A native ad format is a set of variables and styles that are used to create a native ad. Standard (system-defined) native ad formats cover many use cases for trafficking native ads. However, there may be times when you need the flexibility to create your own native ad format. Custom native ad formats allow you to define your own variables for traditional native ads.
With custom native ad formats, variables are used to define things like your native ad's headline, image, call to action, etc. Traffickers provide values for the variables in these native ad formats, and Google Ad Manager uses these values for the content of native ads.
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Add a custom native ad format
You can add a custom native ad format when defining the ad settings using the HTML & CSS editor or Android & iOS app code option. When adding variables for a custom native ad format, you first select the type of variable a trafficker can enter, such as a File, Number, or URL. Ad Manager then displays the settings related to that type.
To add a custom native ad format:
- Sign in to Google Ad Manager.
- Navigate to Delivery, then Native.
- Click New native style.
- Click Selectfor either the "HTML & CSS editor" or "Android & iOS app code".
-
Define your native format:
- For the HTML & CSS editor, select New formatin the "Native format" section, then click Add variable.
- For Android & iOS app code, simply click Add variable.
- Define your variable by first choosing the variable type
, and then configuring the variable settings based on the type
.
- Click OKand then continue to define all variables and save the custom native format.
Native format variable options
Variable types
| Variable type | Trafficking options |
|---|---|
| File | Traffickers click the "Choose file" button and upload a file. |
| List | Traffickers choose from a list of options. |
| Number | Traffickers enter an integer. |
| Text | Traffickers enter a string. |
| URL | Traffickers enter a URL. |
Variable settings based on the type
Number
Text
URL
Enter the default value that will appear for the field. If you don't enter a value, the field will be empty until the trafficker enters a value.
For the "Number" variable type, the system sets 0 as the default if you don't enter a value.
Number
Text
URL
You can restrict the trafficker to upload only the file types you select here: jpg, png, and gif.
Note:The Google Mobile Ads SDK doesn't support animated GIFs for native ads.
- Third-party impression tracker: Allows advertisers to track an impression if the ad is displayed. The URL can call an image or HTML code. If you're using native styles , you can include the tracker in your style HTML with a macro. If you're using custom rendering , the tracker will be called by the Google Mobile Ads SDK when an impression is registered.
- Third-party click tracker: Allows advertisers to track an ad click. This URL can call an image or HTML code. If you're using native styles, you can include the tracker in your style HTML with a macro. If you're using custom rendering, the tracker will be called by the Google Mobile Ads SDK when a click is registered.
- Standard: A regular URL.
- Deeplink: The destination URL when a user clicks on an ad if the URL is supported by an application on the user's device. For example, a user clicks an ad and lands in another app (the deep link click action URL). If you're using custom rendering, the Google Mobile Ads SDK will attempt to send the user to each deeplink before falling back to the native creative's traditional destination URL.
Ad Manager does not accept Custom Schemes. - App links and Universal Links: Unlike traditional deep links, App Links and Universal Links will fall back to the browser if the app is not installed. Learn more about deep links .
- Self Universal Links:Allows advertisers to direct users back to the same app on iOS. Requires the URL Type "Self Universal Link". Learn more about deep links .
