Brand Safety & Blocklists
This sports site has young readers and blocks gambling ads, but a betting ad is getting through. Re-route the pipes so only the allowed shoe ad reaches the reader.
What you’ll learn
- What category blocking is
- Why publishers block ads, not only advertisers
- Where blocklists are set
Brand safety goes both ways
Advertisers worry about their ads appearing next to unsuitable content. Publishers have the mirror problem: they need to keep unsuitable ads away from their readers and away from the brands they work with.
How blocklists work
Publishers set blocklists by ad category (for example gambling, alcohol or dating), by advertiser domain and sometimes by buyer. Ad servers and SSPs check each bid against these rules and drop anything that is not allowed.
Getting the balance right
Every category you block removes some bidders, which can lower prices. Block what your audience and partners genuinely need protecting from, and review the list as your audience changes.
Key terms
- Brand safety
- Keeping ads and content from appearing in harmful or unsuitable places.
- Blocklist
- Categories, advertisers or buyers a publisher refuses.
- Sensitive category
- An ad category such as gambling that is blocked or restricted by default on many platforms.
Level 4 leaderboard
- 1Jatin1,000