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app-ads.txt

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Sudhansu Behera
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Understand app-ads.txt

Last year, the ad tech industry struck back at one of its most elusive problems: widespread domain spoofing that let unauthorized developers sell premium inventory they didn’t actually have. As a defense, over two million developers adopted ads.txt, a simple-text public record of Authorized Digital Sellers for a particular publisher’s inventory, to make sure they didn’t lose money from DSPs and programmatic buyers who avoid noncompliant publishers. Thanks to buyers’ ability to crawl ads.txt and verify seller authenticity, this has quickly become a standard for protecting brands.

The time has come for ads.text to evolve in-app. The introduction of app-ads.txt is an important method for mobile app devs to similarly eliminate fraud and improve transparency.

Like ads.txt, app-ads.txt is a text file that app developers upload to their publisher website. It lists all ad sources authorized to sell that publisher’s inventory. The IAB created a system that allows buyers to distinguish the authorized sellers for specific in-app inventory, weeding out the undesirables.

A DSP wanting to bid on an app’s inventory crawls the app-ads.txt file on a developer’s website to verify which ad sources are authorized to sell that app’s inventory. The DSP will only accept bid requests from ad sources listed on the file and authorized by the app developer.

Capture More Revenue With app-ads.txt

  • Authorized in-app inventory: An ever-increasing number of brands is looking to advertise in-app today. Brand buyers now rely on an adherence to app-ads.txt to make sure they don’t buy unauthorized inventory from app developers and negatively impact campaign performance. Developers who don’t implement app-ads.txt can be removed from any brand buyer’s target media list. That’s why joining the app-ads.txt movement is crucial for publishers to maintain their revenue.
  • Ad fraud prevention: app-ads.txt blocks unauthorized developers who impersonate legitimate apps and mislead DSPs into spending brand budgets on fake inventory. With fraud instances minimized, authentic developers can retain more of the ad revenue from inventory genuinely targeted to their app.

Create an app-ads.txt File

Step 1. List Your Developer Website URL in Your App Store

You must list your Developer Website URL in the GooglePlay and iTunes app stores. There must be a valid developer website URL in all app stores hosting your apps.

Step 2. Provide the Publisher Website URL in Your App Store Listing

Make sure that your publisher website URL (not the app-specific URL)  is added in your app store listings, particularly the 'developer website' or 'app support' links on your App and Play Store pages. Advertising platforms will use this URL to verify the app-ads.txt file by visiting your host domain and then appending app-ads.txt to reach the subdomain where your app-ads.txt should live; e.g., http://www.vungle.com/app-ads.txt. There should be a consistent host domain across all your app store fronts. Also, double-check that your ad network (e.g., Liftoff) account in the Liftoff Monetize Dashboard has the correct app store URLs entered for your apps.

Step 3. Reach Out to All Ad Sources (Direct, Resellers, etc.)

Get in touch with your direct ad sources and ask for their app-ads.txt line, following the IAB’s structure below:

Ad source domain, your publisher account ID, type of relationship (direct or reseller), TAG cert ID

Example: vungle.com, 1234, DIRECT, 5678

If your partners are using third-party resellers to sell your inventory, they should be listed as “reseller.”

Example: vungle.com, 1234, RESELLER, 6789

Do not add any provider to your app-ads.txt file unless you or your partner have a direct relationship with them.

We have made it easier for you to include Liftoff's list of entries so that you don’t have to construct it on your own. Copy and paste the following text block (only the entries table) and include it in your txt file, along with entries you may have from your other monetization partners. Remember to replace [yourLiftoffMonetizePublisherAccountID] with your Liftoff Monetize Account ID, which can be found in your Liftoff Monetize dashboard.

Click on the copy symbol in the right corner to copy the content
vungle.com, [yourVunglePublisherAccountID], DIRECT, c107d686becd2d77
sonobi.com,5b003395a5,RESELLER,d1a215d9eb5aee9e
pubmatic.com,158408,RESELLER,5d62403b186f2ace
vidoomy.com,2412786,RESELLER
adtonos.com,PUB3603521960,RESELLER
adswizz.com,consumable,RESELLER
tritondigital.com,106423,RESELLER,19b4454d0b87b58b
targetspot.com,297,RESELLER,feb28ed826dcf532
consumable.com,2001409,RESELLER,aefcd3d2f45b5070
smaato.com,1100042823,RESELLER,07bcf65f187117b4
pubmatic.com,162223,RESELLER,5d62403b186f2ace
appnexus.com,13227,RESELLER
smartadserver.com,4140,RESELLER
triplelift.com,10522,RESELLER,6c33edb13117fd86
rubiconproject.com,17608,RESELLER,0bfd66d529a55807
conversantmedia.com,100269,RESELLER,03113cd04947736d
yahoo.com,58935,RESELLER,e1a5b5b6e3255540
bigo.sg,143,RESELLER
pangleglobal.com,82832,RESELLER
blueseasx.com,203592,RESELLER
freewheel.tv,1157777,RESELLER
adtiming.com,a-126,RESELLER,bf66753b8f380142
freewheel.tv,1446674,RESELLER
adview.com,32076181,RESELLER,1b2cc038a11ea319
freewheel.tv,1157729,RESELLER
uis.mobfox.com,1750,RESELLER,5529a3d1f59865be
algorix.co,54250,RESELLER
admixer.co.kr,1094,RESELLER
App-stock.com,343264,RESELLER
xad.com,241,RESELLER,81cbf0a75a5e0e9a
videoheroes.tv,212459,RESELLER,064bc410192443d8
video.unrulymedia.com,4201299756,RESELLER
verve.com,14619,RESELLER,0c8f5958fc2d6270
ssp.e-volution.ai,AJxF6R189a9M6CaTvK,RESELLER
smartyads.com,100115,RESELLER,fd2bde0ff2e62c5d
smartadserver.com,3117,RESELLER
smaato.com,1100052485,RESELLER,07bcf65f187117b4
smaato.com,1100004890,RESELLER,07bcf65f187117b4
rubiconproject.com,24600,RESELLER,0bfd66d529a55807
rubiconproject.com,18364,RESELLER,0bfd66d529a55807
rubiconproject.com,13132,Reseller,0bfd66d529a55807
pubmatic.com,156425,RESELLER,5d62403b186f2ace
pubmatic.com,156177,RESELLER,5d62403b186f2ace
betweendigital.com,43092,RESELLER
betweendigital.com,43843,RESELLER
pokkt.com,5886,RESELLER,c45702d9311e25fd
bidmachine.io,55,RESELLER
bidmachine.io,59,RESELLER
opera.com,pub4444433466368,RESELLER,55a0c5fd61378de3
chartboost.com,5eac93f341016b09ff0019b6,RESELLER
openx.com,540421297,RESELLER,6a698e2ec38604c6
mintegral.com,10026,RESELLER
mars.media,107876,RESELLER,8624339f102fb076
loopme.com,2896,RESELLER,6c8d5f95897a5a3b
iqzone.com,IQ39,RESELLER
inmobi.com,55049d2e109d4ac1820ca1432dda4e13,RESELLER,83e75a7ae333ca9d
indexexchange.com,184270,RESELLER,50b1c356f2c5c8fc
indexexchange.com,183920,RESELLER,50b1c356f2c5c8fc
gitberry.com,90scb,RESELLER
conversantmedia.com,100246,RESELLER,03113cd04947736d
contextweb.com,558622,RESELLER,89ff185a4c4e857c
bidmachine.io,77,RESELLER
bidmachine.io,74,RESELLER
criteo.com,186227,RESELLER
bidmachine.io,60,RESELLER
bidmachine.io,36,RESELLER
bidence.com,d35302328a4b1f129d376f9c2932b0b7,RESELLER
appnexus.com,4052,RESELLER
appnexus.com,1752,RESELLER,f5ab79cb980f11d1
adview.com,06667060,RESELLER,1b2cc038a11ea319
adelement.com,30208,RESELLER
adcolony.com,496220845654deec,RESELLER,1ad675c9de6b5176
flat-ads.com,6,RESELLER
smaato.com,1100047413,RESELLER,07bcf65f187117b4
xandr.com,13238,RESELLER,f5ab79cb980f11d1
flat-ads.com,72,RESELLER
tpmn.io,532,RESELLER
mintegral.com,10030,RESELLER
triplelift.com,2792,RESELLER,6c33edb13117fd86
google.com,pub-3769010358500643,RESELLER,f08c47fec0942fa0
google.com,pub-4568609371004228,RESELLER,f08c47fec0942fa0
google.com,pub-7214269347534569,RESELLER,f08c47fec0942fa0
google.com,pub-9685734445476814,RESELLER,f08c47fec0942fa0
rubiconproject.com,17250,RESELLER,0bfd66d529a55807
pubmatic.com,155967,RESELLER,5d62403b186f2ace
openx.com,544096208,RESELLER,6a698e2ec38604c6
indexexchange.com,184349,RESELLER,50b1c356f2c5c8fc
appnexus.com,11664,RESELLER
inmobi.com,5d2c913a0c5f4142acc7412723ee15d7,RESELLER,83e75a7ae333ca9d
e-planning.net,081dcb996d2ccc1e,RESELLER,c1ba615865ed87b2
indexexchange.com,184738,RESELLER,50b1c356f2c5c8fc
indexexchange.com,185578,RESELLER,50b1c356f2c5c8fc
indexexchange.com,185774,RESELLER,50b1c356f2c5c8fc
indexexchange.com,191332,RESELLER,50b1c356f2c5c8fc
indexexchange.com,194730,RESELLER,50b1c356f2c5c8fc
inmobi.com,22e5354e453f49348325184e25464adb,RESELLER,83e75a7ae333ca9d
inmobi.com,5baa7ca93ef847c0876297e737dac3ee,RESELLER,83e75a7ae333ca9d
inmobi.com,61d733c3779d43e590c51c8bc078e10c,RESELLER,83e75a7ae333ca9d
inmobi.com,867c89bb53994aaeb9dae3ce75b03e78,RESELLER,83e75a7ae333ca9d
inmobi.com,ab915bcef5b24940bf745f1a8f427bec,RESELLER,83e75a7ae333ca9d
inmobi.com,c1e6d3502da64ebaa3ad0e4a4be15f11,RESELLER,83e75a7ae333ca9d
inmobi.com,ec6f6ceb8bb1440ba5455644ec96c275,RESELLER,83e75a7ae333ca9d
inmobi.com,f3924290136e4129a5c082ff982c3a58,RESELLER,83e75a7ae333ca9d
yeahmobi.com,15984,RESELLER
rubiconproject.com,23980,RESELLER,0bfd66d529a55807
webeyemob.com,70101,RESELLER
webeyemob.com,70090,RESELLER
video.unrulymedia.com,4268206200,RESELLER
video.unrulymedia.com,3704396951,RESELLER
loopme.com,11322,RESELLER,6c8d5f95897a5a3b
loopme.com,s-2411,RESELLER,6c8d5f95897a5a3b
mars.media,1010422,RESELLER,8624339f102fb076
meitu.com,149,RESELLER
meitu.com,179,RESELLER
meitu.com,253,RESELLER
verve.com,15503,RESELLER,0c8f5958fc2d6270
tremorhub.com,s92od-u4sw5,RESELLER,1a4e959a1b50034a
target.my.com,8676470,RESELLER
spotxchange.com,283422,RESELLER,7842df1d2fe2db34
spotxchange.com,82068,RESELLER,7842df1d2fe2db34
spotx.tv,283422,RESELLER,7842df1d2fe2db34
spotx.tv,82068,RESELLER,7842df1d2fe2db34
smartyads.com,368,RESELLER
smartadserver.com,4111,RESELLER
openx.com,537149888,RESELLER,6a698e2ec38604c6
openx.com,537152826,RESELLER,6a698e2ec38604c6
openx.com,539315083,RESELLER,6a698e2ec38604c6
openx.com,539472296,RESELLER,6a698e2ec38604c6
openx.com,540011801,RESELLER,6a698e2ec38604c6
openx.com,540031703,RESELLER,6a698e2ec38604c6
openx.com,540280728,RESELLER,6a698e2ec38604c6
openx.com,540298543,RESELLER,6a698e2ec38604c6
openx.com,540326226,RESELLER,6a698e2ec38604c6
openx.com,540543195,RESELLER,6a698e2ec38604c6
openx.com,540679900,RESELLER,6a698e2ec38604c6
openx.com,541031350,RESELLER,6a698e2ec38604c6
openx.com,541177349,RESELLER
smartadserver.com,4383,RESELLER
smartadserver.com,4071,RESELLER
smartadserver.com,3797,RESELLER
pubmatic.com,8676470,RESELLER
pubmatic.com,156517,RESELLER,5d62403b186f2ace
pubmatic.com,156520,RESELLER,5d62403b186f2ace
pubmatic.com,156631,RESELLER,5d62403b186f2ace
pubmatic.com,156835,RESELLER,5d62403b186f2ace
pubmatic.com,156931,RESELLER,5d62403b186f2ace
pubmatic.com,157097,RESELLER,5d62403b186f2ace
pubmatic.com,157654,RESELLER,5d62403b186f2ace
pubmatic.com,158060,RESELLER,5d62403b186f2ace
pubmatic.com,158100,RESELLER,5d62403b186f2ace
pubmatic.com,158154,RESELLER,5d62403b186f2ace
pubmatic.com,158271,RESELLER,5d62403b186f2ace
pubmatic.com,159035,RESELLER,5d62403b186f2ace
pubmatic.com,159542,RESELLER
pubmatic.com,159668,RESELLER
pubmatic.com,159831,RESELLER,5d62403b186f2ace
pubmatic.com,159846,RESELLER,5d62403b186f2ace
pubmatic.com,159897,RESELLER,5d62403b186f2ace
pubmatic.com,160145,RESELLER,5d62403b186f2ace
pubmatic.com,160194,RESELLER,5d62403b186f2ace
pubmatic.com,160195,RESELLER,5d62403b186f2ace
smartadserver.com,3232,RESELLER
smartadserver.com,1692,RESELLER
smaato.com,1100049757,RESELLER,07bcf65f187117b4
smaato.com,1100044045,RESELLER,07bcf65f187117b4
rubiconproject.com,23732,RESELLER,0bfd66d529a55807
rubiconproject.com,23644,RESELLER,0bfd66d529a55807
rubiconproject.com,20744,RESELLER,0bfd66d529a55807
rubiconproject.com,19724,RESELLER,0bfd66d529a55807
rubiconproject.com,19724,RESELLER
rubiconproject.com,17328,RESELLER,0bfd66d529a55807
rubiconproject.com,16834,RESELLER,0bfd66d529a55807
rubiconproject.com,16114,RESELLER,0bfd66d529a55807
rubiconproject.com,11726,RESELLER,0bfd66d529a55807
rubiconproject.com,12186,RESELLER,0bfd66d529a55807
rubiconproject.com,12266,RESELLER,0bfd66d529a55807
rubiconproject.com,13626,RESELLER,0bfd66d529a55807
rubiconproject.com,13856,RESELLER,0bfd66d529a55807
rubiconproject.com,15278,RESELLER,0bfd66d529a55807
ignitemediatech.com,pub_61112,RESELLER
advlion.com,3117,RESELLER
inmobi.com,09f53411034d4d608cd6230490d46fff,RESELLER,83e75a7ae333ca9d
adcolony.com,c7b2bb9f944ae42a,RESELLER,1ad675c9de6b5176
appnexus.com,7351,RESELLER,f5ab79cb980f11d1
contextweb.com,562569,RESELLER,89ff185a4c4e857c
iqzone.com,IQ97,RESELLER
rhythmone.com,5336134699710583737,RESELLER,a670c89d4a324e47
loopme.com,11414,RESELLER,6c8d5f95897a5a3b
appnexus.com,9316,RESELLER,f5ab79cb980f11d1
bigo.sg,122,RESELLER
pubnative.net,1007303,RESELLER,d641df8625486a7b
media.net,8CUP1N1F2,RESELLER
pubnative.net,1008061,RESELLER,d641df8625486a7b
lunamedia.io,95ed51edc1cb499baaf3476fcb6fa463,RESELLER,524ecb396915caaf
inmobi.com,ddb41d8a9f434a918d05a0fc9999d9f9,RESELLER,83e75a7ae333ca9d
xandr.com,12745,RESELLER,f5ab79cb980f11d1
rubiconproject.com,24170,RESELLER,0bfd66d529a55807
video.unrulymedia.com,4631344382657206988,RESELLER
yahoo.com,59627,RESELLER
aniview.com,603f65a2e291680ef30af9c7,RESELLER,78b21b97965ec3f8
appnexus.com,6849,RESELLER
pubmatic.com,159277,RESELLER
rubiconproject.com,15268,RESELLER
video.unrulymedia.com,5127265468568773826,RESELLER
yandex.com,95746987,RESELLER
inmobi.com,6cc71dd159864641a03ce0c8792d801f,RESELLER,83e75a7ae333ca9d
Contextweb.com,562791,RESELLER,89ff185a4c4e857c
admixer.co.kr,1610,RESELLER
pubmatic.com,161748,RESELLER,5d62403b186f2ace
acexchange.co.kr,1416775282,RESELLER
adiiix.com,par-AA7B236BA32DD484C838E249362437B8,RESELLER
aralego.com,par-AA7B236BA32DD484C838E249362437B8,RESELLER
ucfunnel.com,par-AA7B236BA32DD484C838E249362437B8,RESELLER
betweendigital.com,44917,RESELLER
pubnative.net,1007249,RESELLER,d641df8625486a7b
mman.kr,30769,RESELLER
mobupps.com,c74d97b01eae257e44aa9d5bade97baf7726,RESELLER
inmobi.com,f71b28e30a8249c3b08a9bca1a5cfbb7,RESELLER,83e75a7ae333ca9d
thebrave.io,1234632,RESELLER,c25b2154543746ac
loopme.com,10999,RESELLER,6c8d5f95897a5a3b
Contextweb.com,562546,RESELLER,89ff185a4c4e857c
yeahmobi.com,5135224,RESELLER
rubiconproject.com,24362,RESELLER,0bfd66d529a55807
pubmatic.com,161136,RESELLER,5d62403b186f2ace
rubiconproject.com,24752,RESELLER,0bfd66d529a55807
triplelift.com,12908,RESELLER,6c33edb13117fd86
sharethrough.com,ZqrIAHsE,RESELLER,d53b998a7bd4ecd2
video.unrulymedia.com,123476257,RESELLER
smartyads.com,100149,RESELLER,fd2bde0ff2e62c5d
xandr.com,10128,RESELLER,f5ab79cb980f11d1
appnexus.com,13293,RESELLER
zoomd.com,88478941,RESELLER
sharethrough.com,NIRSC9f2,RESELLER,d53b998a7bd4ecd2
openx.com,540646187,RESELLER
improvedigital.com,1795,RESELLER
opera.com,pub8613009987200,RESELLER,55a0c5fd61378de3
152media.info,152M312,RESELLER
digitalpiee.com,161159,RESELLER
Se7en.es,212503,RESELLER,064bc410192443d8
hyperad.tech,172,RESELLER
brightcom.com,29556,RESELLER
zeta.com,998,RESELLER
disqus.com,998,RESELLER
ssp.e-volution.ai,AJxF6R118a9M6CaTvK,RESELLER
gothamads.com,1236,RESELLER,d9c86e5dec870222
lunamedia.io,2fb901cd79f4453b90b68bee79da71b5,RESELLER,524ecb396915caaf
appnexus.com,11879,RESELLER
videoheroes.tv,212503,RESELLER,064bc410192443d8
media.net,8CUN37DCC,RESELLER
onairglobal.com,4357627,RESELLER
yeahmobi.com,5135284,RESELLER
thebrave.io,1234585,RESELLER,c25b2154543746ac
admanmedia.com,990,RESELLER
visiblemeasures.com,1020,RESELLER
smaato.com,1100051149,RESELLER,07bcf65f187117b4
smartadserver.com,4457,RESELLER,060d053dcf45cbf3
sharethrough.com,DQQogebZ,RESELLER,d53b998a7bd4ecd2
Contextweb.com,562762,RESELLER,89ff185a4c4e857c
advlion.com,3054,RESELLER
admixer.co.kr,1654,RESELLER
pubnative.net,1007475,RESELLER,d641df8625486a7b
inmobi.com,38e36193f3c944d0b6254c71e511041b,RESELLER,83e75a7ae333ca9d
outbrain.com,002d7f7ba0bd74452f2b155d0dfb5cd6c8,RESELLER
triplelift.com,11656,RESELLER,6c33edb13117fd86
media.net,8cu1cp7pm,RESELLER
pubwise.io,52324626,RESELLER,c327c91a93a7cdd3

Step 4. Write the app-ads.txt File

Create and save an app-ads.txt file in any text editor (e.g., Notepad), listing out all the lines you received from your ad source partners.

Step 5. Upload the app-ads.txt File

Upload the app-ads.txt file to the root of your website domain (e.g., http://www.example.com/app-ads.txt.

Questions?

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