AdMob starts implementing support for app-ads.txt files

Question

I received a mail today titled AdMob starts implementing support for app-ads.txt files

Ensure that the app - ads.txt file is executed correctly before enforcing execution

At Google, we’re always committed to protecting your apps for the profit you want. One of the key challenges for applications is fraudulent publisher inventory from some abusers. To help publishers meet this challenge, we’re ready to support and implement app-ads.txt files in all ad systems to ensure that what advertisers spend reaches the desired publishers.

What is app-ads.txt?

App-ads.txt is an addition to the original ads.txt standard, which provides a mechanism for web publishers to advertise digital media vendors. It is designed to protect app publishers from fraud in the publisher inventory by fraudsters.

What changes will happen, and what do they mean to you?

We are happy to announce the support and implementation of app-ads.txt files in AdMob for publishers who have published the app-ads.txt file in their app developer domain, starting 2019-08-08.

To prepare for this change, please make sure that the app-ads.txt file published in your app's developer domain does not contain any errors or spelling problems.

How can you make sure that the app-ads.txt file is executed correctly?

If your file contains any errors or spelling problems, this will expose your ads to blocking, because any files posted are a source of verification for execution.

Therefore, it is extremely important to properly execute the file and correct any errors before 2019-08-08, otherwise the file will be unpublished from your domain to avoid any unwanted loss of profits.

As such, we invite you to carefully review the app-ads.txt file if you have published any files before the implementation date. The file must be published in the root directory of the website displayed in your listing on the Android Play Store or iOS App Store. You can get more details on the IAB hosting specifications.

I understand that the app-ads.txt is like Google Adsense ads.txt and is currently in the /ads.txt extension after the domain name, so How do I add the code to the new extension /app-ads.txt ?

Cumings

Answer 1

I know this question since long time ago, but after a lot of searching and focusing I found the answer

1. Go to your Blog Dashboard > Settings > Search Preferences.
2. Now Under Error and Redirections, you will see Custom Redirects
3. Click on the edit link placed next to it.
4. Then click New redirect and enter non-existing or removed post URL path followed by root domain in From block. (/your-shorten-keyword) in our case (/app-ads.txt)
5. Next, enter the URL path followed by root domain in To block to where you would like to redirect. (like /p/page.html or /20xx/xx/post-title.html) in our case /ads.txt

For ease you can check the picture below :

Click Save changed and you're done!

Source

Cumings

Answer 2

Ad Network Company has lunched app-ads.txt to prevent Ad Frauds and Here I Explain to you How to use app-ads.txt in Ad Network?

First of all, buy new domain relevant to your applications and add this domain(website) to your application store listing page now generate an app-ads.txt file from your Admob account

• Click on Apps from the left sidebar
• Click View All Apps
• Now click app-ads.txt file to generate publisher id.
• Now copy this code snippet and save it in app-ads.txt and put this file in the root directory of your domain.

Google will automatically crawl this file within 24 hours

Respite

I already have a domain but linked to the blogger, I can not add files in the root of the site because it is hosted by Google – Cumings

if i did not have any web site then? – Bataan

@Dr Mido you have to host your website somewhere else other than google then after you can add files in the root directory – Respite

@tej shah without personal domain (website) you can not use it. – Respite

how to set up app-ads.txt if I have an android app, I don;t get this poart "root directory of your domain." where is that in my app?? – Runnel

@Runnel It's not in your app you have to set up on your website root directory – Respite

and where should I put that link to the website ? In google play dev console ? – Runnel

My app has been suspended by AdMob for violating this policy. It really does not give me any clues about how I comply. As somebody else asked above - what if your app does not have a website? I don't have anywhere to put this text file. – Couldst

@Ashish Kakadiya It's hard to buy hosting and transfer my site to WordPress right now, I wanted a simplified way to solve the problem, knowing that the code is currently in the path /ads.txt after the domain name – Cumings

@Couldst Violation of the terms is irrelevant with app-ads.txt, as admob help described here Use of app-ads.txt is not mandatory, but is highly recommended, especially if you are concerned that others may be spoofing your app. – Cumings

The mail received from Google and what the support documentation says are confusing. In the mail they are talking about "enforcement" and in the support documentation they are saying that it's not mandatory, but it's highly recommending to use app-ads.txt. In the end it's mandatory or not? – Phira

@ZbarceaChristian Yes, it is mandatory because it prevents ad fraud and you will get brand advertisement ad while app-ads.txt – Respite

@DrMido If we find any easy solution then we sure get back to you – Respite

I've added app-ads.txt to my website, I've updated the web site url in Google Play Developer Console. The .txt file can be accessed from domain....com/app-ads.txt, I've waited more than 3 days but in the Admob (View all apps) it says that there is not .txt file. I don't think that admob crawled the web site. – Phira

@Zbarcea Christian +1 the same problem – Cumings

If I understand correctly, the app-ads.txt file just needs to contain a single line, starting with google.com, pub-, plus my unique IDs and stuff, right? – Cant

One more question, is the stuff after "pub-" private information (like ad unit ids)? I plan on hosting my app-ads.txt on my GitHub Pages, which would mean that its contents would be visible to anyone (it's a public repo on GitHub). If it is something that shouldn't be public, I should probably not do this. – Cant

@Cant No it won't work because google the only lookup for the root directory of the domain name and you can not put your file on root directory o fgithub.com domain it also won't work on a subdomain of your own domain it should work only your main domain – Respite

I just tried and Google says it found my app-ads.txt, so I guess it's either Google didn't implement the spec correctly, or the spec allows subdomains? Ping @DrMido to let them know that using GitHub pages is a solution. – Cant

@ZbarceaChristian +1 same problem – Jasminejason

@Cant May I ask do you buy a domain to custom your Github pages? Or you just put app-ads.txt on your page and use username.github.io/repositoryname as your developer URL? Thanks. – Jola

Answer 3

AdMob App-Ads.txt without Domain

There is no need to buy a domain name. If you don’t have a website, you can follow these steps.

1. Visit app-ads-txt.com
2. Register an account
3. Add your application
4. Generate your APP-ADS.TXT
5. Publish your APP-ADS.TXT: You will get one link to publish on your Developer Console (Store listing Website option) and wait 24 hours.

Hilbert

If you are a big company then avoid relying on third party services. Domains are very cheap, often just a few dollars. Just be safe and buy a domain. – Fagan

@Hilbert I completely agree with don't use this cheap domain to host your app-ads.txt if you have a quality level app then, please host on your own domain and it's very to host – Respite

For sure, this service is just for small app developers that don't have their own website. – Hilbert

@Hilbert After I applied the steps and reached the last stage I see the message Declare this URL as publisher URL in your app listing. Make sure the app developers website has been correctly set up in Google Play, the Apple Store or any other app store listing the following URL What's meaning with in your app listing ? there's no URL other the website in contact details – Cumings

@DrMido It means that you have to set the xxxx.app-ads-txt.com URL as developer url on your app page – Hilbert

@ Fernando it's done, but the site will appearing with xxxx/app-ads-txt.com in google play store for all people! – Cumings

@DrMido Yes, unfortunately, that's how the IAB's initiative works – Hilbert

I used this site but I noticed it adds an extra line to my published app-ads.txt file with tappx.com, XXXXX, DIRECT, XXXXXXXXXXX. Should I be worried? – Deka

Hi @Simon, Quite the opposite. Think that this service was thought to provide this hosting service for Tappx community, so, the line would be useful in the case you monetize with Tappx but if not it is just innocuous. – Hilbert

This solution requires you to replace your Store listing contact details website with 'app-ads-txt.com'. That doesn't sound good. – Undercarriage

Answer 4

You don't forgive this redirect:

This is in 'Custom Redirect', it works for me!

Achaean

In which place this setting in blogger? – Cumings

Answer 5

The best solution i found is using Firebase Hosting (for FREE)

Then you don't have to have a website/domain for your app-ads.txt. You can host it for free on Firebase.

here is a HowTo from Google on how you can achieve this. Publish app-ads.txt with Firebase Hosting

The beauty of this solution is that you can still redirect to Firebase Url created to any website you want.

For instance in you Google Play account, you published the URL of your social Media as you website. without the redirection you have to put the Firebase URL there, but with the redirection, you can still have your own Website/URL in the Google Play Console and redirect the firebase URL to it. the user will not see any difference or changes.

Fulgent