Are Your Ads Worth It? - How to Measure the Effect Your Preroll Ads Have on Viewer Experience

Video advertising is a complex technology involving multiple systems and components working together to deliver ads to viewers. The process includes ad request, ad response, ad load, and ad playback stages. Various factors such as targeting rules, frequency capping rules, and value optimization can lead to multiple requests, waterfalls, and redirects, further complicating the process and causing delays in video playback. Mux, a company focused on improving viewer experience, has introduced new metrics under the Startup Time category to help publishers understand the impact of ads on their overall performance. These metrics include Video Startup Preroll Request Time, Video Startup Preroll Load Time, and Requests for First Preroll. By providing actionable information, Mux aims to empower publishers to make data-driven decisions on how they approach ads and improve viewer experience.