Companion Ads
Enforce your companion ad policy on every VAST tag. Advalidation detects companion creatives in the VAST XML and flags tags that don't match your requirements.
Why companion ad enforcement matters
VAST tags can include companion ads: display creatives that appear alongside the video player during playback. Companion ads extend advertiser visibility beyond the video itself, but they also consume publisher page real estate and can conflict with existing page layouts.
Some publishers require companion ads as part of their standard video ad package. Others prohibit them to maintain editorial control over the page. Without automated detection, enforcement depends on manual XML inspection or trusting that the creative agency followed the brief.
How companion ad detection works
When you configure your ad specification, you choose whether companion ads are required or not allowed. Advalidation parses the VAST XML and checks for companion ad elements. Tags that don't match your policy are flagged with a clear pass or fail result.
- Required: The tag must contain companion ad elements. Tags without companion ads fail validation.
- Not allowed: The tag must not contain companion ad elements. Tags with companion ads fail validation.
When to use each setting
- Require companion ads when your video player supports companion placements and your sales team sells them as part of the package. Missing companion creatives mean empty slots and unrealized revenue.
- Prohibit companion ads when your page layout doesn't support companion placements, or when companion creatives conflict with your site design or editorial standards.
Part of VAST tag validation
Companion ad detection is one check in a broader VAST testing workflow. Advalidation also validates VAST versions, detects verification tags, and screens third-party connections. See all checks on the video tests page.