Understanding VPAID and VAST: What’s the Difference?

Video ads have grown tremendously over the past years and are poised to continue the trend. The latest report by Statista declared that advertisers would spend $104.87 billion in the US this year.

With video ads becoming increasingly popular, it is no wonder there are large debates about VPAID vs. VAST ad tags. Which is best for video ads? What’s the difference between them?

In this post, I’ll try to explain why these two standards have taken off in the digital advertising world and how they’re actually different from one another and give insight into which may be best for your business.

An Overview of Video Ad Standards

VAST and VPAID are video ad-serving protocols, meaning there are different rules on how a video ad should be delivered to the user. IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau) framed the protocols to ensure the industry players have a standard way to interpret, deliver, and measure video ad campaigns.

Moreover, VAST and VPAID are not mutually exclusive. For the delivery of video ads, you will be using VAST in every case. The addition of VPAID is just the addition of new features to the already existing VAST framework. Let’s dive into the differences. Shall we?

What Is VAST?

VAST stands for Video Ad Serving Template. It helps with the communication between the ad server and the video player on the website.

Before the arrival of VAST, the ads had to be custom programmed according to the video players of the publishers, which hampered the ability to scale up video ad serving. 

VAST Tags: A Technical Outlook

VAST tags are the foundation of an online video ad service, but understanding the technical details behind them is important for publishers looking to optimize their ad budgets. Let's understand the underlying processes of VAST tags, explore definitions, available versions, and consider its limitations.

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How VAST Tags Work?

VAST tags are a three-step process:

1. VAST Request: The video player initiates the process by sending a request to the ad server, requesting a VAST tag. This request typically includes information about the viewer and the video content being played.
2. VAST Inline Response: Upon receiving the request, the ad server responds with an inline response containing the VAST tag itself. This tag is an XML document that outlines everything the video player needs to know about the ad, including:some text
   1. Ad media file: The location of the video ad file (usually an MP4 or WebM).
   2. Ad format: Whether it's a pre-roll, mid-roll, or post-roll ad.
   3. Tracking URLs: URLs that track ad impressions, clicks, and other events.
   4. Creative assets: Additional elements like companion banners or companion creatives.
3. Tracking URLs Pinged: Once the ad plays as instructed by the VAST tag, the video player pings the specified tracking URLs to register ad impressions and other relevant actions.

Versions of VAST Tags

The IAB has continuously improved the VAST standard over time. Here's a quick rundown of the current versions:

It's important to note that VAST tags are backward compatible, ensuring a smooth flow within the ad-serving ecosystem.

Limitations of VAST Tags

While VAST tags are a powerful tool, they do have some limitations:

1. Complexity: Understanding and working with VAST tags can be complex, especially for beginners.
2. Standardization Issues: Although standardized, slight variations in implementation between ad servers and video players can sometimes lead to errors.
3. Limited Targeting Capabilities: VAST tags themselves offer limited built-in targeting options. It requires additional layers like OpenRTB for more granular audience targeting.

Despite these limitations, VAST tags remain the basis of online video ad serving. Their standardized approach ensures smooth communication between ad servers and video players, ultimately enabling a seamless video ad experience for viewers. Want to know more? Here’s our detailed VAST guide.

What Is VPAID?

VPAID stands for Video Player Ad Serving Interface. It helps with communication between ad servers and video players. It was introduced to bring advancement to the features provided by VAST, such as:

• Providing Interactivity: The ads served by VPAID can be way more interactive than the simple in-stream ads served with VAST. Having multiple tabs, filling in subscription forms and surveys, and even playing games is possible with VPAID ads. Interactivity brings better results, and therefore marketers prefer them.
• Better Measurement: It is easier for advertisers to measure the performance metrics of the ads, like viewability, completion rate, CTR, etc., with VPAID compared to VAST.
• More Personalization: Advertisers can create more personalized ad campaigns with VPAID than with VAST. For example, setting different CTA’s for different geographical locations for the same ad is possible with VPAID.

How VPAID Works?

VPAID bridges the gap between video players and executable ad units through a JavaScript API. Here's a simplified breakdown of the process:

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1. Initiating the Ad Call: The video player requests a video ad from the ad server.
2. Receiving the Ad Response: The ad server responds with a VAST XML containing a VPAID-compliant ad unit.
3. Preparing the Ad: The video player retrieves the ad unit and prepares it for display based on publisher specifications.
4. Tracking Impressions: Impressions are tracked and sent to the respective ad servers (unless VPAID specifies server-side tracking).

This intricate communication relies on VPAID events and methods. You can dig deeper into these technical aspects in our comprehensive VPAID guide.

Versions of VPAID:

The IAB has released several VPAID versions, each offering improvements:

VPAID has limitations:

1. Complexity: Implementing and troubleshooting VPAID ads can be complex, requiring advanced technical expertise.
2. Performance Issues: VPAID ads can sometimes load slower or cause compatibility issues with certain video players.
3. Security Concerns: Malicious VPAID scripts pose potential security risks, requiring extra vigilance from publishers.

Despite these limitations, VPAID remains a valuable tool for creating engaging and interactive video ad experiences.

The Relation Between VAST and VPAID

VAST and VPAID work hand-in-hand to deliver a comprehensive video ad experience. Here's how they collaborate:

1. VAST sets the stage: The VAST tag informs the video player about the ad, including the presence of a VPAID script.
2. VPAID takes center stage: The video player executes the VPAID script, enabling interactive elements within the ad.
3. Data collection and reporting: VPAID tracks user interactions and relays this data back to the ad server for campaign optimization.

With VAST and VPAID, you can:

• Provide an engaging ad experience: Interactive elements such as clickable buttons and expandable banners engage viewers and increase ad memorability
• Study rich data and insights: Monitor user interaction with ads to understand motivation and optimize future ad placements.
• Maximize ad revenue: By providing a platform for interactive ads, you'll appeal to advertisers who are willing to pay a premium for engagement greater than.

The Takeaway:

VAST and VPAID are not interchangeable; They are complementary technologies. VAST lays the foundation for delivering a video ad, while VPAID structures the interactive elements of the ad. By understanding this symbiotic relationship, you, as a web publisher, can harness the full potential of video advertising. You can enhance the user experience, gather valuable feedback, and eventually boost your revenue.

Difference Between VAST and VPAID

The mechanism of serving ads is different between the two:

• The OVP (Online Video Platform) fetches and plays a video file in VAST. Whereas in VPAID, the OVP fetches a dynamic code. This code takes control of the player’s viewable area. Once the video ad is completed, the controls are returned to the OVP.
• To verify viewability, the VAST tag sends a request to the intersection observer API within the browser, and then the browser responds with the details of viewability. In VPAID, the tag takes control of the video player and loads JavaScript in the browser, which gathers the viewability details.
• VAST restricts the video player from preloading an ad unit before the ad media is rendered, whereas VPAID allows it.
• VAST emphasizes the uniform way of exchanging data between technologies, whereas VPAID emphasizes making the delivery of complex ads possible.
• The functioning of VAST gives more control over the player in the hands of publishers, whereas the buyers enjoy more control when the VPAID protocol is being followed.

VAST vs. VPAID: A Comprehensive Analysis of Differences

So, Which One Should You Choose?

When deciding between VAST or VPAID for your video ads, it all comes down to what you’re trying to achieve as a publisher. If you want an easy way to deliver video ads to a wide audience across multiple platforms and don’t need advanced interactive features, then VAST is probably the way to go. It’s simple to implement, widely supported, and will get your ads in front of a broad range of devices.

However, if you’re looking for more advanced and interactive ad formats offering detailed tracking and reporting, VPAID could be the better choice. It allows for more interactivity with the viewer, but it does come with some added complexity and could require more development resources.

At the end of the day, the decision between VAST and VPAID should be based on your specific needs and goals as a publisher, as well as the capabilities of your ad-serving platform and the devices you’re targeting. So take the time to consider your options and choose the one that’s best for you. Or, you can simply partner with 

FAQs

1. What Is the Difference Between VAST and VPAID?

VAST is a simpler format allowing video ads to be played within players. At the same time, VPAID is a more advanced format that allows for interactive ads with clickable buttons and other interactive elements.

2. Which Tag Is Better, VAST or VPAID?

The choice between VAST and VPAID depends on the publisher’s specific needs and goals. If a publisher wants a more interactive and engaging ad experience for their audience, VPAID is the better choice.

3. How do VAST and VPAID work together?

VAST sets the stage by informing the video player about the ad and the presence of VPAID. VPAID then takes over, enabling interactivity and tracking user engagement.

4. Do I need both VAST and VPAID?

You need VAST for any video ad serving. VPAID is essential only if you want to deliver interactive video ads.

5. Which version of VAST or VPAID should I use?

Use the latest versions (VAST 4.3 and VPAID 3.0) for optimal functionality and compatibility.