Starting June 2019, it is extremely important for mobile apps developers to implement the new app-ads.txt file. ***the ads-app.txt initiative is only relevant for apps that serve ads of any kind within their apps.
So after a massive adoption of ads.txt initiative across desktop and mobile web inventories last year, the IAB’s next mission is to apply its important initiative on mobile apps, OTT and other app inventories.
In March 2019, The IAB released the final version of the app-ads.txt specification. App-ads.txt is an extension of the original ads.txt initiative which provides a way for publishers to declare their authorized sellers in the programmatic space, prevent certain types of fraud and improve the overall efficiency in the ecosystem.
To be ads.txt compliant on mobile, you should follow these two easy steps:
1. Make sure you have a valid developer website, that contains an app-ads.txt file (you should have a valid url that looks like that: i.e www.mydeveloperwebsite.com/app-ads.txt)
2. Setup your developer web site URL (i.e www.mydeveloperwebsite.com/app-ads.txt) in your app stores developers account (i.e Google Play, iTunes).
3. Without the above steps, advertisers won't be able to crawl your website and verify your app-ads.txt file which contains your authorized sellers. Thus, won't be able to freely serve ads within our app!
4. Manage an up-to-date app-ads.txt file on your website and make sure it contains all your demand partners and ad exchanges you are currently working with.
It is crucial for app developers to adopt this initiative, as more and more budgets will shift towards ads.txt compliant inventory. Having no app-ads.txt file on your app developer website, means, taking a big risk of losing revenue in the long term.
How technically it works:
Ad exchanges will get requests for your app, once it's received, they will go and crawl your app developer’s website, which appears on your app store developer account, in order to find the authorized seller on your app-ads.txt file.
In case that the ad exchange is listed on your app-ads.txt file, he will be eligible to sell your inventory and you will be exposed to its advertiser's budgets.
Since this process is not hassle-free, we have developed a free & simple tool to support that!
With more than 1000 registered mobile apps & websites, our ads.txt management tool is now available for you for free.
You can register here and start the process https://console.adstxtmarket.com/signup.
If you have any inquiry, please feel free to reach us at: notificaitons@adstxtmarket.com.
Ads.txt Market provides Ads.txt management tool and marketplace for direct publishers on both Desktop & Mobile app environments.