How to set up mid-roll advertising

Welcome to Shoutcast! This guide will walk you through the process of setting up mid-roll advertising on your radio stations using our Shoutcast easy application. Mid-roll advertising is a powerful tool that allows you to monetise your streams effectively. Let’s get started!

Step 1: Activating Mid-Roll Advertising
To begin, you need to activate the mid-roll advertising feature. Follow these steps:

1. Log in to your Shoutcast account.
2. Go to “Stations” and click on “Monetisation”
3. Look for the “Mid-Roll (Advertisements during the session)” option and click on the toggle to activate it.Step 2: Selecting the Method

Next, you will need to choose the method that suits your requirements. Shoutcast offers two options:

 

Option 1: Ad Replacement
Made for stations that are already running advertising on their stream and want to replace it with more targeted ads. This method will stop the stream
individually for each ad placement, allowing you to insert targeted ads. Ensure that you have filler files ready to replace the original ads.

 

Option 2: Ad Injection
More suitable for stations that are not running basic ads. This method automatically stops the stream and injects ads. If no ads are available, the station restarts.Step 3: Additional Settings (Optional)
Shoutcast also offers additional settings that you can configure according to your preferences. These settings include:- Maximum Duration Time: Specify the maximum duration for the ads to ensure a smooth listening experience for your audience.

• Select or Block IAB Content: Choose specific IAB content categories that you want to allow or block for your ads.
• Domain Sites Blocker: Customise the domains where your ads will not be served.

How do I trigger a Mid-roll break?

For most live streaming solutions, your ad-tech provider will require you to send a Metadata trigger. This trigger can be sent in-stream using an encoder and scheduled using your automation system. Ad triggers for mid-roll breaks come in various flavors, but typically there are a few key elements.

An ad trigger should include a trigger name that you and your service provider decide. This name is what queues the ad server to know a break should be taking place. The next step is to set the duration of this mid-roll ad break. Typically, this happens in one of two ways. Option one is to include the duration of the midroll in the trigger. Option 2 is to coordinate the trigger name as the start and stop of the break. This method triggers a break when the trigger name first appears, and the break continues until the trigger name is no longer sent in the stream. The flavor of mid-roll break scheduling you use depends on how your team manages your content and automation system. Ideally, your break scheduling will work with a natural break in your content or as a replacement for your existing ad break. Replacing your existing ad break with a digital break allows your team to maximize revenue potential without creating additional work.

 

Congratulations! You have successfully set up mid-roll advertising on your Shoutcast radio stations.

 

With this powerful feature, you can effectively monetise your streams and maximise revenue. If you have any further questions or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our support team.Remember, mid-roll advertising can greatly enhance your station’s revenue potential, so take full advantage of this feature and watch your profits grow. Happy streaming!