Pre-launch ad QA for HTML5, video and ad tags: a checklist
What to check for each format before launch, and how to automate it
Landon Bennett
Updated
Most broken ads are found after launch, by a client, a publisher or a report that doesn’t add up. A short pre-launch QA pass catches them first. Here’s what to check for HTML5 creatives, VAST video and third-party ad tags, and how Ad Reform automates those checks in bulk.
What is pre-launch ad QA?
Pre-launch ad QA is checking every creative before the campaign goes live: that it renders, that it clicks through to the right landing page with the right tracking parameters, that the tracking and measurement pixels you expect are there, and that it loads quickly. It’s different from proof-of-placement ad screenshots, which show where an ad ran after launch.
The checks that apply to every format
It renders. The creative shows up at the right size, with no blank frame, broken image or error.
The click works. Clicking the ad lands on the right page, and the final URL keeps the UTM and other query parameters your reporting depends on.
The right pixels are there. The third-party tracking, measurement and verification pixels in your plan are present, with the naming your team expects.
It loads fast enough. Heavy files and slow third-party calls hurt the user experience and can get an ad rejected by a publisher.
It matches the spec and the brief. Size, duration, copy and brand details match what was approved.
Our older ad QA processes and checklists article covers content review and process. This guide focuses on the technical checks for each format.
HTML5 ads
The zip opens and the ad plays its full animation, including the final frame.
The clickTag (or whatever click variable your ad server uses) is set and goes to the right URL.
A backup image is included for places where the animation can’t run.
File weight and the number of requests stay within the publisher’s or platform’s limits.
Fonts and images load from inside the zip or from approved hosts.
Google Web Designer’s preview shows the ad inside the authoring tool. To see the ad the way it will actually serve, render the zip or tag in a real browser. We compare the options in the best HTML5 ad preview tools.
VAST video ads
The VAST tag returns valid XML that the player can load.
A media file plays at the expected length and size.
The click-through goes to the right landing page.
Impression and tracking URLs are there for every vendor in your plan.
New to VAST? Start with What is a VAST tag?
Third-party ad tags
The tag serves the intended creative, not a blank or a default ad.
The tag is for the right size and placement.
The expected tracking and verification pixels are inside the tag.
The click-through and its query parameters are correct.
More background in What are ad tags?
Checking a handful of ads by hand is fine. Checking hundreds before a launch date isn’t. Ad Reform’s Ad QA and Ad Preview run these checks in bulk.
1. Bring your ads in
Upload ad tags in bulk with a CSV, upload HTML5 zip files, or paste preview links. Ads can also come in through our DSP and ad server integrations or the API.
2. Review what was captured
Ad Reform renders each ad in a real browser, captures frames at a set frequency or whenever the ad changes, and records a video and a GIF. For each ad you also get a landing page screenshot with its final URL and query parameters, plus load metrics broken down by domain and content type, with frame views and a network timeline to troubleshoot a problem ad.
3. Check pixels and share issues
Test ad tags or preview links in bulk for the tracking and measurement pixels you expect, then export the results to share issues with whoever needs to fix them.
What Ad Reform checks today
Check | Status |
|---|---|
Visual preview: frames, video and GIF | ✅ Available |
Landing page screenshot, final URL and query parameters | ✅ Available |
Tracking and measurement pixels present | ✅ Available |
Ad UX and load metrics | ✅ Available |
Google Ad Manager native ad previews | ✅ Available |
IAB and custom creative spec checks | 🟡 Coming soon |
Your own QA rules and alerts | 🟡 Not yet. Our team can run QA against your checklist as a service. |
Ad QA is in alpha. If your team already has a QA checklist, we’ll set up a process that follows it in a short call. To try a single ad first, use the free HTML5, VAST or HTML tag testers at previewads.com.
Frequently asked questions
What should a pre-launch ad QA checklist include?
At minimum: the ad renders at the right size, the click goes to the right landing page with the right query parameters, the expected tracking and measurement pixels are present, and the ad loads quickly. HTML5 ads also need a working clickTag and a backup image. VAST ads need valid XML and a media file that plays.
How do I QA HTML5 ads before launch?
Render the actual zip or tag in a browser instead of relying only on the authoring tool’s preview, then check the animation, the click-through, the backup image and file weight. Ad Reform does this in bulk, and previewads.com does it for a single ad for free.
Can I automate QA for VAST video and third-party ad tags?
Yes. Ad Reform previews VAST and third-party ad tags at scale, captures frames, recordings and landing pages, and tests tags in bulk for the pixels you expect.
Is pre-launch ad QA the same as proof of placement?
No. QA happens before launch to catch broken ads. Proof-of-placement ad screenshots show where an ad actually ran after launch. Many teams use both.
