The IAB's Ads.txt initiative to protect publisher inventory from fraud has been a big success for trust in an inherently distrustful industry like Ad Tech.
However, behind the original intention is a goldmine of information that can be utilized by Ad Tech companies to not only select the best publishers to work with, but also to help the demand-side understand where their competitors are trading.
Ads.txt is a file that resides on a website that specifies who should be allowed to serve adverts. This list acts as a verification for those who wish to place adverts, ensuring that they are legitimately buying adverts on that publisher.
It's a simple text file, with each line containing the name of an advertising vendor, an ID number that specifies the sellers account, whether the relationship is 'direct' or as a 'reseller', and then a certificate ID.
How does Red Volcano use this data for clients?
The text file itself contains a lot of useful information outside of just verification. Firstly, it can tell you which vendors are allowed to buy inventory on a particular publisher. This allows us to paint a picture of (for example) where your compteitors have direct relationships with publishers - which is something that is typically hidden behind the adserver layer.
Also, the relationship ID numbers within the file can allow our clients to map which agencies are working with which publishers.
How do Red Volcano access this data?
Red Volcano hold the details of the Ads.txt files for the worlds top 10 million publishers. We refresh this data weekly.
How can we work with Red Volcano to make the most of this?