helping them contextualize the SDK’s capabilities.

While most code samples can function as examples to draw inspiration from, developers know that the code samples included in an SDK are already functional and potentially usable for developing an application. Consequently, many developers may also choose to integrate code samples (or parts of them) directly into the source code of a new application.

Programming Libraries

A programming library (or code library) is a packaged collection of prewritten code designed to perform specific tasks arranged and organized by function. Developers rely on libraries to solve common tasks and issues more quickly, reducing overall development time and improving the source code’s reliability.

Because code libraries must contain prewritten source code, each library is specific to a programming language. For example, a developer writing an application using the Python language can only use libraries containing Python code, such as NumPy or TensorFlow.

Frameworks

At first glance, a framework may seem similar to a programming library: both contain code snippets designed to solve specific tasks and save time. However, many SDKs include both code libraries and frameworks, and the specific ways they help a developer are fundamentally different.

The best way to understand the difference between a programming library and a framework is with the calling analogy. With a code library, the developer’s source code calls on the features in the library to achieve a specific task. In other words, the developer uses libraries to control the application’s flow. 

In contrast, if a developer uses a framework to build an application, the framework serves as a foundation that calls on the developer’s source code. The developer may not integrate new functionality if it isn’t compatible with that framework. In other words, the framework controls the application’s flow.

API Testing and Analytics Tools

Many SDKs include additional tools alongside APIs, such as API testing and API analytics software. The purpose of these support programs is to test an API’s performance and verify it functions as expected while meeting all relevant security and reliability standards. 

Developers relying on one or multiple APIs to build an application may use these testing and analytics tools frequently during the testing stage of the development cycle.

What Does an SDK Do?

Each SDK is different, meaning there is no step-by-step guide that can be employed to use all SDKs. However, certain general principles apply to most SDKs: how they are made and distributed, what kinds of terms and conditions apply when using them, how developers might use the tools inside an SDK, and how SDKs impact the release of a finished application.

How SDKs Are Made

Before developers can use an SDK for building apps, another team of developers must design and create it. Most successful SDKs come from large firms that have developed their own operating systems, platforms, or applications.

In these instances, the SDK is typically intended for developers looking to build apps compatible with a platform developed or managed by the SDK’s authors. For example, the Android Native Development Kit was developed by Google to allow developers to use C and C++ code for developing Android applications.

However, SDK development isn’t restricted only to large companies. Depending on the SDK’s intended purposes and applications, skilled developers can independently develop their own SDKs, provided they are intimately familiar with the target programming languages, operating systems, and APIs. 

SDK developers must also have the resources to build all necessary documentation, develop 100% functional and bug-free code samples, and, if needed, design custom tools (e.g., compilers, debuggers, etc.).

Who Can Use an SDK

The distribution channels employed to make SDKs available to developers vary depending on who built the SDK and what types of applications it is designed to build.

Although most SDKs are free, many come with licensing agreements outlining terms and conditions for the developers. For example, a freely available SDK may include licensing terms that allow developers to build applications but not permit redistribution of the SDK or commercial use of applications built using this SDK. 

Consequently, a developer must carefully review and understand the SDK’s licensing terms, as it can significantly impact their application’s development and publishing processes.

Some SDKs are not freely available and only accessible to developers under specific conditions. For example, some platforms require developers to purchase the SDK directly or pay to become a member of the SDK authors’ platform as a condition for accessing the SDK.

More rarely, specific SDKs may be private to a particular company or business and intended for internal use only. For example, a video game development company may develop an SDK for the sole purpose of aiding developer employees with building new games. Such SDKs are not intended for public usage and typically contain many proprietary tools and software.

How Developers Use SDKs for Software Creation

Generally speaking, after a developer has acquired the SDK that will let them develop an application in their chosen combination of programming languages and target platforms, the general usage steps are relatively simple:

  1. Install the SDK
  2. Start development using the SDK’s interface
  3. Use the tools provided by the SDK to expedite or facilitate specific aspects of development
  4. Compile the source code into a functional application

Although SDKs are described as the programming equivalent of a toolkit, meaning developers use the contents of an SDK as tools to build new applications, the industry frequently uses the term “integration” to refer to elements intended for direct use and insertion into the source code of a new application.

For instance, “integrating an SDK” doesn’t mean the developer includes the entirety of the SDK in the application’s code. Instead, it is a shorthand to refer to the elements of an SDK that a developer can directly integrate, such as code samples, code pulled from a library, APIs, and frameworks. 

A good way to understand the difference is to use the toolkit analogy and compare SDK tools to spare screws and screwdrivers: Some SDKs feature tools comparable to screwdrivers (e.g., compiler, debugger) and elements more like screws of specific kinds and sizes (e.g., library code, APIs). The finished product may contain the latter, but you wouldn’t expect it to include the former.

CodeFuel Can Help You Find the Best SDKs

At CodeFuel, we can help software developers and publishers find the best and most fully-featured SDKs to build and monetize applications as efficiently as possible. Our team can also help you find other avenues to monetize your digital properties and make the most out of your available assets. Contact us today for more information.

Best Ad Exchanges For Publishers That Make Your Website Profits Soar

Best Ad Exchanges For Publishers That Make Your Website Profits Soar

by | Oct 18, 2022 | Search

People and companies in the digital advertising industry frequently buy and sell ad inventory on dedicated marketplaces known as ad exchanges. However, there is a lot of confusion surrounding ad exchanges. Learn what an ad exchange is, how it works, who uses them, and how to avoid confusing ad exchanges with other similarly-named concepts, such as ad networks.

What is an Ad Exchange?

An ad exchange is a specific online marketplace where individuals, companies, and entities involved in the digital advertising business can buy and sell ad inventories. The many types of entities that can use an ad exchange include advertisers, publishers, supply-side platforms (SSPs), demand-side platforms (DSPs), and even ad networks, ad agencies, and agency trading desks.

Seller Entities

Seller entities (e.g., ad networks, SSPs, publishers) with ad inventories for sale gather on ad exchanges to create pools of assorted ads.

Buyer Entities

Buyer entities (e.g., advertisers, DSPs) can view the presented inventory pools and bid on them in real-time.

Ad Inventory Types

Ad inventories can be classified by type or format: display ads, native ads, in-app ads, video ads, mobile ads, etc. In exchange for benefitting from an ad exchange’s global reach, publishers have complete control over the inventory for sale, with options such as setting floor pricing, viewer targeting, or functions letting publishers add and block demand sources.

How to Use an Ad Exchange

Publishers looking to get started with ad exchanges can typically contact one directly and follow the exchange’s directions and requirements to become a member. However, most ad exchanges impose minimum traffic and revenue requirements. For this reason, it is impractical for a small or medium publisher to join an ad exchange unless supported by a suitable SSP or ad network.

Types of Ad Exchanges

Ad exchanges are categorized into three sub-types: open exchanges, preferred-deal exchanges, and private marketplaces (PMPs). Each type is suited for different kinds of publishers.

  • An open ad exchange is open to everyone meeting the minimum joining requirements. All inventory offered on open exchanges is available via real-time auctions to all buyers, allowing entities to purchase and sell ad inventory programmatically.Examples: OpenX, Yahoo
  • Preferred-deal exchanges are best suited for publishers wishing to negotiate a fixed price to a preferred list of advertisers.Example: Preferred Deal campaigns on Google Ad Exchange
  • Private marketplaces (PMPs), also called private exchanges, are closed exchanges reserved for premium publishers and selected advertisers with the highest-quality ads. This level of exclusivity allows publishers to sell their inventory at the highest prices.Example: Smaato Exchange’s private marketplace

How does an ad exchange make money?

Although the exact terms, conditions, and revenue models vary from platform to platform, most ad exchanges employ three primary monetization methods: setup fees, publisher commissions, and advertiser commissions.

  • Setup fees: Many ad exchanges impose setup fees on all entities joining their platform. Setup fees are typically flat rates in exchange for continued usage of the ad exchange.
  • Publisher commissions: Ad exchanges may require publishers to pay a commission, typically a percentage of the money they earned from using a particular advertiser’s inventory. For example, if an ad package valued at $6,200 has a 10% commission, the publisher pays the ad exchange $620.
  • Advertiser commissions: Some platforms may require advertisers to pay a commission, typically a percentage on top of the value of a negotiated deal.

What is an example of an ad exchange?

A typical example of a programmatic ad exchange is Google Ad Exchange. Publishers and ad agencies may join Google Ad Exchange to sell their ad inventories, and advertisers and ad networks may join the platform and compete via real-time bidding to obtain the inventory available for sale.

Best 10 Ad Exchange Companies for Publishers

Although there are hundreds of platforms for publishers to choose from, only a select number are among the top performers. Here are the top 10 highest-rated ad exchanges available today and which features, benefits, and unique value propositions each one has to offer for publishers.

1. Yahoo (previously Verizon Media)

Previously known as Oath and Verizon Media and better known for its search engine, Yahoo is a top-performing media and tech company operating one of the world’s largest ad exchanges. Verizon Media serves over 800 million users daily, including an extensive network of publishers, advertisers, and other entities in the digital ad industry.

The Yahoo ad exchange offers an array of monetization options designed to be as easy to use and implement as possible, compatible with multiple ad types and form factors across all common devices, such as desktop, mobile, and tablet-optimized. The ad exchange’s underlying technology is also employed to power the websites of some of Yahoo’s biggest publisher clients, such as TechCrunch or the Huffington Post.

If you are a publisher, Yahoo’s ad exchange offers the following features and benefits:

  • High-quality ad creatives
  • Compliant with worldwide privacy regulations (e.g., the European Union’s GDPR)
  • Complete ad inventory management tools, including tracking of earnings from different channels and avenues

2. OpenX

OpenX is a high-performance programmatic marketplace designed to empower publishers with detailed, actionable insights regarding their audience. The exchange’s primary tool, OpenAudience, is a powerful audience identity and data matching tool that enriches trillions of ad requests with valuable user data daily.

OpenX is also protected by robust anti-fraud and anti-malware measures and is a certified member of the Trustworthy Accountability Group (TAG). These certifications ensure that publishers and advertisers partnering with OpenX are safe from bad actors and the threat of malvertising.

Publishers partnering with OpenX enjoy the following advantages:

  • Access to OpenX Bidder, an internally-developed, in-house maintained header bidding solution providing publishers access to premium buyer entities.
  • A real-time guaranteed feature predicting audience volume and statistics giving publishers valuable data and insights for optimizing their monetization strategies and improving buyer-seller deals.
  • A secondary mobile-optimized ad exchange where buyers and sellers can trade mobile ad inventory exclusively.

3. MoPub

MoPub was founded in 2010 as an app monetization platform for publishers and developers. After Twitter acquired the company in 2013, MoPub became a Twitter subsidiary and began offering ad exchange services with an exclusive focus on the mobile market.

Today, MoPub is one of the world’s largest ad exchanges and one of the top-performing platforms for buying and selling mobile ads, serving over 1.5 billion users and partnering with over 50,000 developers and publishers, including industry leaders such as UbiSoft and Zynga.

Publishers using MoPub can expect the following benefits:

  • In-app monetization features
  • Real-time bidding and mobile mediation features, ensuring publishers have access to the best demand sources
  • Real-time impression tracking
  • Data tracking displays revenue at the impression level, allowing publishers to understand the exact value of their ad inventory

4. Google Ad Exchange (AdX)

Google Ad Exchange (AdX), previously known as DoubleClick Ad Exchange, is the search engine giant’s ad network. It is powered by Google technology under the same umbrella as Google Ad Manager. As a premium ad exchange, only registered members of the Google Display Network (GDN) can use Google AdX to buy and sell ad inventory.

Google Ad Exchange lets buyer and seller entities trade ad inventory using one of two auction models: open and private auctions. These models mean that Google AdX can function as either an open exchange or a private marketplace (PMP), providing high flexibility and a wide range of pricing options.

If you are a small or medium publisher looking to access Google AdX, you likely do not meet Google’s stringent requirements to join the platform. In that case, you may need to partner with a Google Network Partners (GNP) program member.

Joining Google AdX grants access to the following features and benefits:

  • Account-level filtering of advertisers and ad creatives, giving publishers total control over the content displayed on their sites, apps, and other properties.
  • Numerous reporting criteria and parameters: Publishers can organize their data reports by geographic area, above-the-fold (ATF) units, below-the-fold (BTF) units, layouts, sizes, and many more.
  • Maximum convenience: Google AdX handles as many aspects of ad serving as possible (delivery, payment, currency conversion, etc.) to ensure you can focus on monetization instead of configuration.

5. Magnite (Ex-Rubicon Project)

Magnite is the ad exchange formerly known as the Rubicon Project. Founded in 2007, this advertising platform is the world’s largest independent supply-side platform (SSP) and one of the world’s busiest ad exchanges, with over one billion deals completed monthly.

Many high-profile clients buy and sell ads on Magnite, such as eCommerce giant eBay, the Wall Street Journal, or video game publisher Gameloft.

Magnite is renowned for its focus on header bidding technology, being a major contributor during the development of Prebid, an open-source unified auction platform letting media owners deploy header bidding through a Javascript wrapper.

Publishers partnering with Magnite enjoy the following benefits:

  • Publishers with little to no technical knowledge can still take full advantage of Magnite’s features, thanks to an easy-to-use user interface (UI) and superior user experience (UX).
  • Magnite staff can provide publishers with manual assistance on request.
  • Magnite has a global reach, letting publishers access worldwide demand from a single platform.

6. Index Exchange

Index Exchange (IX) is a global ad marketplace built on the principles of openness, transparency, and neutrality, letting advertisers and publishers buy and sell ad space and ad inventory safely and efficiently.

Index Exchange is operated by the IX Team and trusted by some of the world’s most trusted media and news companies, such as The Economist, Business Insider, and The Telegraph.

Publishers partnering with Index Exchange can expect the following benefits:

  • The platform is powered by Business Intelligence (BI) software, providing publishers with a wealth of data points for publishers to optimize their strategies
  • The Wrapper Pulse API and IX exchange tool provide publishers additional actionable insights, such as impression count, geographic regions, bid cycles, and revenue information.

7. Smaato Exchange

Smaato is an ad technology company operating Smaato Exchange (SMX), a self-serve, real-time bidding (RTB) ad exchange platform. SMX specializes in mobile applications exclusively, serving in-app ads globally. The exchange processes over 150 billion requests monthly.

Smaato’s SMX platform offers app developers and publishers monetization options for their ad spaces through real-time bidding or programmatic waterfall solutions.

Publishers choosing SMX may enjoy the following benefits:

  • Access to over 450 demand sources worldwide
  • Fully-featured ad exchange, with open and private marketplaces, options for RTB, direct deals, and third-party mediation.
  • Publishers can find the best price for their ad spaces in under 200 milliseconds

8. AppNexus

AppNexus is one of the best-known advertising marketplaces, offering advanced monetization services to seller and buyer entities alike. The platform employs cloud-based software that allows publishers to optimize revenue yields quickly and efficiently by automatically connecting them with third-party DSPs worldwide.

AppNexus is the preferred ad exchange for major players such as Axel Springer S.E., Underdog Media, and the tech giant, Microsoft.

Publishers looking to partner with AppNexus will enjoy the following benefits:

  • An internally-developed algorithm, Forecast Shaped Pacing, allows publishers to earn more by evenly distributing budgets, causing ad inventories to be matched to more programmatic demand during peak hours.
  • A fully-featured publisher suite with numerous features: a supply-side platform (SSP), audience extension features, ad serving options, and many more.
  • Publishers have access to detailed data logs, letting them verify whether their ad inventories have been sold in fair conditions on open markets.

9. SmartyAds

SmartyAds is a real-time bidding (RTB) marketplace and open ad exchange designed to function as the ideal intermediary between web advertisers and publishers. 

SmartyAds processes over 135 billion impressions monthly and is widely considered a white-label platform in the ad exchange industry.

Publishers with premium desktop and mobile ad inventories for sale can use SmartyAds to access worldwide advertisers and sell their inventories according to their exact needs and specifications.

If you are a publisher partnering with SmartyAds, you will gain access to the following features:

  • SmartyAds CPI, a full-stack solution powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and designed to help mobile app and game publishers reach more buyers.
  • An automated anti-fraud system protecting publishers from bots, fraudulent advertisers, and other bad actors using a Fraud score system.
  • Unlimited access to demand sources, ensuring publishers can close deals that benefit them at every opportunity.

10. PubMatic

PubMatic is an ad technology company running the PubMatic Ad Exchange, a publishers-first, data-driven monetization platform powered by full-stack technology.

PubMatic is often considered a top choice for publishers of all sizes because it prioritizes premium advertisers, helping them connect to publishers at any scale.

This ad exchange delivers over 65 billion daily impressions and serves ads to over 800 million worldwide users. Top publisher clients include Dictionary.com, the Boston Globe, and Complex Networks.

Here are the top features and benefits offered to publishers on PubMatic:

  • PubMatic’s OpenWrap header bidding wrapper, an open-source solution designed to facilitate client-side, server-side, and hybrid header bidding.
  • Internally-developed RTB technology with access to a large and competitive pool of bidders, increasing potential revenues.
  • PubMatic’s automatic traffic verification system helps keep invalid traffic (e.g., bots) out, preserving your brand safety.

Advantages of Using an Ad Exchange for Publishers

Publishers and seller entities with ad inventory for sale have many reasons to choose an ad exchange over another platform or method.

Here are some of the most significant advantages of ad exchanges for publishers:

  • One of the most valuable features offered on most ad exchanges is minimum CPM settings, ensuring publishers always get a fair price for their inventory.
  • Publishers can use filtering and blocking tools to block competing, sensitive, or brand-damaging content.
  • Publishers have greater control over the sizes and formats displayed on their digital properties.
  • Publishers have complete control over when and where the exchange will display their ads
  • Ad exchanges offer more customization options than other platforms, letting publishers configure fonts, text colors, and corner styles for multi-ad placements.

Advantages of using an Ad Exchange for Advertisers

Advertisers and other buyer entities looking to purchase ad inventory may find many benefits in using an ad exchange. 

Here are some of the most significant advantages of ad exchanges for advertisers:

  • Advertisers have access to powerful audience targeting and performance. optimization tools, allowing them to increase their ROI and choose their audience
  • Advertisers can use display frequency tools to control how often ads are shown to the same users.
  • If an advertiser finds publishers they don’t wish to partner with, they can use the ad exchange’s block-listing functionality to prevent interactions and transactions.
  • Ad exchanges offer advertisers a high degree of control over their ad spend budgets through price setting and bidding functions.

Ad Exchange vs. Ad Network

Although they are frequently confused for one another, ad exchanges and ad networks are not the same. Here is a table illustrating the most significant differences between the two platforms.

Principle
How it works
Operating entity
Intended users
Transparency
Inventory Quality
Pricing
Ad Exchange
Marketplace platform where all entities involved in digital marketing can buy and sell ad inventory.
Ad exchanges are powered by digital marketplace technologies.
Advertisers, publishers, ad agencies, ad networks, other ad exchanges, SSPs, DSPs, etc.
Seller entities are fully aware of who the buying entities purchasing their inventory are. Some exchanges even allow buying entities to see competitor bids.
Inventory quality depends on how open the exchange is; open exchanges sell all available inventory, whereas preferred-deal exchanges and PMPs focus on premium-quality inventory.
Fluctuates depending on the bids placed by buyer entities
Ad Network
Platform primarily intended to serve as an intermediary between advertisers and publishers.
Ad networks are operated by companies.
Primarily publishers and advertisers.
Buyer entities do not know which sites, apps, or digital properties serve their ads, and selling entities do not know which companies buy their inventory.
Typically focuses on ad inventory being sold for the first time. Most networks have terms and conditions imposing minimum quality requirements.
Determined by the network

What is the best ad network for publishers?

As a publisher, the best ad network for your needs depends primarily on your size.

If you are a larger publisher, a registered Google Display Network (GDN) member, or a smaller publisher participating in the Google Network Partners (GNP) program, then Google Ad Exchange is the best choice.

Despite the rise of numerous high-performing competitors, Google AdX remains the world’s most popular Internet advertising program, leveraging Google technologies to optimize ad placement and contextual ad serving.

If you are a smaller publisher or a start-up looking to make your first steps with an ad network, then a platform such as SmartyAds may be better suited, as it allows publishers to scale up or down easily and without the need to meet additional requirements.

Best Ad Exchange Alternative: CodeFuel

Whether you are a small-scale publisher having difficulties joining an ad exchange, or want to further optimize your earnings with an additional solution, CodeFuel offers the features you need.

CodeFuel is here to help you leverage as many monetization avenues as possible for your mobile apps, websites, blogs, browser extensions, and other digital properties. We offer the following options:

  • App monetization: Whether you operate a desktop or mobile app, CodeFuel can help you earn money through intent-based monetization.
  • Search mediation: Optimize your search revenue per visitor with optimized landing pages, tailored verticals, and more.
  • Website monetization: Make money with your website or blog with relevant, high-intent text ads and banners.

FAQs

  • 1. What does an ad exchange do?

    Ad exchanges are a type of virtual marketplace designed to connect buying and selling entities for trading ad inventory and ad space.

  • 2. Are ad exchanges safe?

    Although not all ad exchanges are safe, there are ways to ensure you are working with a trustworthy partner, such as compliance with IAB standards, transparent policies, or the presence of anti-fraud systems.

    You can benefit from additional layers of security by using preferred-deal exchanges or private marketplaces (PMPs), as their more exclusive nature significantly reduces the chances of dealing with a bad actor.

  • 3. What is the best ad exchange?

    The world’s best-performing ad exchange is Google Ad Exchange (AdX), due to having access to the largest ad inventory and some of the world’s most advanced technology and safety measures. However, many other platforms and alternatives are available, some of which may be better suited for your needs as a publisher.

Final Thoughts

If you own or operate a website, mobile application, or any other digital property in need of monetization, CodeFuel can help you. Our experts can help you research and leverage as many monetization avenues as possible and maximize your earnings. Contact us today to get started.

Top 10 SDK Platform Apps and Tools

Top 10 SDK Platform Apps and Tools

by | Oct 13, 2022 | Search, Software

Mobile devices comprise the largest segment of Internet-connected devices, surpassing computers in the mid-2010s. Consequently, developing functional, powerful, and responsive mobile applications is crucial to ensure the best possible user experience.

Top-performing SDKs for developing applications on mobile platforms provide developers and publishers with the tools and functionality they need to build the best-rated apps.

What is an SDK?

A Software Development Kit (SDK), also called a dev kit, is a package containing pre-built software tools and functions that app developers can use to build new applications.

SDKs help developers save time while developing a program or application by providing ready-made code libraries, APIs, and other essential elements, without the need to code bespoke solutions from scratch.

Although SDKs aren’t exclusive to the mobile landscape (e.g., many desktop PC and Mac applications were built using SDKs), apps developed using SDKs are most commonly found in the mobile market.

Types of Mobile SDK App & Tool Frameworks

Application SDKs allow developers to build many different types of applications, grouped into three broad categories: native apps, web apps, and hybrid apps.

1. Native Apps

Native applications are mobile apps designed explicitly to run on a specific operating system. In the context of mobile applications, native app SDKs are grouped by mobile OS. For instance, you may find SDKs for building Apple iOS applications, SDKs for developing apps on Android, and SDKs for creating Windows Phone apps.

Generally speaking, native applications only work on one operating system. For example, an Android application (e.g., a .apk file) does not run on any Apple iOS device.

Occasionally, and particularly in the case of long-running operating systems that have been updated and iterated on for many years, specific SDKs let developers build applications that are only compatible with a particular range of version numbers.

Contact us to learn more

In practice, such applications may not function or work reliably on old versions of that OS, requiring developers to exercise caution, especially if compatibility with a wide range of devices is a concern. For example, an application developed for Android 12 (release date October 2021) may not necessarily run on Android 3.0 (released February 2011).

Pros of native apps:

  • Consistent User Interface: A native application can utilize the operating system’s native UI, resulting in a consistent look, feel, and interface functionality.
  • Access to Device Features: Native applications can take advantage of the host device’s full suite of features and capabilities. For example, a native Android app designed to run on an Android phone could request access to the device’s cameras for the app’s functionality, in part or whole.
  • Optimized Performance: A native application isn’t dependent on any other program or shell to run, allowing it to use the device’s resources more efficiently than the other app types. If you want an application that runs well or demands significant system resources, native apps are the only reliable solution.

Cons of native apps:

  • Compatibility: By nature, a native app only works on a single operating system, and unless it is regularly updated to support newer versions of that OS, it risks becoming incompatible with more recent devices as time passes. The developers must regularly maintain such apps. Additionally, if you want the same application on a different OS, it must be effectively built a second time from the ground up using an appropriate SDK.
  • Storage: Native apps are much like computer programs on a desktop PC or Mac: they take storage space. Every time the application needs to be updated, the user must download the new version, requiring them to pay attention to their remaining storage space.

2. Web Apps

Although web applications may appear to have similar functionality as native apps, they do not run directly from the user’s device. Instead, a web app runs from a web browser and is effectively an advanced, application-like website. A web app comes with its own interface, which adapts itself to the user’s device and web browser.

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Technologies and SDKs used to develop web apps are similar to those needed to create websites and include programming languages such as HTML5, Javascript, Ruby, PHP, Python, Perl, and many others.

Pros of web apps:

  • Lowest Development Costs: The most significant advantage of a web app is the ease of development. There is no need to use SDKs or technologies specific to a particular mobile device’s OS; the general rule of thumb is that if it runs on a web browser, it can run on any web browser and, therefore, any device.
  • No Downloads: Users access web apps like websites; by visiting the corresponding URL from their browser, then letting the app load. All functionality is immediately available, with no file downloads.
  • Easy Maintenance: When developers must update the app, users don’t need to download files; at most, refreshing the page is all that should be necessary on the user’s end. This trait makes updates painless and eliminates the need to rely on app stores.

Cons of web apps:

  • Online Connectivity Required: Unless the apps use special technologies that allow them to function at least partially offline (e.g., Progressive Web Apps), web apps typically stop working or become unavailable if the user doesn’t have an Internet connection.
  • Browser Dependency: Unless your web app only uses the most basic functionalities found on most web browsers, user experience (UX) may vary depending on the device and browser they use, which diminishes UX consistency.

3. Hybrid Apps

Hybrid applications are a technological bridge between native and web apps, offering a mixture of both technologies to balance performance and ease of maintenance. Hybrid apps are, at their core, web apps augmented with an array of tools and technologies to make their behavior and performance closer to a native app.

For example, hybrid apps may have app icons like native apps, offer partial or full offline functionality, or access device features like the microphone, cameras, or accelerometer.

Consequently, the SDKs used to develop a hybrid app usually include a mix of tools and libraries useful for both native and web apps. Programming frameworks include React Native, Flutter, and Ionic.

Pros of hybrid apps:

  • Balanced Performance and Costs: The development costs and performance of a hybrid app both fall between native apps and web apps. They are cheaper and faster to develop than native apps but offer better reactivity, use of the device’s capabilities more efficiently, and provide a more consistent UX than web apps.
  • Reliability: Developers building apps for markets with slow or unreliable Internet connections may find hybrid applications an attractive solution because they load quickly and maintain partial functionality even when the connection is lost.

Cons of hybrid apps:

  • Performance Compromise: While hybrid apps offer many advantages, they cannot use the device’s resources as optimally as a native app, and they are, by nature, more complex and more expensive to develop than web apps. Developers and publishers must carefully consider the app’s goals before choosing this type of application.

Top 10 Best SDK Apps and Tools

Most of the top-performing applications available for app stores and web browsers today were developed using industry-standard SDKs. Here are the top 10 SDKs today:

1. Best SDK for Ad Networks: Google Mobile Ads SDK (Google AdMob SDK)

The Google Mobile Ads SDK is the official Google AdMob development kit. Google Mobile Ads SDK is designed for integration into Android and iOS applications and allows developers to monetize apps by integrating Google Ads. The primary purpose of this SDK is to access Google’s extensive advertiser network and generate revenue with your application.

The Google AdMob SDK is the most commonly utilized ad network SDK and one of the most widely used dev kits in the mobile market overall, with over 1.65 million apps (1.38 million on Google Play, over 270,000 on the Apple App Store) integrating this SDK.

2. Best SDK for Communication: OneSignal

The leading Software Development Kit for adding communications channels to an application is the OneSignal SDK, available for Android, iOS, Huawei, and web.

OneSignal is a notification service for native, web, and hybrid apps. It includes the powerful OneSignal API, allowing developers to use the service to send push notifications, native (in-app) messages, and even send messages via SMS and email. Over 325,000 applications use OneSignal, covering 57% of all applications using a communication SDK.

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3. Best SDK for Socials: Facebook SDK

Leveraging social media platforms can be vital to an effective digital property monetization strategy. The most prominent social media platform today is Facebook, and the Facebook SDK contains tools and software for developers to monetize apps using the platform’s extensive ad network and audience targeting solutions.

For example, it is possible to use Facebook SDK components to implement a Facebook login page into an application.

Facebook SDK is available for Android, Apple iOS and tvOS, and web programming languages (e.g., PHP, JavaScript). It has the largest market share of social SDKs, with over 527,000 apps on Google Play and over 288,000 apps on the Apple App Store integrating its features and components.

4. Best SDK for Marketing Analytics and Attribution: AppsFlyer

Marketing analytics and attribution SDKs contain tools and APIs designed to capture marketing activity and performance inside an application. Developers typically implement this type of functionality into applications to collect and manage customer data, calculate acquisition rates, and evaluate marketing campaign effectiveness.

AppsFlyer is the leading marketing analytics and attribution development kit for Android, iOS, and web applications, with an app share of 33% and a download share of 53% on Android. The AppsFlyer business model is Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), providing its functionality directly through the internet using a subscription system.

5. Best SDK for UX Optimization: UserExperior

User experience (UX) is a critical aspect of any mobile application. However, measuring and quantifying user experience and satisfaction while using a mobile application can be challenging, as overall experiences are often subjective.

However, UX optimization SDKs such as UserExperior can help break down an experience into quantifiable elements, measuring the most critical aspects of an app’s usability and providing actionable information to developers and publishers.

6. Best SDK for Mobile Commerce: Google Play In-App Billing

Mobile commerce SDKs are primarily utilized for implementing payment systems and billing functionality into mobile applications. Although useful for eCommerce apps, mobile commerce SDK tools are also integrated into many games, facilitating transactions for premium purchases.

The most widely employed mobile commerce SDK is Google Play In-App Billing, which lets developers directly integrate Google Play’s pay interface into apps and games. Because this SDK is intended to function with apps on Google Play, it is only available on Android.

7. Best SDK for eCommerce Apps: CleverTap

Software Development Kits for eCommerce applications typically contain APIs and functions to measure and optimize customer engagement, conversion rates, retention rates, and other critical eCommerce key performance indicators (KPIs).

The CleverTap SDK is the most widely employed dev-kit for real-time tracking of customer insights and eCommerce KPIs. This SDK is available for Android and iOS.

8. Best SDK for User Data Analytics: Google Firebase

General-purpose user analytics offer a plethora of insights and data points regarding the users of an application, allowing developers and publishers to adjust and optimize the app’s performance accordingly.

Google Firebase is the current leading development kit in the data analytics segment. Powered by Google’s well-known analytics technology, the Firebase SDK is one of the most widely implemented in the mobile landscape, found in over 2.26 million Android and iOS applications. On Google Play alone, the share of applications utilizing the Firebase SDK is 93%.

9. Best SDK for Data Intelligence: AltBeacon

Data intelligence devkits allow app developers to integrate functions and tools for obtaining, processing, and interpreting location and sensor data. One of the most common purposes for this type of SDK is collecting user location data for retail and eCommerce applications.

AltBeacon is one of the most widely employed data intelligence SDKs on today’s mobile app landscape, with an Android app share of 14% and over 2.61 billion app downloads. This SDK uses the AltBeacon Specification by Radius Networks, which enables advertising via Bluetooth proximity beacon broadcasts.

10. Best SDK for Stability: Google Firebase Crashlytics Fabric

Although most Software Development Kits are designed to help developers build or enhance app functions, other SDKs turn toward application performance and reliability. The general category of stability SDKs encompasses devkits, APIs, and tools designed to measure the health and performance of an application (e.g., number of crashes, types of crashes, frequency, etc.) and ensure it behaves as expected.

Google Firebase’s Crashlytics Fabric SDK is the leading stability SDK, providing mobile app developers with real-time monitoring of app stability issues as well as features for easy triage and prioritization, letting developers decide what to fix and in which order to repair or restore an app’s functionalities.

Benefits of Using SDK Apps and Tools for Publishers

Publishers and developers greatly benefit from using Software Development Kits to build and optimize mobile applications. They contain libraries containing pre-written code and tools that can accelerate the development of an application and help developers and publishers.

Consequently, these tools are crucial for shortening development time and either releasing, updating, or scaling applications as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Cutting development times also helps save significant amounts of money and effort, eliminating the need to program 100% bespoke solutions for each application. In short, SDKs streamline app development and help maximize revenue from app monetization avenues.

FAQs

  • 1. What does an ad exchange do?

    Ad exchanges are a type of virtual marketplace designed to connect buying and selling entities for trading ad inventory and ad space.

  • 2. Are ad exchanges safe?

    Although not all ad exchanges are safe, there are ways to ensure you are working with a trustworthy partner, such as compliance with IAB standards, transparent policies, or the presence of anti-fraud systems.

    You can benefit from additional layers of security by using preferred-deal exchanges or private marketplaces (PMPs), as their more exclusive nature significantly reduces the chances of dealing with a bad actor.

  • 3. What is the best ad exchange?

    The world’s best-performing ad exchange is Google Ad Exchange (AdX), due to having access to the largest ad inventory and some of the world’s most advanced technology and safety measures. However, many other platforms and alternatives are available, some of which may be better suited for your needs as a publisher.

  • 1. What does SDK stand for?

    SDK means Software Development Kit. SDKs contain third-party tools and libraries to aid developers when building or updating applications.

  • 2. Is SDK a framework?

    A Software Development Kit should not be confused with a software framework. The primary purpose of an SDK is to serve as a toolkit. In contrast, a software framework is a platform that provides developers with a foundation to develop an application for a particular operating system.

    Some SDKs are designed to work with specific frameworks (e.g., Microsoft Windows SDKs and Microsoft .NET Framework).

    In short, while an SDK isn’t the same as a framework, each can complement the other and help a developer build applications more efficiently.

  • 3. What is an analytics SDK?

    Analytics SDKs include tools and elements that developers can integrate into their applications to measure key performance indicators (KPIs) and other vital metrics. Developers and publishers can use the data to obtain insight into the application, its users, and other relevant details.

  • 4. Which SDK is best?

    There is no best SDK for all purposes, as it depends on the intentions of the developers and the publishers.

    The types of SDK you might need most depend on the type of application you intend to build, whether you’re looking to monetize it, which operating system you are developing for, and what functionality you wish to add to the application. It’s not uncommon for developers to integrate multiple SDKs into the same application to leverage their functions and development tools.

Let CodeFuel Help You Choose the Best SDKs to Optimize Your Apps

CodeFuel’s digital property monetization experts have the resources to help you make the best decisions. Our team can help you choose the best SDKs, APIs, and other development tools to build the most profitable and efficient applications possible. 

We can also help you find other high-efficiency monetization options and make the most of your apps. Get started with CodeFuel today.

What is Ads.txt? – Full Guide of How to Use it (for Publishers)

What is Ads.txt? – Full Guide of How to Use it (for Publishers)

by | Aug 23, 2022 | Advertising, Monetization

The online advertising industry has faced widespread ad fraud for years, leading to lost revenue and frustration for publishers and advertisers. In 2019, about 20% of American ad impressions were fraudulent. With sophisticated ad fraud and bots threatening the digital advertising ecosystem, publishers have been scurrying to tackle transparency issues in the ads marketplace.

The introduction of Ads.txt or Authorized Digital sellers file provides transparency and safety and ensures all clicks and impressions are genuine. Here’s what you need to know about ads.txt and how to implement it on your website.

Brief History of Ads.txt

Cybercriminals carry out ad frauds using fake botnets that mimic human behavior and help generate thousands of counterfeit clicks and visits to sites displaying ads. In addition, domain spoofing allows pirate sites, bot-driven websites, and sites with dubious content to monetize sites otherwise excluded from advertisers or blacklisted by changing the ad tags.

These methods of ad fraud deceive ad exchanges and other platforms into believing the user is visiting a legitimate site when the ad appears on a separate, illegal site.

CNBC reported that advertisers lost $16.4 billion in revenue in 2017 compared to $12.5 billion the previous year. However, due to organizations like the International Advertising Board (IAB) in the spring of 2017, the IAB Tech Lab introduced Ads.txt to help publishers and buyers fight fraud in programmatic advertising.

What Is Ads.txt?

Ads.txt or Authorized Digital Sellers text file is a list of all partners, including publishers authorized to sell your inventory. It ensures that the ad inventory displayed on publisher websites across any ad exchange is legitimate.

Ads.text was initially intended only for online advertising, but now it is also used for mobile apps such as streaming services. The equivalent of Ads.txt files for these streaming services is called app ads.txt. It adds support for mobile app ads and ensures the ad inventory is only sold through authorized channels.

Need of Ads.txt for Publishers and the Advertising Industry

Ads.txt files protect publishers from unauthorized inventory sales and let advertisers check the seller to stop suspicious transactions. For the advertising industry, these files offer transparency in a brand-safe environment.

Increased Transparency

When an advertiser accesses an Ads.txt file and sees that another company has listed their domain as an authorized seller for that specific website, they know there’s no chance it could be fraudulent or unsafe for them to purchase ads from that source. This transparency helps prevent bad actors from selling fake inventory through a publisher’s site without their knowledge and consent.

Ensure Brand Safety in Advertising

Brand safety refers to instances when ads end up on inappropriate websites due to the lack of transparency. Ads.txt helps address these issues by providing a way for advertisers to understand which companies are authorized sellers of ad inventory on a given domain name. It also helps ensure that ads are only displayed on reputable sites and protects brands from inadvertently associating themselves with objectionable content.

Enhances Mobile Advertising

Advertisers always look for ways to reach their target audiences and make the most of their advertising budget. App ads.txt lets advertisers and publishers have more reliable and safer options for reaching mobile audiences. In addition, publishers can control who can sell ads in their apps with the app-ads.txt file.

Benefits of Ads.txt

Creating an Ads.txt File requires little technical skill and knowledge. Publishers can easily create and install Ads.text files on their sites.

Creating an Ads.txt file is Easy

Ads.txt files are easy to create and only take a few steps to upload to a website. This file is saved as a text file and uploaded into the root domain with all the authorized sellers.

Straightforward Updates to Ad.txt files

If a publisher has access to the root domain, they can easily alter and update the Ads.txt file. All they need to do is create a new file with the .txt extension with the updated information and make sure the new.txt file replaces the old.txt.

Secure Access to the Website

Publishers are the only people who can upload Ads.txt files to their websites. This private access ensures no cybercriminals can edit or corrupt the file unless they have the proper credentials to enter the site. They also can’t trick advertisers into selling fake ad inventory.

How Does Ads.txt Work?

Publishers install the Ads.txt file on their websites, confirming their ownership of the domains. They also signal the partner accounts, including ad networks and other publishers, to sell their ad inventory. As a result, advertisers can easily view the authorized partners and their ad inventories.

An advertiser needs to match the publisher ID with the Ads.txt when they receive a bid request from the publisher. If the publisher ID and the Ads.txt match, the advertiser can trust the publisher. If publishers and ad networks have adopted ads.txt, buyers can check ad tags to verify their authenticity. Conversely, when the publisher ID is invalid, the advertiser can choose not to bid on the publisher’s ads.

How to Create and Implement Ads.txt?

A publisher can create an Ads.Txt file using any text editor such as Notepad and Microsoft Word. The IAB Tech Lab specifies that ads.txt files must be formatted with commas between all the lines. Each line in the Ads.txt file should contain the following:

  • Domain Name

    Publishers must include the canonical domain, or the preferred domain, that will sell the ad inventory. It establishes the domain’s ownership for advertisers. The canonical domain is important, especially if the publishers use multiple domains to sell ads. For example, a domain name must be google.com for seller accounts in Google.

  • Publisher/Account ID

    This line represents the unique publisher ID for advertisers to verify the publishers. Publishers can also obtain their publisher IDs through Google Adsense. For example, the publisher ID appears as pub-0000000000000000.

  • Type of Relationship

    Advertisers can know if a publisher is authorized to sell directly or through another party. This line indicates whether the relationship is DIRECT or RESELLER. The DIRECT value means publishers have entered into a direct contract with an ad network. A RESELLER value refers to the publisher authorizing a third party to sell ad space through the domains indicated in the first line on its behalf.

  • Certification Authority ID

    Some advertising networks are verified. Publishers must add the certification authority IDs. Advertisers can use the certification authority ID to identify an ad network within that authority. The Trustworthy Accountability Group (TAG) acts as the certification authority, and the TAGID acts as the ID. For example, a TAG Id can look like this f08c47fec0942fa0.

How to Upload Your Ads.txt File

Once the publisher puts the file together, they can upload it to the site. They can upload Ads.txt files to the domain’s root using FTP or a file manager. Additionally, many web hosts use file managers to deploy Ads.txt files. Upon uploading it to the domain’s root, the file should show as website.com/ads.txt.

How to Set Up Ads.txt

Publishers can set up Ads.txt files through WordPress, Google AdSense, or Google Ad Manager. They must go through a different process to upload the files if they have mobile apps.

WordPress

Various free plugins that manage Ads.txt files are the easiest way to set up Ads.txt in WordPress.

  • Install the ads.txt plugin on your WordPress website.
  • Click on Settings > Ads.txt in the left panel to customize the settings.
  • Add the Ads.txt file and save the settings.

If there is no need for a plugin, a publisher can navigate to the Media tab in the menu. Choose the Add New Button and upload the Ads.txt file there.

Google AdSense

The publisher must first sign in to the Google AdSense account to start uploading the file. From there, they can take the following steps:

  • Click on Sites and go to the downward arrow. This will open the message to create an ads.txt file.
  • Choose the Download button. The Ads.txt is automatically downloaded.
  • Place your ads.txt file in the root directory of your website.

Publishers can check if the upload was successful in their web browser by typing the ads.txt URL such as https://website.com/ads.txt.

Google Ad Manager

Accessing the Ads.txt manager in Google Ad manager requires having at least one connected Ad Exchange account and allowing a user to manage the Ads.txt file.

  • Select the Web ads.txt tab from the Ads.txt management menu, and then choose to Create an ads.txt file.
  • A dialog window will pop up for the user to verify the file and its lines.
  • Two options are available to set up the Ads.txt file: Copy the text to the clipboard before pasting it into your own ads.txt or download the file.
  • The user can then upload the file into the domain.

Mobile Apps

Uploading an Ads.txt file for a mobile app is similar to setting one up for a website. However, the publisher must create a developer website first to educate customers about their apps and other content. Then, the website must connect to a listing in an app store like Google Play Store, App Store for Android, Apple Store, and other ad networks to prove an app’s ownership.

The publisher can then upload the Ads.txt file to the developer website’s root domain. Verify that the domain matches what appears in the app store. Firebase Hosting is one of the options that Google recommends if your website does not support the publishing of app-ads.txt.

FAQs

  • 1. What does an ad exchange do?

    Ad exchanges are a type of virtual marketplace designed to connect buying and selling entities for trading ad inventory and ad space.

  • 2. Are ad exchanges safe?

    Although not all ad exchanges are safe, there are ways to ensure you are working with a trustworthy partner, such as compliance with IAB standards, transparent policies, or the presence of anti-fraud systems.

    You can benefit from additional layers of security by using preferred-deal exchanges or private marketplaces (PMPs), as their more exclusive nature significantly reduces the chances of dealing with a bad actor.

  • 3. What is the best ad exchange?

    The world’s best-performing ad exchange is Google Ad Exchange (AdX), due to having access to the largest ad inventory and some of the world’s most advanced technology and safety measures. However, many other platforms and alternatives are available, some of which may be better suited for your needs as a publisher.

  • 1. What does SDK stand for?

    SDK means Software Development Kit. SDKs contain third-party tools and libraries to aid developers when building or updating applications.

  • 2. Is SDK a framework?

    A Software Development Kit should not be confused with a software framework. The primary purpose of an SDK is to serve as a toolkit. In contrast, a software framework is a platform that provides developers with a foundation to develop an application for a particular operating system.

    Some SDKs are designed to work with specific frameworks (e.g., Microsoft Windows SDKs and Microsoft .NET Framework).

    In short, while an SDK isn’t the same as a framework, each can complement the other and help a developer build applications more efficiently.

  • 3. What is an analytics SDK?

    Analytics SDKs include tools and elements that developers can integrate into their applications to measure key performance indicators (KPIs) and other vital metrics. Developers and publishers can use the data to obtain insight into the application, its users, and other relevant details.

  • 4. Which SDK is best?

    There is no best SDK for all purposes, as it depends on the intentions of the developers and the publishers.

    The types of SDK you might need most depend on the type of application you intend to build, whether you’re looking to monetize it, which operating system you are developing for, and what functionality you wish to add to the application. It’s not uncommon for developers to integrate multiple SDKs into the same application to leverage their functions and development tools.

  • Are Ads.txt files mandatory?

    Google recommends adding an Ads.txt file, but it is not mandatory. However, publishers can benefit from having an ads.txt file by stopping counterfeit inventory purchases and ensuring the ad inventory is valid.

  • How do I fix an Ads.txt file?

    If you have incorrect information in the original file, you can replace it by downloading it and making your changes. It is essential to include all the information, including the domain name, publisher ID, and account relationship. Once you’ve modified the file, save and upload it.

  • How do I verify an Ads.txt file?

    Online ads.txt validators offer the most straightforward method for validating ads.txt files. Insert the ads.txt URL into the validator to verify the publisher ID, the domain, and all fields are complete.

  • In what ways does Google enforce Ads.txt files if I use them?

    Google can decide which publishers can show ads using the Ads.txt files in the domain. Then, the company can run an auction for ads on sites with Ads.txt files and the correct publisher IDs. There’s no auction if the publisher ID in the file is incorrect.

  • Can Ads.txt files be on a subdomain?

    Google can search and implement Ad.txt files in subdomains when there is a line for subdomains in the files.

    You add a subdomain= declaration to the ads.txt file if you want to reference a subdomain. For instance, if your ads.txt file for website.com has to include the subdomain subdomain.website.com, you would write subdomain=subdomain.example.com in your ads.txt.

  • Do I need to update my Ads.txt file if I implement header bidding?

    You may need to change your file if you also use header bidding to attract advertisers. This is because the Ads.txt file must have frequent updates when you need to add new partners to your list.

  • Are Ads.txt files mandatory?

    Google recommends adding an Ads.txt file, but it is not mandatory. However, publishers can benefit from having an ads.txt file by stopping counterfeit inventory purchases and ensuring the ad inventory is valid.

  • How do I fix an Ads.txt file?

    If you have incorrect information in the original file, you can replace it by downloading it and making your changes. It is essential to include all the information, including the domain name, publisher ID, and account relationship. Once you’ve modified the file, save and upload it.

  • How do I verify an Ads.txt file?

    Online ads.txt validators offer the most straightforward method for validating ads.txt files. Insert the ads.txt URL into the validator to verify the publisher ID, the domain, and all fields are complete.

  • In what ways does Google enforce Ads.txt files if I use them?

    Google can decide which publishers can show ads using the Ads.txt files in the domain. Then, the company can run an auction for ads on sites with Ads.txt files and the correct publisher IDs. There’s no auction if the publisher ID in the file is incorrect.

  • Can Ads.txt files be on a subdomain?

    Google can search and implement Ad.txt files in subdomains when there is a line for subdomains in the files.

    You add a subdomain= declaration to the ads.txt file if you want to reference a subdomain. For instance, if your ads.txt file for website.com has to include the subdomain subdomain.website.com, you would write subdomain=subdomain.example.com in your ads.txt.

  • Do I need to update my Ads.txt file if I implement header bidding?

    You may need to change your file if you also use header bidding to attract advertisers. This is because the Ads.txt file must have frequent updates when you need to add new partners to your list.

Get Expert Advice from CodeFuel

All publishers who want to monetize their websites must include Ads.txt files to show their validity to potential advertisers. Having these files can assure advertisers that their ads can be promoted in a safe environment with total transparency and combat ad fraud. 

You can work with CodeFuel to understand how Ads.txt files can work for your site. When you work with CodeFuel, you can learn how to prevent potential ad fraud and reduce losses in your financial revenue.