ADS.TXT TRENDS REPORT Q2 2018 2
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The IAB-led ads.txt initiative launched one year ago to bring transparency into the programmatic
advertising ecosystem of sellers and domains.
Publishers have rapidly adopted ads.txt since its inception. Pixalate began tracking implementation in
September 2017; since then, adoption has increased at an astronomical rate (over 13,737%).
Marketers have begun buying inventory from sites that have ads.txt implemented to ensure a transparent
transaction. Google recently announced the ability for marketers to only buy ads.txt-authorized display
and video inventory.
Pixalate fully supports the ads.txt initiative, and our Q2 2018 report updates the marketplace on the latest
trends.
ADS.TXT TRENDS REPORT Q2 2018 3
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Ads.txt adoption increased 5.4x over the first half of 2018, from about 90,000
domains to about 500,000.
However, rapid growth slowed in Q2. We expect modest growth moving forward.
75% of the top programmatic sites now have ads.txt, up from 66% in Q1 2018.
The number of top sites with ads.txt began to level off in Q2. Adoption may be
reaching its plateau.
Sites with ads.txt had an IVT rate of 13.1% in Q2 2018, compared to 14.5% on sites
without ads.txt.
This is a difference of 10%.
Google is the most common ‘Direct’ partner, and AppNexus is the most common ‘Reseller’ on ads.txt files.
Google is on the most ads.txt files, but other companies are gaining. This is a
healthy sign for the industry.
ADS.TXT TRENDS REPORT Q2 2018
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ADS.TXT AND AD FRAUDQ2 2018
5
A 10% DIFFERENCE IN IVT
● Sites with ads.txt had a
13.1% IVT rate in Q2
2018, while sites
without ads.txt had a
14.5% IVT rate.
○ This is a 10%
difference
● The difference was
more pronounced in
June, (14.5% vs 17.1%).
ADS.TXT TRENDS REPORT Q2 2018
TOTAL NUMBER OF SITES WITH ADS.TXTH1 2018
7
A 5.4x INCREASE
● Ads.txt adoption
increased over 5.4x in
2018.
○ From about
90,000 sites to
about 500,000
● Adoption increased 42%
in Q2.
5.4x growthin 2018
ADS.TXT TRENDS REPORT Q2 2018
% OF TOP 1000 PROGRAMMATIC SITES WITH ADS.TXTQ2 2018
9
HOVERING AT 75%
● Among the top 1,000 sites
in terms of programmatic
ad volume, as measured
by Pixalate, 75% have
ads.txt
● This represents a small
increase from the start of
Q2 2018, when 73% of
top publishers had ads.txt
ADS.TXT TRENDS REPORT Q2 2018
% OF TOP 5000 PROGRAMMATIC SITES WITH ADS.TXTQ2 2018
10
BREAKING THE 70% BARRIER
● Of the top 5,000 sites in
terms of programmatic ad
volume, as measured by
Pixalate, 73% had ads.txt
implemented by the end
of Q2 2018
● The 70% barrier was first
broken the week of April
9; since then, adoption
rates have neared 75%.
ADS.TXT TRENDS REPORT Q2 2018
% OF ALEXA TOP 1000 SITES WITH ADS.TXTQ2 2018
12
THE 40% MILESTONE
● 40% of sites in the Alexa
1,000 had ads.txt
implemented by the end
of Q2 2018
● Adoption steadily
increased throughout the
quarter, rising from just
over one-third (35%) up to
40%
ADS.TXT TRENDS REPORT Q2 2018
% OF ALEXA TOP 5000 SITES WITH ADS.TXTQ2 2018
13
OVER ONE-THIRD NOW HAVE ADS.TXT
● Over one-third (35%) of
sites in the Alexa 5,000
had ads.txt at the end of
Q2 2018
● Adoption has increased
75% since the start of
2018; on January 1, 20%
of Alexa 5,000 sites had
ads.txt
ADS.TXT TRENDS REPORT Q2 2018
EXCHANGES LISTED ON MOST ADS.TXT FILESAS OF JUNE 30, 2018; AMONG TOP 10K PROGRAMMATIC SITES
15
GOOGLE LEADS, OTHERS GAINING
● Of the top 10,000 programmatic
sites, Google is listed on 6,808
ads.txt files, representing an
increase of 492 compared to Q1
● AppNexus (+525), OpenX (+570),
Rubicon Project (+910), Index
Exchange (+545), PubMatic (+668),
SpotX (+613), One by AOL: Display
(+502), and Sovrn (+507) all gained
ground on Google in Q2
ADS.TXT TRENDS REPORT Q2 2018
COVERAGE RATE AMONG TOP 10K PROGRAMMATIC SITESAS OF JUNE 30, 2018
16
10 COMPANIES AT 50%+
● 10 companies are on at least
50% of ads.txt files among the
top 10,000 programmatic
domains; this is an increase
from 7 in Q1
● Four companies now have
60%+ coverage rate, up from
just one (Google) in Q1
ADS.TXT TRENDS REPORT Q2 2018
EXCHANGES LISTED AS ‘DIRECT’ PARTNER ON TOP SITESAS OF JUNE 30, 2018
18
GOOGLE LEADS THE WAY
● Google is a ‘Direct’
partner with 6,377 of the
top programmatic sites —
nearly 2,000 more than
any other company
● Rubicon Project became
No. 3 in terms of ‘Direct’
listings among top
publishers, up from No. 5
in Q1
ADS.TXT TRENDS REPORT Q2 2018
EXCHANGES LISTED AS ‘RESELLER’ ON TOP SITESAS OF JUNE 30, 2018
19
APPNEXUS TOP ‘RESELLER’
● AppNexus appeared as a
‘Reseller’ 6,064 times on
the top programmatic
sites; it was also the No. 1
‘Reseller’ in Q1
● Google was the No. 3
‘Reseller’ on ads.txt files
in Q1 (with 5,153 listings),
and it became the No. 2
’Reseller’ in Q2 (5,693
listings)
ADS.TXT TRENDS REPORT Q2 2018
WHAT IS ADS.TXT?
The IAB Tech Lab’s ads.txt initiative aims to increase
transparency in the inventory supply chain by helping buyers
identify “Authorized Digital Sellers” for participating
publishers. Specifically, ads.txt combats “counterfeit
inventory,” defined by the IAB as “a unit of inventory sourced
from a domain, app or video that is intentionally mislabeled
and offered for sale a different domain, app or video.”
WHAT IS A ‘DIRECT’ SELLER AND A ‘RESELLER’?
“Direct” means that the SSP or exchange has a direct
business relationship with the publisher to sell the publisher’s
inventory. “Reseller” means the publisher has authorized
another company to resell inventory on the publisher’s behalf.
IS THIS DATA INCLUDED IN THE SELLER TRUST INDEXES?
Yes. Our ads.txt data is incorporated into the Pixalate Seller
Trust Indexes. Each seller is given an “Ads.txt Score.”
DOES ADS.TXT WORK FOR MOBILE APPS?
As of the end of Q2 2018, ads.txt only supports domains (e.g.
desktop and mobile web). A version of ads.txt for apps is
being developed by the IAB, and Pixalate is actively engaged
in the process. The latest draft can be found here.
ARE ALL SITES WITH ADS.TXT TRUSTWORTHY?
Not necessarily. Any publisher can add an ads.txt file to their
site. Just because they have an ads.txt file does not mean
they are a trustworthy publisher. Ads.txt does, however, give
buyers confidence that they are buying legitimate publisher
inventory (rather than “counterfeit inventory”).
DOES ADS.TXT REMOVE ALL AD FRAUD?
No. Proper use of ads.txt combats domain spoofing, which is
just one type of invalid traffic; Pixalate tracks 38 unique types.
However, ads.txt also helps reduce arbitrage, which may not
be reflected in IVT numbers.
22
FAQs
ADS.TXT TRENDS REPORT Q2 2018
The research and insights contained within this report
represent Pixalate’s data and opinions as it pertains to the
information Pixalate believes will be most relevant to the
digital advertising industry’s battle against ad fraud.
The data has not been audited or reviewed by a third party,
but the research and insights are grounded in Pixalate’s
proprietary technology and analytics, which Pixalate is
continuously evaluating and updating.
Pixalate’s data science and analyst team analyzed over 7.5
million domains utilizing proprietary analytics tools to compile
this research. The research contained herein represents data
collected by Pixalate from January 1, 2018 through June 30,
2018. Pixalate measured millions of domains each week to
identify sites that have ads.txt files implemented. The data in
this report is reflective of root domains only; Pixalate has
removed duplicates occurring from subdomain ads.txt files.
“Alexa Top 1000” and “Alexa Top 5000” sites were identified
using Alexa.com’s rankings. The top 1000/5000/10000 sites
in terms of programmatic ad volume (i.e. “Pixalate Top 5000”)
were identified using Pixalate’s proprietary ranking of volume
among domains which support programmatic advertising. The
ranking data is reflective of the marketplace as of the date of
each weekly update.
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METHODOLOGY & DISCLAIMER
METHODOLOGY DISCLAIMER
ABOUT PIXALATEPixalate is a cross-channel fraud intelligence company that
works with brands and platforms to prevent invalid traffic and
improve ad inventory quality.
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