Google has launched a new inventory control tool in Display & Video 360 (ie the new DoubleClick), to limit ad distribution exclusively to sites that adhere to the ads.txt standard.

Voluntary standard

Since November 2017, ads.txt files have been getting added to ad-displaying websites.

The smart acronym stands for ‘Authorized Digital Sellers’. The simple text file declares the domain name and ID of the ad system/s being used, as well as the publishers account type and ID.

When done in accordance with the peer-reviewed standard published by IAB Tech Lab, it lets publishers publicly declare who is authorised to sell their ad-space.

This helps avoid ad inventory ‘counterfeiting’ where unauthorised agents take ad money but do not fulfil delivery.

Opt-in to default

If advertisers switch the control tool on on, their ads will only display on sites that comply with the ads.txt standard. Publishers not compliant with the standard will be excluded from the distribution list.

Google seems comfy that this is now a feasible limitation given the standard has been adopted by over 430,000 domains, including nearly 90% of Google’s publishing partners.

For now, ads.txt inventory control is opt-in, but—as ads.txt participation continue to rise—Google plans to make it on-by-default before 2019.

How do you foresee advertisers benefiting from turning the ads.txt inventory tool on for their ads?

Copy Transmission is a Melbourne-based agency :: Better Brands. Loud & Clear.