How to Upload HTML5 Creatives

HTML5 creatives offer dynamic and interactive ad experiences. Upload HTML5 banners to the ad:personam Self Serve DSP and let the platform's built-in converter automatically transform your files for Adform compatibility — no manual coding required.

Note: HTML5 ad uploads require a paid subscription plan.

Step 1 — Upload Your HTML5 ZIP

1. Go to Advertiser > Campaign > Creatives.
2. Click Create New Ad and select HTML Ad.
3. Upload your HTML5 creative:
   • Drag and drop your ZIP file into the upload area, or
   • Click Select File to browse and choose your HTML5 ZIP package
4. Automatic validation — the platform instantly analyses your ZIP file and shows one of these results:
   • Clean — valid HTML5 file ready for conversion, with detected source (Google Web Designer, Adobe Animate, or Standard HTML5) and auto-detected dimensions
   • Adform Ready — already Adform-compliant; will be uploaded directly without conversion
   • Rejected — contains a blocked third-party ad library that cannot be converted
5. Fill in the form (fields vary based on validation result):
   • Landing Page URL (required) — the destination URL injected as the Adform clickTAG during conversion. Always provide this to ensure your ad redirects correctly on click.
   • Banner Name (optional) — pre-filled from the ZIP filename
   • Width / Height (only if auto-detection fails) — enter banner dimensions manually
6. Click Upload HTML5 Banner to submit.

The platform will transform (if needed), upload, and process your banner. A multi-phase progress indicator shows the current step: transforming, uploading, or processing.

Important: Always provide a Landing Page URL during upload. The converter uses this URL as the clickTAG fallback value. If you skip it, the clickTAG may be empty and your ad won't redirect users when clicked. You can always update click URLs after upload from the edit dialog (see Step 2).

How the HTML5 Converter Works

When you upload an HTML5 ZIP, the built-in converter automatically:

1. Injects the Adform DHTML library — adds the required JavaScript to your index.html
2. Transforms clickTAG implementation — replaces hard-coded landing page URLs with Adform's dynamic dhtml.getVar('clickTAG') method, using your Landing Page URL as the fallback value
3. Generates a manifest.json — creates the structured metadata file Adform requires for banner dimensions, clicktags, and events

For a detailed technical breakdown, see HTML5 Banner Requirements for ad:personam DSP.

Already converted? If your ZIP is already Adform-compliant (e.g., exported from Adform's tools), the converter detects this automatically and uploads it directly — no transformation needed. You should still verify and add click URLs from the edit dialog after upload (Step 2).

Step 2 — Verify and Update Click URLs

After uploading, always verify and update the click URLs on your HTML5 creative. Even if you provided a Landing Page URL during upload, it's good practice to confirm the click URLs are correct. HTML5 banners support multiple clickTAGs (e.g., clickTAG, clickTAG2) for banners with multiple clickable regions.

1. In the Creatives list, click the Edit (pencil) icon next to your HTML5 banner.
2. Review or update the Click URLs:
   • Each entry has a clickTag identifier, a title, and a URL
   • Add additional click URLs for multi-exit banners using the Add button
   • Remove click URLs with the Delete button
3. Optionally toggle the Active/Paused status.
4. Click Save to apply your changes.

At least one click URL is required to publish a creative. Banners without click URLs will show an amber warning icon and the Publish button will be disabled.

Step 3 — Publish to a Line Item

Once your HTML5 banner has click URLs configured and is in Active status, you can publish it to one or more line items. There are two ways to do this:

Option A: From the Creatives Page

1. In the Creatives list, click the Publish (send) icon next to your banner.
2. Select a Campaign and Line Item to associate the creative with.
3. Configure tag settings:
   • Tag Name — defaults to the creative name; override if needed
   • Activate after creation — toggle whether the tag should start serving immediately
   • Ad notice label (AdChoices) — enabled by default for privacy compliance (learn more)
4. Add tracking pixels (optional):
   • Impression Pixels — HTTPS URLs that fire when the ad loads
   • Click Pixels — HTTPS URLs that fire when the user clicks the ad
5. Set a Destination URL (optional) — override the click URL set on the creative for this specific tag. Choose Replace to swap the URL entirely, or Append to add parameters.
6. Click Publish to create the tag and start serving.

Option B: During Line Item Creation

You can also attach creatives when creating a new line item:

1. In the Create Line Item form, scroll to the Creatives section.
2. Select the ad type (HTML5) and check the creatives you want to include. Only Active creatives with a click URL can be selected.
3. Click the Settings (gear) icon next to a selected creative to configure tag settings — tag name, active status, AdNotice, tracking pixels, and destination URL override.
4. Complete the rest of the line item setup and save. Tags are created automatically for all selected creatives.

Validation Rules

Supported Sources

The converter supports HTML5 banners built with:

• Google Web Designer — automatically detected and transformed
• Adobe Animate — automatically detected and transformed
• Standard HTML5 — custom-coded banners with standard HTML/CSS/JS
• Adform exports — detected as already compliant and uploaded directly

Tips & Best Practices

• Use the Built-in Converter — no need to manually add Adform scripts or clickTAG code; the platform handles it automatically
• ZIP Organization — consolidate all assets (HTML, CSS, JS, images) into a single ZIP with relative paths
• File Size — keep your ZIP compact for faster loading and better ad performance
• Set Click URLs After Upload — update or add click URLs from the edit dialog before publishing
• Multi-Exit Banners — use multiple clickTAG entries for banners with several clickable areas
• Cross-Browser Testing — test your HTML5 creative across different browsers before uploading
• Tracking Pixels — add impression and click tracking when publishing to line items for comprehensive measurement
• AdChoices Compliance — keep the AdNotice label enabled (default) to meet industry transparency standards