Best practice for monetising VoD with server-side ad insertion

Posted on

By David Springall, Founder & CTO at Yospace

The amount of video accessed online, particularly by mobile devices, is expanding exponentially.  As a result, there is a need to maximise the monetisation opportunities by delivering ads across multiple devices and platforms in the most efficient way possible.  In this post I discuss why applying SSAI across all content is the most logical way forward.

Server-Side Ad Insertion (SSAI, or dynamic ad insertion) can deliver a consistent experience akin to TV while opening up addressable advertising opportunities. Consistency comes in part from the ‘ad copy normalisation’ which is the process of transcoding ad content with the same bitrates, frame rates and audio levels as the underlying stream, ensuring a smooth transition between programme and ad and vice versa (with the same CDN being loaded for both content and ads).

SSAI technology is already being used successfully by broadcasters for live streaming.  However, the principal monetisation technique for VoD remains Client-Side Ad Insertion (CSAI), where, at the start of every ad break, the primary player is stopped and an ad player put on top, with the primary player having to be resumed at the end of the break.

For a broadcaster with both Live and VoD, it makes sense for a single advertising workflow to be applied across all content.  

It is possible for broadcasters to deliver a near-seamless experience using the CSAI model for VoD, by pre-loading the ad player and buffer in the background and swapping the players over at the exact moments when an ad break starts and ends. However, there is always the risk of playback issues caused by inconsistent encoding of the ad copy.  Also, considerable effort is required in terms of implementation, with code having to be continuously duplicated from one device type to another, and from one environment to another, with the inevitable testing and maintenance overhead to achieve this result consistently across devices.

Many of those broadcasters of VoD streams who have a working CSAI solution in place are finding it increasingly hard to maintain, so we’re seeing a growing interest in the SSAI approach.  This is partly driven by positive experiences of SSAI for live (where CSAI is not an option owing to the strict requirements around ad break timings). But there are a number of other reasons why SSAI should appeal to broadcasters over CSAI:

  • Implementation. The code is decoupled from the ad server, with the work on stitching and interfacing to the ad server being performed by the backend SSAI platform, giving an overall flexibility in that the inventory and decisioning engine is abstracted from the actual delivery. SDKs have also been developed, which means that there is effectively a middleware layer, with the SDKs talking to the backend, and the backend talking to the ad server, making it possible to swap out the ad server without changes to the SDKs.
  • Control. There can be a single point for all ad insertion calls across Live and VoD, a single interface providing access to a single set of Broadcast Streams, Promotions and VoD assets, and a single API providing real-time analytics.
  • Interactivity.The aforementioned SDKs can support the use of clickable linear content and dynamic overlays, and also allow broadcasters to customise the instances when skipping, seeking and pausing are allowed.
  • Ad blockers. The stitching used by SSAI mean that ad blockers are unable to decipher where the call to the server is being made, and so cannot differentiate between an ad and the content itself, making SSAI highly resistant to ad blocking.

Besides being able to deliver SSAI at scale and to provide all of the existing benefits of configurable user interactivity, SSAI has enormous security benefits, which cannot be totally covered in this article. In brief:

  • With SSAI, the aforementioned middleware layer affords control over the systems with which viewers are interacting. By contrast, with CSAI, the viewer’s device is touching the ad server and presenting its IP address (and potentially other information). The first party ad server might, in turn, involve the use of multiple third party servers and expose the same viewers to being tracked by unknown companies, to the possible detriment of a broadcaster’s commercial model.

With the correct deployment, there is no logical reason why broadcasters should not consider SSAI when deploying VoD streams. As OTT audiences for Live and VoD continue to thrive, providers are increasingly likely to seek a joined-up SSAI strategy, and by so doing, not only safeguard their current ad revenues, but also enhance them.

Read more on server-side ad insertion for live and VoD streams here.

–

Subscribe to Yospace’s mailing list for monthly news and insights

TV4 extends its relationship with Yospace for server-side ad insertion into live and VoD

Posted on

Sweden’s largest commercial broadcaster continues to lead the way in OTT monetisation

Staines-upon-Thames, UK, February 27th 2019 – TV4 has agreed an extension with Yospace to provide server-side ad insertion (SSAI) across its TV Everywhere service, TV4Play.  TV4 was the first company to launch the technology in Sweden in 2014, initially using it to monetise VoD content before applying it to live channels, too.

The technology is a crucial cog in TV4’s forward-thinking data strategy as it allows advertising to be one-to-one addressable and opens the door to a mix of ad sales methods, including first and third-party sold and programmatic.  This is achieved while maintaining a true TV-quality viewing experience, which helps TV4 to achieve its goal of removing the distinction between traditional linear TV and digital and present itself as platform agnostic to advertisers.

Yospace’s SSAI solution (also referred to as dynamic ad insertion) allows advertising to be stitched into live and VoD content watched via OTT in a way that is completely seamless to the viewer.  Ads are prepared in advance to match the encoding profile of the source stream and are stitched before the video reaches the user’s device, thus removing the prospect of buffering and inconsistencies of older technologies as programming switches to and from an ad break.

Each viewer session is handled individually, meaning that an ad call is made on behalf of each viewer.  This helps TV4 future-proof its advertising: the broadcaster is free to continue developing its data strategy knowing it already has the necessary ad-tech in place.

Mathias Berg, COO at TV4 Group: “For the last couple of years TV4 has relentlessly been driving our business from a traditional linear ad model to a truly platform agnostic experience for both users and advertisers.  Part of this journey has been to enable us to capture and monetise on our digital inventory in all potential channels using all data available.  Having successfully launched both dynamic ad insertion with operators and log in on TV4Play, TV4 is now in a unique position to offer the combination of reach, inventory and data to Swedish advertisers. As a result of a successful implementation of this strategy TV4 delivered its best financial result in terms of turnover and profitability in the history of the company in 2018.”

Edward New, Commercial Director at Yospace: “TV4 was in the first wave of broadcasters to embrace server-side ad insertion and I’m delighted that our long-term relationship is continuing.  The broadcaster has used the technology to re-define television and data-driven advertising for a modern audience.  TV4 was also among the first to recognise the advantages of a joined up live and VoD SSAI strategy.”

TV4Play for web can be accessed at https://www.tv4play.seand the app is available on all the major connected devices.

– ENDS –

 

 About Yospace

Yospace is the foremost provider of server-side ad insertion (SSAI) technology in the world today.  Its solution allows live streams and on demand (VoD) content to be monetised for OTT in a way that is true to the seamless viewer experience of linear television, while opening up benefits of digital advertising such as one-to-one addressability and real-time measurement.

Yospace was the first to publicly demonstrate SSAI in a live stream, with ITV in 2012, and today services major broadcasters and network operators across the globe, including AT&T in the USA; Sky Media, ITV, BT Sport, Channel 4 and STV in the UK; Telia and TV4 in Sweden; SonyLIV in India (in partnership with Akamai Technologies); Seven West Media and Network Ten in Australia.

In early 2019 Yospace was 100% acquired by RTL Group.

Why Yospace’s acquisition by RTL Group is a huge endorsement of its SSAI

Posted on

On 8th January RTL Group announced it was acquiring 100% of Yospace Technologies Ltd. The announcement represents a huge endorsement of Yospace, our people and the server-side ad insertion technology we have developed.

Having launched VoD server-side ad insertion in 2011, Yospace was first to market with server-side ad insertion (SSAI) for live streaming at the start of 2012, showcasing it in partnership with ITV at the 2012 IBC Innovation Awards.  Since that time the team has focused exclusively on development and innovation in the SSAI space. This has been with a focus on solving broadcaster challenges while maintaining a TV-like viewer experience. Today we are the world’s leading provider of one-to-one addressable SSAI and stream management.

This is an achievement we are hugely proud of.  We are also immensely proud of building a profitable market-leading business organically, while maintaining the independence required to have such a laser-sharp focus on the long-term development of our product.  As such we were fortunate to be in a position where we could carefully consider an acquisition that best suited the future ambitions of the team, primary of which is to continue to innovate with our loyal existing broadcast customer base while accelerating global adoption of our capabilities.

The key principles of our technology road map since 2011 have been based on understanding the close integrations with broadcast playout systems and the end-to-end streaming workflows needed to deliver a true broadcast experience, and a willingness to adapt to the evolving and often complex needs of broadcasters.  Challenges such as achieving one-to-one addressability at true broadcast scale, while delivering real-time metrics reliably and supporting enhanced viewer experiences have all been addressed.

As the market continues to mature and advertiser expectations increase, the ability to deliver a truly optimised standards-based programmatic SSAI solution will become increasingly critical.  To this end, the opportunity to work more closely with SpotX, who we’ve been a partner with for a number of years, will be of huge benefit to Yospace and to the wider industry, as the learnings we will gain will optimise integration with the entire programmatic and SSAI ecosystem.

As SpotX remains committed to all its existing SSAI partnerships, Yospace remains ad server and ad-tech agnostic.  Our independent stance and freedom to work with providers across the broadcast and advertising ecosystems are crucial, and this is recognised by SpotX and the RTL Group.

Our aim, as it has always been, is to provide the world’s leading server-side ad insertion platform and establish our technology as the de facto standard for the industry.  We will continue to serve all of our existing customers, without whom we would not have achieved the market position we are so proud of today, and to whom we remain fully committed.  This focus will in turn allow us to accelerate further the expansion of our global customer base.

Ultimately our decision to join RTL Group was an easy one.  The Group has bought into our strategy and is fully committed to supporting both our product roadmap and our expansion plans.  Whether you are an existing customer or a customer-to-be, we’re looking forward to working with you.

Sincerely,

Tim Sewell
CEO, Yospace

Subscribe to Yospace’s mailing list for monthly news and insights

Yospace to live stream Mobile World Congress

Posted on

At the 2017 GSMA Mobile World Congress, the award-winning broadcast service, Mobile World Live TV, will again be streamed across web and mobile by Yospace.

Two Mobile World Live TV channels will be streamed live: a studio channel, running 24/7, featuring interviews with global industry leaders, discussion panels and news; and a keynote channel which will broadcast all the keynote sessions in the Mobile World Congress conference programme.

Yospace’s encoders will prepare the live feeds for delivery across iOS, Android and web browsers. In addition, its live-to-VoD service will capture programmes, including keynotes, as they are broadcast and automatically make them available for catch-up within minutes of ending. Pre-roll promotions can be applied to the new VoD assets using Yospace’s advanced server-side stitching platform.

“Mobile World Congress is considered the mobile industry’s ‘must-attend’ event and is also gaining importance among other major industries with connected products. It is critical that Mobile World Live, with keynotes and coverage of breaking industry news, is accessible throughout, 24/7, and in the highest possible quality,” said Trevor Skinner, Digital Director, GSMA, the organisation that hosts Mobile World Congress.

David Springall, CTO of Yospace, said: “This is the eighth year we’ve partnered with GSMA on Mobile World Live and we’re delighted to be returning for what looks set to be the busiest MWC yet. The continually increasing global level of coverage of the show demonstrates just how important the smooth running of Mobile World Live is to the event.”

Mobile World Congress will be held in Barcelona from 27 February – 2 March 2017.
Mobile World Live TV can be accessed at:
www.mobileworldcongress.com/news/mobile-world-live/
www.mobileworldlive.com