InStream ads

InStream ads: A video ad format that embeds the ad in a video stream and plays it back at specified times: before the main video, in the middle of it, or at the end.

To serve InStream ads, connect your app as a video resource. Before connecting, make sure your app meets the Yandex Advertising Network requirements for video partners, which include:

App traffic: at least 10,000 unique daily users over a month or more.
You are publishing only original or licensed video content rather than aggregating user-generated video content.

For a complete list of requirements for video resources, see the Rules of Participation in the Yandex Advertising Network.

Connecting the app as a video resource

If you don't have an account in the Yandex Advertising Network, sign up.
Write to our support team to connect your app as a video resource. Make sure to include a link to your app in the request.

If your app meets the Yandex Advertising Network requirements for video resources, it will be submitted for moderation. The moderation process typically takes no more than two days.

Once your video resource is connected, you'll see the Ads in videos section in the Yandex Advertising Network interface, and your app will appear in the Ads in videos → Video resources tab. It will be assigned a unique ID (Page ID) and the New status.

Once your app passes moderation, its status will change to Working. No statistics.

Create an ad unit

To create an InStream unit, go to the InStream units tab, click Add video unit, and follow these steps:

In the General tab, fill in these fields:
- Resource: Select your app from the drop-down list.
- Unit position: Select how you want to serve your video unit:
  - Pre-roll: Before the main content (maximum one ad unit).
  - Post-roll: After the main content (maximum one ad unit).
  - Mid-roll: At specific time points inside the main content (maximum seven ad units).
  - Pause-roll: When the Pause button is pressed (maximum one ad unit).
  - Post-Pause Roll: After the video is unpaused (if the pause duration was 60 seconds or more).
  - In-roll: At a certain point within the video (only supported in the Yandex video player).
- Playback mode: Select a playback mode for the Mid-roll unit.
- Start time of unit relative to content: Specify the time after which the video in the Mid-roll unit starts playing.
- Repeat after: Specify the time between replays and the number of times the video in the Mid-roll unit will replay. If you want the video to replay indefinitely, select Repeat indefinitely.
- Content behavior: Select the Mid-roll unit's behavior relative to the main content.
- Maximum number of videos: Specify the maximum number of videos per ad unit. We recommend setting this parameter to no more than three videos.
- Maximum length of unit: Specify the maximum duration per ad unit. The total duration of all videos in an ad unit may be shorter than the specified duration.
  
  Note
  
  You can configure the maximum unit duration only if the maximum number of videos is set to 1.
  
  If you set a limit of two videos for a 60-second ad unit, only two videos will be played, even if there is remaining time after they finish.
- Short videos (6 seconds): If this option is enabled, an additional six-second video is played before or after the main ad unit. It doesn't count toward the maximum ad unit length or the maximum number of videos.
Go to the Strategy tab and select a traffic management strategy:
- The Maximum revenue strategy utilizes all available traffic and requires no manual management. The system relies on automatic algorithms that help efficiently fill ad placements and maximize the revenue of the app owner.
- The Minimum CPM strategy helps set the starting price for the RTB ads served in the app. If the auction bids are higher than this threshold, banners from Yandex RTB are displayed. If the bids are lower, the app serves your ads, for which you provided the code in the appropriate field.
  
  Specify the starting CPM in rubles without VAT in the Minimum CPM floor field. Both the actual CPM and your revenue may exceed the specified floor because you set only the cost of launching your app, and the maximum advertiser bids are uncapped.
- With the Separate CPM strategy, you can limit the number of impressions for Yandex Direct video ads (up to 15 seconds in length) and display videos (up to 60 seconds in length). You can set up CPM floors or completely block any type of ads. If you do neither of those things, a zero floor is automatically applied.
Press Save.
Follow the guide to integrate the ad unit with your app: Android | iOS.

Actions with ad units

Go to the Ads in videos → InStream units tab, select the appropriate video unit, and choose an action:

Edit: The ad unit's settings will open.
Send to archive: The ad unit will be moved to the Archive tab. To unarchive an ad unit, find it using the status filter and click Restore.

Location-based ad serving

In the Regions tab, you can disable impressions for users from a specific region.

In the region tree, select one or more regions. Use the CPMV field to set a CPMV floor in rubles without VAT. The CPMV floor of a higher-level region is automatically applied to all its nested regions.

To fully disable ad impressions in a region, select it and choose the Disable option.

Category restrictions

To restrict ads from a specific category:

Open the tab Ads in videos → InStream units.
Select the appropriate video resource and click Edit.
Go to the Topics tab.

Select one or more categories and subcategories from the list. To fully disable impressions for a category, select the category and subcategory, then choose Disable.

If you can't find the desired category in the list, contact support.

Restrictions for brands

To exclude certain brands, such as your competitors', from impressions:

Open the Ads in videos → InStream units tab.
Select the appropriate video resource and click Edit.
Go to the Brands tab.

To add an advertiser or brand to the list of restrictions, start typing its name in the entry field. In the drop-down suggestions, select the desired brand.

This setting only works for display and video ads provided by the Yandex Display Advertising System and external DSPs.

If you don't see the brand you want to exclude in the list, contact support.

Contact support

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