Ad directory

970x250 Billboard

The Billboard is an immersive ad unit that is positioned in a prominent, highly visible placement within the publisher's page. The Billboard remains open until the user actively interacts with the 'Close Ad' button. Closing the Billboard will display a leave behind which will allow the user to reopen and replay the ad 'on demand'

Deliverables


Ad componentsFile typeDimensionsMax file size
Initial File Load HTML, CSS, JS, JPG, PNG, SVG 970 x 250250 KB
Host-Initiated Subload HTML, CSS, JS, JPG, PNG, SVG 970 x 250500 KB
Host-Initiated Video MP4 and WebM 970 x 2501.1 MB
User-Initiated File Load HTML, CSS, JS, JPG, PNG, SVG and/or MP4 and WebM 970 x 2502.2 MB
Expandable File Load* HTML, CSS, JS, JPG, PNG, SVG and/or MP4 and WebM 970 x 5002.2 MB
Backup/Static Image JPG or PNG970 x 250250 KB

Available Features


See Demos

Customizable. Reach out to the internal creative team to learn more about capabilities.

See demos

Data points

  • Hour
  • Minute
  • Second
  • AM/PM
  • Day of Week

Layout

  • Countdown placement & formatting are customizable

Copy Options

  • Customizable

Countdown Required Deliverables

  • Start and end dates of countdown
  • Start and end time of countdown (including timezone)

Time of Day Required Deliverables

  • List of times or days-of-week and corresponding messaging/creative.

Notes

  • Supported across all time zones
  • Leverages the user's clock (with IP-lookup as backup) to determine time
  • Countdown clocks should only auto-animate the “seconds” for up to :15, per standard ad spec guideline. Can request an ad policy exception to have countdown animate indefinitely, as long as it is not too flashy or distracting
Required Elements

Image

  • File Types: JPG, GIF, PNG (Equirectangular)
  • 2:1 aspect ratio (2048x1024 minimum)
  • Up to 2MB
  • Up to 2-6 touchpoints
  • Include CTA
  • Avoid putting price or inventory that could change

See Demos

Amplify your message with direct social sharing functionality across Twitter.

Source File Settings (In-Player):

Preferred frame sizes of 640x360 (or higher) for 16:9 video or 640x480 (or higher) for 4:3 video to maintain uniform video quality. The following settings are meant as a guideline for a good compromise of quality versus file size (feel free to increase bandwidth to increase quality).

Length: Autoplay = 15 seconds max; User-initiated = unlimited (Note: See max file weights under "Deliverables" above)

Format: MOV preferred, MP4

Frame Rate: 24+ fps

Key Frames: Every 24 frames

Rate Control Mode: Multi-pass

Audio Codec: AAC, 128 kbps, 44 kHz, stereo

Audio is muted by default; Audio is permitted upon user interaction with the ad

Minimum Bitrate, Video Bitrate, Frame Size:

1500 kbps, 1372 kbps, 480x360

1500 kbps, 1372 kbps, 480x270

Preferred Bitrate, Video Bitrate, Frame Size:

1200 kbps, 1072 kbps, 640x480

1200 kbps, 1072 kbps, 640x360

Functionality

  • Expansion is optional
  • Only permitted upon user interaction with the ad via click or tap (rollover expansion not allowed)

Call-To-Action

  • Must be clearly defined

Expanded Content (970x500)

  • Yahoo pushes page content down while AOL/MSN overlays page content
  • While the ad is expanded, a separate Close button must be clearly defined in the ad unit
  • If the expanded ad is collapsed, the ad resolves back to the original banner state
Ad componentsFile typeDimensionsMax file size
Pattern (Selected by Yahoo Creative Studio, Ads Team)———
CTA Copy/Graphic (e.g. “scan now” or “get offer”)———
Hex Color (e.g. Yahoo purple: #430297)———
Background Color (Choose light or dark configuration)———
Font Type (No customization allowed)———
(Optional) Brand LogoPNGUp to 20% of the code’s center5 MB

Creative Best Practices

  • Clear & Concise CTA: Provide users with a clear benefit or incentive to scan. (i.e. "Scan to win", "Scan to enter" etc.)
  • Cohesive Messaging: Try to focus on one key message in the creative experience.
  • Large QR Code: Increased size of QR Code generates better engagement. (i.e. iCTV QR code should be 400px or larger).
  • Time Displayed: QR code on the ad for as long as possible. (i.e. the entire length of the ad or at least 30 seconds for long form video).
  • Use Black and White Colors: A standard black and white QR code is more recognizable to users and more intuitive for them to scan.
  • General
    • Served via 970x250 ad call
    • *Yahoo Finance Homepage does not support Expandable Billboards
    Screen Support
    • Tablet*
    • Desktop
    • * If site allows responsive ad functionality

    Aol.com Homepage and MSN Homepage

    Responsive functionality is required

    • The creative should support responsive functionality by adapting to fit the size of the ad container it’s delivered into, while maintaining the same aspect ratio.
    • The format will adapt upwards to a max of 970x250 and adapt down to fit the size of the ad container it is served into based on page width.

    Must have a ‘Close Ad’ button

    • The ad creative should contain a 88x31 ‘Close Ad’ button in the top right corner controlled by the ad creative.

    Must have a collapsed state with a ‘Show Ad’ button

    • The collapsed ad should resolve to an unbranded 88x31 “Show Ad” button controlled by the ad creative.
    • All subsequent impressions will display the ad in the original 970x250 state.

    MSN Only

    • The Open/Close state of the ad must persist when the page is reloaded or revisited.
    Aol.com (non-homepage), Autoblog, Engadget, TechCrunch and MSN (non-homepage)

    Responsive functionality is recommended (not required)

    • The ad creative should support responsive functionality by adapting to fit the size of the ad container it’s delivered into, while maintaining the same aspect ratio.
    • The format will adapt upwards to a max of 970x250 and adapt down to fit the size of the ad container it is served into based on page width.

    ‘Close Ad’ button is recommended (not required)

    • The ad creative should contain a 88x31 ‘Close Ad’ button in the top right corner controlled by the ad creative.
    • A collapsed state with a ‘Show Ad’ button is recommended (not required)

    • The collapsed ad should resolve to an unbranded 88x31 “Show Ad” button controlled by the ad creative.
    • All subsequent impressions will display the ad in the original 970x250 state.

    MSN Only

    • The Open/Close state of the ad must persist when the page is reloaded or revisited.
    Yahoo.com

    Responsive functionality not required

    • Ad creative has no need to scale down based on the page width so responsive functionality is not required.

    ‘Close Ad’ button will be controlled by the ad container

    • The ad container will overlay a 'Close Ad' button in the top right corner that will resolve the ad creative to the ‘Show Ad’ button.
    • The ‘Close Ad’ button will occupy 86x25px and overlay any third-party buttons.

    ‘Show Ad” button will be controlled by the ad container

    • The collapsed ad will resolve to an unbranded ‘Show Ad’ button controlled by the ad container.
    • All subsequent impressions will display the ad in the original 970x250 state.

    Expand Functionality

    • *Yahoo Finance Homepage does not support Expandable Billboards
    DSP

    Responsive functionality not required

    • Ad creative has no need to scale down beyond its original 970x250 state based on the page width so responsive functionality is not required.

    ‘Close Ad’ button not required

    • Ad creative has no need to collapse so a ‘Close Ad’ button is not required.

    Collapsed state not required

    • Ad creative has no need to collapse so this functionality is not required.
    Animation

    Autoplay: 15 seconds max

    Back-up Static
    • Required for instances when the user's browser does not support creative functionality (e.g., HTML5, JavaScript).
    • 3rd Party served ad tags are responsible for delivering the back-up image experience.
    Ad Vendor

    Ads must be site served or served by an approved vendor.

    3rd Party Ad Tags & Trackers

    Approved 3rd party vendors are allowed to serve select ads. To find out which ad formats are approved to serve via 3rd party, reach out to your Sales POC.

    Approved 3rd party vendor trackers (e.g. click, impression, etc.) are allowed across ad formats.

    For a list of approved 3rd party vendors, please visit the 3rd Party Vendor List.

    Ad Choices

    Display Ads have an Ad Choices linkable icon or graphic with "AdChoices" label. Read about AdChoices for more information.

    Ad Policies & Guidelines

    Ads must comply with Global Yahoo Advertising Policies.

    HTML5 Guidelines

    HTML5 ad specifications must follow HTML5 Guidelines.

    SSL Compliance

    Ads & 3rd party vendors must be secure and SSL compliant.

    Creative Submission Timelines

    Refer to Creative Submission Guidelines for ad design & build SLAs.

    AOL Homepage - U.S.
    AOL Entertainment - U.S.
    AOL Finance - U.S.
    AOL Lifestyle - U.S.
    Engadget - U.S.
    MSN Homepage - U.S.
    TechCrunch - U.S.
    Yahoo Finance - U.S.
    Yahoo Homepage - U.S.
    Yahoo News - U.S.
    Yahoo Sports - U.S.
    MSN Homepage - CA
    MSN Sports - CA
    Yahoo Finance - CA
    Yahoo Homepage - CA
    Yahoo News - Canada
    Yahoo Sports - CA
    Yahoo Style - CA
    MSN Homepage - U.S. Hispanic
    Yahoo Finance - U.S. Hispanic
    Yahoo Homepage - U.S. Hispanic
    Yahoo News - U.S. Hispanic
    Yahoo Sports - U.S. Hispanic
    DSP