Complete List of GAM VAST Tag Placeholders

Here’s a comprehensive list of common VAST (Video Ad Serving Template) tag placeholders (or macros) along with examples of their usage. These placeholders dynamically insert specific information into the VAST URL at runtime, enabling tailored ad requests and precise tracking.

Common VAST Tag Placeholders with Examples

1. **%%CACHEBUSTER%% or [CACHEBUSTER]**

   – **Description**: Prevents caching by inserting a random number or unique identifier.

   – **Example**:

https://ads.example.com/vast?cb=%%CACHEBUSTER%%

2. **%%PAGEURL%% or [PAGEURL]**

   – **Description**: URL of the page where the ad is being displayed.

   – **Example**:

https://ads.example.com/vast?pageurl=%%PAGEURL%%

3. **%%REFERRER%% or [REFERRER]**

   – **Description**: URL of the referring page.

   – **Example**:

https://ads.example.com/vast?referrer=%%REFERRER%%

4. **%%TIMESTAMP%% or [TIMESTAMP]**

   – **Description**: Current time, often in Unix epoch format.

   – **Example**:

https://ads.example.com/vast?timestamp=%%TIMESTAMP%%

5. **%%USERAGENT%% or [USERAGENT]**

   – **Description**: The user agent string of the browser or device making the request.

   – **Example**:

https://ads.example.com/vast?ua=%%USERAGENT%%

6. **%%IFA%% or [IFA]**

   – **Description**: Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA for iOS, GAID for Android).

   – **Example**:

https://ads.example.com/vast?ifa=%%IFA%%

7. **%%DEVICEID%% or [DEVICEID]**

   – **Description**: A unique identifier for the device.

   – **Example**:

https://ads.example.com/vast?deviceid=%%DEVICEID%%

8. **%%IP%% or [IP]**

   – **Description**: The IP address of the user.

   – **Example**:

https://ads.example.com/vast?ip=%%IP%%

9. **%%LAT%% and %%LON%% or [LAT] and [LON]**

   – **Description**: Latitude and longitude of the user’s location.

   – **Example**:

https://ads.example.com/vast?lat=%%LAT%%&lon=%%LON%%

10. **%%UA%% or [UA]**

    – **Description**: Another form of the user agent string.

    – **Example**:

https://ads.example.com/vast?ua=%%UA%%

11. **%%OS%% or [OS]**

    – **Description**: The operating system of the device.

    – **Example**:

https://ads.example.com/vast?os=%%OS%%

12. **%%APPNAME%% or [APPNAME]**

    – **Description**: The name of the app in which the ad is displayed.

    – **Example**:

https://ads.example.com/vast?appname=%%APPNAME%%

13. **%%DEVICE_MAKE%% or [DEVICE_MAKE]**

    – **Description**: The manufacturer of the device.

    – **Example**:

https://ads.example.com/vast?make=%%DEVICE_MAKE%%

14. **%%DEVICE_MODEL%% or [DEVICE_MODEL]**

    – **Description**: The model of the device.

    – **Example**:

https://ads.example.com/vast?model=%%DEVICE_MODEL%%

15. **%%PLATFORM%% or [PLATFORM]**

    – **Description**: The platform of the device (e.g., mobile, desktop).

    – **Example**:

https://ads.example.com/vast?platform=%%PLATFORM%%

16. **%%GEO_COUNTRY%% or [GEO_COUNTRY]**

    – **Description**: The country code of the user’s location.

    – **Example**:

https://ads.example.com/vast?country=%%GEO_COUNTRY%%

17. **%%GEO_REGION%% or [GEO_REGION]**

    – **Description**: The region or state code of the user’s location.

    – **Example**:

https://ads.example.com/vast?region=%%GEO_REGION%%

18. **%%GEO_CITY%% or [GEO_CITY]**

    – **Description**: The city of the user’s location.

    – **Example**:

https://ads.example.com/vast?city=%%GEO_CITY%%

19. **%%AGE%% or [AGE]**

    – **Description**: The age of the user.

    – **Example**:

https://ads.example.com/vast?age=%%AGE%%

20. **%%GENDER%% or [GENDER]**

    – **Description**: The gender of the user.

    – **Example**:

https://ads.example.com/vast?gender=%%GENDER%%

21. **%%BUNDLE%% or [BUNDLE]**

    – **Description**: The app bundle ID for mobile applications.

    – **Example**:

https://ads.example.com/vast?bundle=%%BUNDLE%%

22. **%%SESSION_ID%% or [SESSION_ID]**

    – **Description**: A unique identifier for the current session.

    – **Example**:

https://ads.example.com/vast?session=%%SESSION_ID%%

23. **%%SLOT_ID%% or [SLOT_ID]**

    – **Description**: The ad slot ID where the ad is displayed.

    – **Example**:

https://ads.example.com/vast?slotid=%%SLOT_ID%%

24. **%%VIDEO_DURATION%% or [VIDEO_DURATION]**

    – **Description**: The duration of the video ad in seconds.

    – **Example**:

https://ads.example.com/vast?duration=%%VIDEO_DURATION%%

25. **%%DOMAIN%% or [DOMAIN]**

    – **Description**: The domain name of the site where the ad is served.

    – **Example**:

https://ads.example.com/vast?domain=%%DOMAIN%%

26. **%%VAST_TRACKING%% or [VAST_TRACKING]**

    – **Description**: URL for tracking VAST events like impressions and clicks.

    – **Example**:

https://ads.example.com/vast?track=%%VAST_TRACKING%%

Platform-Specific Macros

Google Ad Manager (DoubleClick)

– Uses the `%%MACRO_NAME%%` syntax.

– **Examples**:

  – `%%CACHEBUSTER%%`:

https://ads.example.com/vast?cb=%%CACHEBUSTER%%

  – `%%ADVERTISING_ID%%` (equivalent to IFA):

https://ads.example.com/vast?ifa=%%ADVERTISING_ID%%

OpenX

– Uses the `{MACRO_NAME}` syntax.

– **Examples**:

  – `{CACHEBUSTER}`:

https://ads.example.com/vast?cb={CACHEBUSTER}

  – `{DEVICEID}`:

https://ads.example.com/vast?deviceid={DEVICEID}

Summary

VAST tag placeholders enable dynamic value insertion, allowing ad servers to customize ad delivery and tracking based on real-time data. The specific syntax and available placeholders vary by platform, so it’s important to consult the documentation of your ad server or platform for precise details and supported macros.

If you have more specific needs or a particular ad server in mind, I can provide tailored examples or further assistance!