MyTarget: Formats and Technical Requirements for Advertising Creatives
Previously, we provided a comprehensive overview of the technical requirements for Yandex.Direct and VKontakte advertising cabinets. Now, let’s shift our focus to another platform within VK called myTarget. With myTarget, you can effectively advertise across Odnoklassniki, networks, and holding sites.
Although the new VK advertising cabinet allows for the importation of myTarget campaigns, it’s important to note that myTarget continues to function as a separate service. The convenience of myTarget lies in its ability to cater to various business objectives and target audiences. Depending on the goals and nature of the product, you can choose a suitable publication format such as personalized pages, websites, and more. Additionally, myTarget facilitates the promotion of mobile applications, which is currently exclusive to VK Advertising.
MyTarget formats
From a technical standpoint, creatives on myTarget can be categorized based on the type of visual element used in a publication. These categories include images, videos, posts, and audio.
Image
When utilizing advertising materials with images in a campaign, they can be categorized as follows:
Teasers are short ads that consist of an image, a text description, and a required link to an external resource. They are typically positioned on the desktop either to the right or left of the main content. Teasers are commonly employed to achieve objectives such as generating traffic and increasing reach, aiming to capture users’ attention.
For teasers, the image size ranges from 90×75 pixels and can be in JPG or PNG formats. The title can contain up to 25 characters, and the short description allows for up to 90 characters (including spaces and punctuation marks) in the text description.
A banner is a textual graphic advertisement that can include an image, video, or HTML5 content. Similar to teasers, banners are utilized to achieve objectives such as generating traffic, increasing reach, and fostering engagement in social games. It’s worth noting that banners require detailed specifications and are available for legal entities or individual entrepreneurs.
The standard size for a banner is 240×400 pixels, and it should not exceed 60 KB in size when using an image. For video content, the duration should be within 30 seconds, and the file size should not exceed 2 MB. If utilizing HTML content, the maximum size for a ZIP archive is 150 KB. There are additional requirements for banner images, including no transparent background, no blurred borders or frames, and a mandatory link to a website or game (on Odnoklassniki). If the campaign targets specific regions, 21 pixels at the top of the banner should indicate the location.
The multi-format option is a versatile choice that caters to both desktop and mobile devices. This publication format is displayed across all myTarget networks, adapting seamlessly to specific sites and placements. Multi-format campaigns can be tailored to achieve various objectives, such as “Traffic,” “App Installs,” “Reach,” “App Engagement,” “Store Visits,” and more. Additionally, there is a premium audience network feature that allows precise site selection by domain.
For mobile units, image sizes are either 256×256 or 600×600 pixels. Horizontal units should have an image size of 1080×607 pixels, while vertical units should be 300×600 pixels. There is also a size of 600×60 pixels available. In the text description, similar to teasers, the title is limited to 25 characters, and the body text should be up to 90 characters (including spaces and punctuation marks).
The carousel format is composed of multiple images and is suitable for both mobile and desktop versions. Typically, this format is utilized to promote online stores, services, or events. The primary objective of a carousel is to showcase the advantages of a product or a range of products in a comprehensive manner.
The image size for each slide is 600×600 pixels, and the recommended number of slides is between 3 and 6. There are specific text limitations for the carousel format: the overall publication should not exceed 25 characters for the title and 50 characters for the main description. Each slide allows for up to 25 characters in the title and 32 characters in the card description (including spaces and punctuation marks).
Video
Aside from graphic images, myTarget provides a range of video formats to choose from.
Supervideo is a versatile format offered by myTarget, combining various types of video advertising and dynamically adapting its size to fit specific placement sites such as Odnoklassniki, VKontakte, and the myTarget network. Creating an ad in this format involves uploading a video to the platform and adding a native block with a description, title, logo, and call-to-action (CTA).
The algorithms employed optimize the publication for different placement options: InStream (insertion into a video clip), InPage (insertion into the main content on the site or native placement in ad blocks), or InBanner (positioned to the right or left of the main content within a banner).
Video features include a maximum duration of 30 seconds, with resolution options of 640×360, 1280×720, or 1920×1080 pixels. The title can contain up to 25 characters (including spaces), and the body text allows for up to 40 characters (including spaces).
Square and horizontal videos for applications are designed to be displayed in both desktop and mobile versions, as well as within applications. When a user scrolls through the newsfeed, these videos start playing automatically as they encounter the advertisement.
The publication includes a call-to-action button that can direct users to the respective AppStore or Google Play application page. This format is available for the objectives of “Video Views” and “App Installs,” with two types to choose from.
The first type is Rewarded, which presents a full-screen video within the application. Users are rewarded with bonuses, such as paid content or in-game currency, for watching the complete video.
The second type is Interstitial, which displays a video before the main content in the application loads. Users have the option to skip the video after 5 seconds of viewing.
Video specifications for this format include a maximum duration of 30 seconds and a file size of up to 90 MB. Square videos should have a resolution of 600×600 pixels, while horizontal videos should have a resolution of 640×360 pixels.
For the accompanying text, the title can contain up to 25 characters (including spaces), and the body text allows for up to 90 characters (including spaces).
Pre-roll is a video format that lasts up to 30 seconds and automatically plays before the main video content. This format offers the advantage of precise targeting options and can be posted across all available placement methods on myTarget.
In terms of video specifications, the pre-roll format should adhere to the following criteria: a maximum duration of 30 seconds, a file size of up to 90 MB, and a resolution of either 640×360, 1280×720, or 1920×1080 pixels.
Shoppable Ads is a format that enables the display of up to 20 products within a video, accompanied by links to site pages featuring product cards. This format is presented in the InStream mode and can be uploaded on either Odnoklassniki or VKontakte. Shoppable Ads specifically cater to the “VK products” goal. When posting, it is necessary to upload the products along with their corresponding links.
In terms of video characteristics, the duration of the Shoppable Ads video should range between 15 to 30 seconds.
There are specific requirements for the product cards, including images with dimensions of 600×600 pixels. The title for each product card should be limited to 25 characters, and the accompanying text can contain up to 32 characters.
The maximum number of products allowed in the video is 20. Moreover, there are link requirements, which entail providing an XML file containing product names, photos, prices, and their respective links.
OutStream videos are short videos that appear within the main content of myTarget partner sites, including the Native Roll and Bamper Ads networks, which encompass over 100 sites. These publications are played automatically and are displayed within the native block when the player enters the user’s field of view.
All elements of the advertisement, including the logo, title, description, call-to-action (CTA), and video player, are clickable, allowing for enhanced engagement.
In terms of video characteristics, for Native Roll videos, the duration can be up to 30 seconds. Bumper Ads, on the other hand, have a maximum duration of 6 seconds. The recommended resolutions for these videos are 640×360, 1280×720, or 1920×1080 pixels. The file size should not exceed 90 MB.
Additionally, there are specific requirements for these videos, including a description limited to 40 characters (including spaces) and a logo with dimensions of 256×256 pixels.
Post
This format encompasses various elements such as text, images, surveys, and audio posts. Posts are primarily utilized to enhance user engagement within groups and networks. There are three main types of posts available:
Lead Ads on Odnoklassniki provide a convenient solution for collecting customer applications directly within the social network. This format eliminates the need for advertisers or users to take any additional steps when filling out the form, as it is automatically generated from the user’s Odnoklassniki profile. Furthermore, the captured leads can be seamlessly integrated with call tracking systems or CRM platforms for further client engagement. The Lead Ads format is accessible across desktop and mobile versions, ensuring widespread accessibility.
Canvas on Odnoklassniki functions similarly to Lead Ads but is specifically designed for the mobile feed experience. When a user clicks on the post, it expands into a full-screen page. This interactive format offers various features, including autoplay videos, image sliders, and interactive buttons that direct users to websites or application pages in app stores. Canvas on Odnoklassniki aims to provide an immersive and engaging mobile experience for users within the social network.
The cross-platform video post on Odnoklassniki and VKontakte allows you to publish your content in the feeds of both social networks, effectively utilizing Odnoklassniki and VKontakte as a unified platform. This format is compatible with desktop and mobile versions, with the primary objective of fostering “Social Engagement.”
When creating a video post, you have the option to set it for one-time display. Once a user sees the ad on one of the platforms, it will no longer be shown to them on the other platform, ensuring a seamless user experience.
The basic requirements for these posts are kept to a minimum. The post should be placed in an open community and can feature one video, which must be directly uploaded to the social network and not sourced from third-party platforms. It’s important to note that moderators strictly prohibit reposting content from other groups.
Audio
Audio advertising stands as one of the most prevalent advertising formats on myTarget. It is played to users prior to listening to audio tracks on platforms like Odnoklassniki, VKontakte, and the My World platform, spanning across both desktop and mobile versions. The significant advantage of this format is its extensive reach, encompassing over 60 million myTarget listeners.
Advertisers have access to various targeting options, ranging from socio-demographic characteristics to interests, with the added benefit of retargeting capabilities. However, it’s worth noting that there is one drawback: audio advertising can be perceived as intrusive. Despite this, the audio format offers advertisers ample opportunities to effectively reach their target audience.
When it comes to audio requirements, there are only two considerations: the length of the audio should fall between 15 to 30 seconds (in multiples of 5), and the file size should not exceed 10 MB.
MyTarget provides a fertile ground for conducting diverse experiments, thanks to its wide range of formats and objectives for advertising placements. However, the success of these endeavors may not materialize as intended without a well-defined marketing strategy. It becomes crucial to seek the assistance of specialists and experts who possess the necessary expertise in this domain. Their guidance can significantly enhance the effectiveness of advertising campaigns on MyTarget.
Instead of a conclusion
In today’s digital landscape, contextual and targeted advertising have emerged as proven and effective tools in the realm of digital marketing. The success of advertising campaigns significantly amplifies when accompanied by a well-crafted strategy that emphasizes the creation of high-quality creatives.
To attain optimal results in your advertising campaign, various factors must be considered, including competitor analysis, brand positioning, a creative approach, selection of appropriate formats for different platforms, goal setting, publication testing, analytics utilization, and staying abreast of new services that emerge in the Russian market.
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