What is instream video?
Instream video is a video ad that plays before, during, or after video content the viewer chose to watch: pre-roll, mid-roll, or post-roll. In OpenRTB 2.6 it is Video.plcmt value 1. Under the IAB video guidelines, instream also requires sound on by default or a clear intent to watch, and the video content must be the main focus of the screen.
Also called: in-stream video, pre-roll, mid-roll, post-roll, plcmt 1.
How it works
Where the ad falls in the content goes in Video.startdelay: 0 for pre-roll, a positive number of seconds for a mid-roll at a known offset, -1 for a mid-roll at an unknown offset, and -2 for post-roll. Breaks that hold more than one ad are ad pods, described by Video.podid, Video.poddur, Video.maxseq, and Video.slotinpod, and Video.podseq marks the first or last pod in the stream. On connected TV nearly all video is instream.
The definition is stricter than many sellers assume. A muted player that starts as the reader scrolls past it, then plays content with ads around it, is accompanying content (plcmt 2), not instream, even though the ad technically runs before a video. Buyers pay more for instream, and many check the claim through their measurement vendors.
Pitfalls: plcmt = 1 on muted outstream players; the legacy Video.placement = 1 sent without plcmt, which leaves buyers on 2.6 guessing; no startdelay, so the bidder cannot tell pre-roll from mid-roll; and Video.protocols lists that include inline VAST versions but leave out the wrapper values most buyers return.
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Related terms
Every term is in the glossary.