Ad schedule setup page in Wowza Video

This article introduces the different parts of the Ad Schedule Setup page to help you navigate the Wowza Video user interface. 

Ad schedules allow you to insert ads into your stream. You can create as many ad schedules and player configurations as you want, making configuring different advertising setups easy and flexible.

You can set up three types of ad schedules:

• Video Ad Serving Template ad schedule – Ad placement is pre-defined. Insert ads pre-roll, mid-roll, and post-roll in VAST ad schedules. You'll use the schedule to add multiple timed ads to a player configuration which will then apply to all the video clips shown with this player.
• GAM (Google Ad Manager) Dynamic Ad Insertion (DAI) ad schedule – Ads are dynamically chosen by Google Ad Manager. Wowza Video currently supports only pre-roll ads in DAI ad schedules.

Note: To set up a dynamic ad insertion ad schedule in Wowza Video, you should have access to Google Ad Manager and have the DAI setting enabled for your org within the Wowza Video platform. Contact Wowza Support to have the DAI setting enabled for your org.

• SSAI (Server-side ad insertion) ad schedule – Ad placement is based on the ad insertion points added to a video. You can add pre-roll, mid-roll, and post-roll ads.

The following contains all the options available to create ad schedules.

• Video Ad Serving Template – Allows you to set up a video ad serving template (VAST) ad schedule.
  • Name – A short, descriptive identifier for the ad schedule that differentiates it from other ad schedules (maximum 255 characters). 
  • Ad Schedule Timeline – As you configure your ad schedule below, your ads plot on the horizontal timeline.
  • + Add Pre-Roll Ad – Includes a selected ad tag you want to use to contact your ad server to play ads before the start of the video that's been selected for viewing.
    • Type  – The ad will be the following type:
      • Linear  –  The ads run in a sequential order together with the video. For example, similar to how TV ads run during a show you're watching.
    • Trash can Icon – Click the icon to delete a Pre-Roll configuration.
  • + Add Mid-Roll Ad – Includes a selected ad tag you want to use to contact your ad server to play ads during the video that's been selected for viewing. 
    • Type  – The ad can be one of the following types:
      • Linear  – The ads run in a sequential order together with the video. For example, similar to how TV ads run during a show you're watching.
      • Overlay  – The ads are small banner ads that are text/image overlays and typically found at the bottom of your video screen.  You can typically interact with the ads as video content plays.
    • Position  – Select when you want the ads to run. For example, if you choose 50%, the ads would run after 50% of the video plays. Choose any number between 1-99%. 
    • Trash can Icon – Click the icon to delete a Mid-Roll configuration.
  • + Add Post-Roll Ad – Includes a selected ad tag you want to use to contact your ad server to play ads at the end of the video that's been selected for viewing.
    • Type  – The ad will be the following type:
      • Linear  – The ads run in a sequential order together with the video. For example, similar to how TV ads run during a show you're watching.
    • Trash can Icon – Click the icon to delete a Post-Roll configuration.
• GAM Dynamic Ad Insertion – Allows you to set up a Google dynamic ad insertion (DAI) ad schedule.
  • Name – A short, descriptive identifier for the ad schedule that differentiates it from other ad schedules (maximum 255 characters).
  • Content Source ID – The unique identifier that represents your MRSS feed content source in DAI-enabled Google Ad Manager. This is created after you add your MRSS feed as a new content source in Google Ad Manager.
  • MRSS feed URL – A unique URL that represents your media feed. Use this URL in Google Ad Manager to create a content source.
  • Access key (optional) – The unique key that secures your video streams provided by Google Ad Manager.
• Server-side Ad Insertion – Allows you to set up a server-side ad insertion ad schedule.
  • Name – A short, descriptive identifier for the ad schedule that differentiates it from other ad schedules.
  • Ad Tag – Select an ad tag you want to add to the ad schedule.