Setting Up Your App-Ads.txt
Important
The app-ads.txt file is mandatory to verify the ownership of your game, you won’t be able to serve ads if you don’t follow the next steps.
1. What is app-ads.txt?
We’ve created the app-ads.txt file to reduce instances of spoofing – where one game pretends to be another game with the aim of stealing ad revenue. Many ad networks, including AdMob, require that developers use an app-ads.txt files to indicate that they are the real owners of their games.
App-ads.txt is an important file that optimizes impressions and revenue of our partners’ games. Yodo1 has automated the process so it’s verified on a weekly basis. This ensures that you don’t lose out on revenue.
2. Where do I add the app-ads.txt file?
You need to add the file at the root of the developer website that is connected to your game’s/app’s Google Play Store Account or Apple App Store account.
For example, if you’re the owner of Rodeo Stampede, your developer website registered with Google Play is rodeostampede.com.
Your app-ads.txt file should be available by visiting rodeostampede.com/app-ads.txt.
3. What goes inside the app-ads.txt file?
4. When does the app-ads.txt file get verified?
This depends on whether you have a new or existing game.
- New games: The first verification takes place once you provide the required information.
- Existing games: These get verified on Monday, 10 am Beijing time, every week. Verification is necessary each week as it is subject to change.
It can take up to 24 hours for MAS to crawl and verify your app-ads.txt files.
5. Verification status
Whether or not you receive a verification email depends on the verification result.
- Upon successful verification is successful, you don’t receive any email.
- In case of failed verifications, developers and customer success managers receive emails with relevant instructions. In such instances, you typically need to download the latest version of the app-ads.txt file and update your developer site settings.
| Status | Description | Actions to be taken |
|---|---|---|
| Waiting for verification | The file is in the process of verification | None |
| Verification failed | Your file does not pass the verification | Please download the latest version of the app-ads.txt file and update your developer site settings |
| App-ads.txt not found | MAS doesn’t find your file at the root of the publisher’s website | Please check/recreate your file according to the steps listed above |
| Verified successfully | Your file passes MAS verification | None |
6. What should developers do if they don’t have a developer website?
Without adding an updated app-ads.txt URL, your games will not monetize at their full potential.
If you don’t have a developer website yet, no worries. Yodo1 provides the service known as auto-host service, which allows you to use a ready-made link for each one of your games. In order to learn more about it, please click here.