Overview of VAST Inspector by UMG

Publication date: 2025-03-03 | Source: PubMag

VAST Inspector is a new tool from UMG UMG, designed for testing VAST and VPAID tags. It addresses the challenge of ad creative testing and detecting potential errors.

VAST (Video Ad Serving Template) and VPAID (Video Player-Ad Interface Definition) are standards used in video advertising.

VAST is an XML template that allows video players to load ads from ad servers. It defines what ad to show, where it is located, its duration, and format but does not control its behavior.
VPAID, unlike VAST, enables interactive ads (e.g., with buttons, pop-up elements) to engage with users. It offers advertisers more flexibility but requires video player support.

The main difference: VAST simply specifies where to get the ad and how to play it, while VPAID provides greater interactivity and data collection capabilities, though it is more complex to implement and manage.

Features

Detailed event logging. The tool records all key events with timestamps, allowing for analysis of time intervals and identification of potential issues.
Data accuracy. Unlike some alternatives, VAST Inspector does not artificially replace or generate events, ensuring an accurate representation of the creative's behavior.
Tag control. Users can view and copy URLs (wrappers, events, video files, VPAID), monitor event accuracy, and detect errors.

Advantages

Ease of use — an intuitive interface without complex configurations.
Standard compliance — compatible with VAST 4.0, VPAID, and other formats.
Advanced analytics — detailed reports and recommendations.
Cross-platform functionality — works on desktops, mobile devices, and Smart TVs.
Ad campaign optimization — helps detect errors and improve ad placements' effectiveness.

How to Use

Go to the tool's page.
Insert the ad creative link into the Advertising Setup field.
Click "Test Ad" and wait for playback.
Logs will appear at the bottom of the page.
If errors are found, VAST Inspector will indicate possible causes.

Conclusion

VAST Inspector is a useful tool for testing VAST/VPAID and detecting errors.

Are there any alternatives?

VAST Tag Tester by IAB Tech Lab — a tool developed to verify VAST tag compliance with IAB standards.
Video Suite Inspector by Google — a tool for testing video ads for compliance with Google Ads and YouTube requirements.
JW Player Ad Tester — a tool for testing VAST tags in the JW Player, allowing ad testing in various configurations.
VAST Tag/Code Tester — everything was already available in Yandex.