New HTML5 Ad Validator Tests Ad Creatives Against IAB Guidelines

The IAB Technology Laboratory recently released the HTML5 Ad Validator, an online tool that allows for testing of mobile and desktop ad creative against the IAB Display Creative Guidelines. It offers critical analysis to help build ad creative that delivers better user experience.

The HTML5 Ad Validator takes multiple inputs for validating ads – both zipped ad package or JavaScript ad tags – and then examines IAB Display Creative Guidelines recommendations for file weights, file requests, shared libraries, progressive video, and ad load (including sub-load criteria).

The testing tool also provides feedback into additional factors that are relevant to optimizing ad creative including:

- File types in the ad creative, such as images, JavaScript, HTML, etc.

- Breakdown of file types by weight

- All URLs accessed by the ad

- Snapshots of how the ad displays at 1 second intervals to show progression over time

- Click tags or links to specific advertising landing pages and redirects

- CPU usage

The IAB has also released an update to its HTML5 for Digital Advertising report with display guidelines that have been updated to reference HTML5 ad requirements. Extensive ad load performance testing was done over a period of 4 -5 months to collect performance data of different types of ad units on real publisher pages across browsers and controlled network speeds to reflect average internet and mobile usage to conclude optimum file weights.

The revised guide provides advice on ad development in HTML5, including tips for generating, packaging, and testing ads, as well as tips for ad designers and developers on how to work with ad operations to ensure ads will load and work as expected in a live campaign.