> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.exads.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.exads.com/publishers/vast/vast-tag.md).

# VAST Tag

As a Publisher, you receive a VAST tag response when your video player requests an inline video ad.

## XML Example

{% code expandable="true" %}

```xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<VAST version="4.3">
    <Ad id="1111111">
        <InLine>
            <AdSystem>EXADS</AdSystem>
            <AdTitle/>
            <Impression id="exotr">
                <![CDATA[https://mytrackingsolution.com/vregister.php?a=vimp&tracking_event=impression&idzone=22222&data=abcd]]></Impression>
            <Error>
                <![CDATA[https://mytrackingsolution.com/vregister.php?a=vview&errorcode=[ERRORCODE]&idzone=22222]]></Error>
            <Creatives>
                <Creative sequence="1" id="12345">
                    <Linear skipoffset="00:00:02">
                        <Duration>00:00:20.54</Duration>
                        <TrackingEvents>
                            <Tracking id="prog_1" event="progress" offset="00:00:10.000">
                                <![CDATA[https://mytrackingsolution.com/vregister.php?a=vview&tracking_event=progress&progress=00:00:10.000&idzone=22222&data=abcd]]></Tracking>
                            <Tracking id="custom_1" event="creativeView"><![CDATA[https://mytrackingsolution.com/vregister.php?a=vview&tracking_event=creativeView&idzone=22222&data=abcd]]></Tracking>
                        </TrackingEvents>
                        <VideoClicks>
                            <ClickThrough>
                                <![CDATA[https://mytrackingsolution.com/click.php?data=abcd]]></ClickThrough>
                        </VideoClicks>
                        <MediaFiles>
                            <MediaFile delivery="progressive" type="video/mp4">
                                <![CDATA[https://mytrackingsolution.com/library/12345/myvideo.mp4]]></MediaFile>
                        </MediaFiles>
                        <Icons>
                            <Icon>
                                <IconClicks>
                                    <IconClickThrough><![CDATA[https://example.com]]></IconClickThrough>
                                </IconClicks>
                            </Icon>
                        </Icons>
                    </Linear>
                </Creative>
            </Creatives>
            <Extensions>
                <Extension>
                    <TitleCTA>
                        <MobileText>View More</MobileText>
                        <PCText>View More</PCText>
                        <DisplayUrl><![CDATA[]]></DisplayUrl>
                        <Tracking><![CDATA[https://mytrackingsolution.com/click.php?data=abcd]]></Tracking>
                    </TitleCTA>
                </Extension>
                <Extension>
                    <DSA>
                        <Behalf>Company Lda</Behalf>
                        <Paid>Company Lda</Paid>
                        <WhyThisAd>The time of day. Your general location (e.g. country or region). Websites or apps you may have visited.</WhyThisAd>
                        <ClickThrough>
                            <![CDATA[https://mytrackingsolution.com/click.php?data=abcd]]>
                        </ClickThrough>
                    </DSA>
                </Extension>
            </Extensions>
        </InLine>
    </Ad>
</VAST>
```

{% endcode %}

## Properties <a href="#properties" id="properties"></a>

| Option                                   | Explanation                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
| ---------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>` | XML prolog with defined version and encoding.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| `Ad`                                     | Ad's root element that represents a single ad. It contains all of the information necessary for the video player to display and track the Ad creative. **The ad server currently supports one ad per VAST response, since that is a common practice.** Ad `id` attribute represents the bidding campaign id.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| `InLine`                                 | Element that contains all the files and URIs necessary to play and track the ad.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| `AdSystem`                               | Element that contains a descriptive name for the system that serves the ad, which every ad serving party must provide.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
| `AdTitle`                                | **Not provided.**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| `Impression`                             | Element that contains impression tracking URI for the ad. Impression `id` attribute represents the ad server id for the impression.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| `Error`                                  | Element that contains a URI that the player uses to notify the ad server when errors occur with ad playback. If the URI contains an \[ERRORCODE] macro, the video player must populate the macro with an error code.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
| `Creatives`                              | Container element for one or more `<Creative>` elements used to provide creative files for the ad. For an InLine ad, the `<Creatives>` element nests all the files necessary for executing and tracking the ad.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| `Creative`                               | Each element contains nested elements that describe the type of ad being served using nested sub-elements for `Linear` or `NonLinear` Ads. The ad server provides only one `<Creative>` element per VAST response. Creative `sequence` attribute represents the sequence, so for a single creative the `sequence` is 1. The ad server's Creative `id` attribute represents the winning creative id.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| `Linear`                                 | Sets the video-formatted ads that play linearly within the streaming content, meaning before the streaming content, during a break, or after the streaming content. A Linear creative has to contain, at minimum, a `<Duration>` element to communicate the intended runtime and a `<MediaFiles>` element used to provide the needed video files for ad execution. The ad server also provides `TrackingEvents`, `VideoClicks` and `Icons` (optional). Linear `skipoffset` attribute identifies when skip controls are made available to the end user.                                                                                                                             |
| `Duration`                               | Element to denote the intended playback duration for the Linear component of the ad. Time value is in the format `HH:MM:SS`.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| `MediaFiles`                             | Container element for one or more `<MediaFile>` elements, each of which contains a `CDATA` wrapped URI to the media file to be downloaded or streamed for the Linear creative. Linear creatives are typically video files, but static images may also be used. The ad server supports only a single `MediaFile`; no cross-device or different-bitrate MediaFiles are supported.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| `MediaFile`                              | Element contains URI to media file being served. MediaFile `delivery` attribute - either `progressive` for progressive download protocols (such as HTTP) or `streaming` for streaming protocols. MediaFile `type` attribute - MIME type for the file container, such as `video/mp4` for MP4.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| `VideoClicks`                            | Element which is used to specify what the video player should do if the user clicks directly within the video player frame while the ad is being displayed. When a `<VideoClicks>` element is provided, it contains a single child `<ClickThrough>` element with URI (or `<ClickTracking>` in case of Wrapper).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| `ClickThrough`                           | A click URI that redirects to the advertiser's site when the Ad viewer clicks the ad. The `clickthrough` is only available in the `InLine` format and is used when the linear ad unit cannot handle a clickthrough.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| `TrackingEvents`                         | Element used to send tracking information back to the ad server. The `<TrackingEvents>` element may contain one or more `<Tracking>` elements. An event attribute for the `<Tracking>` element enables the ad server to include individual tracking URIs for events they want to track. Tracking event attribute - the ad server supports `impression`, `progress` and `complete`, but in most cases returns only `progress`. Tracking `offset` attribute - when the progress of the linear creative has matched the value specified, the included URI is triggered. If the duration is not known when the offset is set to a percentage value, the progress event may be ignored. |
| `Icons`                                  | Used for posting an icon with the linear ad. The ad server provides only a single Icon under Icons. To disable it, set `imp.ext.icons_support = 0` in the RTB request.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
| `Icon`                                   | Element containing `<IconClicks>` element.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| `IconClicks`                             | Element used to load an informational page in a new window as well as to track when a user clicks in the ad.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| `IconClickThrough`                       | Element contains URI to the information page. The video player must load this page in a new window when the user clicks the icon.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| `Extensions`                             | Element used for custom extensions, defined by the ad server. It must contain `<Extension>` element.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
| `Extension`                              | Element used for each custom feature.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
| `TitleCTA`                               | Custom element to support CTA; it has the following elements: `<MobileText>`, `<PCText>`, `<DisplayUrl>`, `<Tracking>`.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| `MobileText/PCText`                      | Elements contain CTA text such as `View More` or `Subscribe Now`.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| `DisplayUrl`                             | Optional friendly domain.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| `Tracking`                               | Click tracking URI. To disable it, set `imp.ext.video_cta = 0` in the RTB request.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| `DSA`                                    | Custom element to support DSA; it has the following elements: `<Behalf>`, `<Paid>`, `<WhyThisAd>`, `<ClickThrough>`.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
| `Behalf`                                 | The natural/legal person on whose behalf the ad is presented.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| `Paid`                                   | The natural/legal person who paid for the ad (if that person is different from the person on whose behalf the ad is presented).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| `WhyThisAd`                              | Main parameters used to determine the recipient to whom the ad is presented.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| `ClickThrough`                           | This clickthrough contains the URL for information related to "About this ad".                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |

## Supported Tracking Events  <a href="#supported-tracking-events-for-creative--linear--trackingevents--tracking" id="supported-tracking-events-for-creative--linear--trackingevents--tracking"></a>

{% hint style="info" %}
These events apply to `Creative` > `Linear` > `TrackingEvents` > `Tracking` .
{% endhint %}

[VAST Custom Tracking Events](/publishers/vast/custom-tracking-urls.md#supported-tracking-events-tracking_event-for-creative-linear-trackingevents-tracking-in-vast-tag)

| Event            | Explanation                                              |
| ---------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- |
| creativeView     | Triggered when the creative is displayed.                |
| start            | Triggered when the Linear ad starts playing.             |
| midpoint         | Triggered when the Linear ad reaches the middle point.   |
| firstQuartile    | Triggered when the Linear ad reaches the first quartile. |
| thirdQuartile    | Triggered when the Linear ad reaches the third quartile. |
| complete         | Triggered when the Linear ad reaches the end point.      |
| mute             | Triggered when the Linear ad is muted.                   |
| unmute           | Triggered when the Linear ad is unmuted.                 |
| pause            | Triggered when the Linear ad is paused.                  |
| rewind           | Triggered when the Linear ad is rewound.                 |
| resume           | Triggered when the Linear ad is resumed.                 |
| fullscreen       | Triggered when the Linear ad is in fullscreen.           |
| expand           | Triggered when the Linear ad is expanded.                |
| collapse         | Triggered when the Linear ad is collapsed.               |
| acceptInvitation | Triggered when the Linear ad is accepted.                |
| close            | Triggered when the Linear ad is closed.                  |


---

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