MediaTailor server-guided ad insertion configuration for VOD content - AWS Elemental MediaTailor
Requirements for VOD SGAIVOD playback configurationSGAI VOD manifest requestsVOD-specific ad targetingTesting SGAI VOD configurationVOD SGAI optimization best practices

MediaTailor server-guided ad insertion configuration for VOD content

AWS Elemental MediaTailor server-guided ad insertion for VOD content provides significant performance benefits through highly cacheable manifests and reduced server processing. Configuring SGAI for VOD content leverages the static nature of video-on-demand assets to maximize caching efficiency and minimize origin requests, making it ideal for large content libraries with repeated viewing patterns.

Requirements for VOD SGAI

Before you enable SGAI for VOD content, ensure that you have the following:

  • Your VOD content includes properly formatted ad markers (SCTE-35 or timed metadata)

  • Content is stored in a reliable origin with consistent availability

  • Your CDN is configured to cache SGAI manifests with appropriate TTL values

  • Players support server-guided ad insertion workflows

  • Your ad decision server can handle VOD-specific metadata and targeting

Player requirements

Players must be configured to handle SGAI VOD manifests and ad insertion:

  • Support for server-guided ad insertion workflows

  • Ability to process ad insertion guidance from VOD manifests

  • Support for client-side ad insertion during VOD playback

  • Proper handling of seek operations across ad breaks

  • Support for content duration and position tracking

VOD playback configuration

To enable SGAI for VOD content, create a playback configuration that has the following settings:

Example SGAI VOD playback configuration

{
  "Name": "VODSGAIConfig",
  "VideoContentSourceUrl": "https://your-vod-origin.com/content/",
  "AdDecisionServerUrl": "https://your-ads.com/ads",
  "PersonalizationThresholdSeconds": 5,
  "InsertionMode": "PLAYER_SELECT"
}

The following are key considerations for VOD SGAI configuration:

VideoContentSourceUrl

Should point to your VOD content library with consistent URL patterns. Ensure the origin can handle the expected request volume and provides reliable content delivery.

ConfigurationAliases

Include VOD-specific parameters like content duration, genre, or series information that can be used for ad targeting without affecting manifest cacheability.

ManifestProcessingRules

Enable ad marker passthrough to preserve original content timing information, which is especially important for VOD content with pre-defined ad break positions.

SGAI VOD manifest requests

SGAI VOD manifests use the same URL pattern traditional VOD ad insertion. 


https://your-config.mediatailor.region.amazonaws.com/v1/master/config-name/content-path/manifest.m3u8?aws.insertionMode=GUIDED

VOD-specific ad targeting

VOD content enables unique ad targeting opportunities:

Content metadata targeting

Leverage VOD content metadata for improved ad targeting:

  • Genre and category: Target ads based on content type (drama, comedy, documentary)

  • Content rating: Ensure age-appropriate ad content (G, PG, R ratings)

  • Series and season: Target ads for series continuity or related content

  • Release date: Target based on content age (new releases vs. catalog content)

  • Content duration: Adjust ad load based on total content length

Viewing context targeting

VOD viewing patterns enable contextual ad targeting:

  • Time of day: Target ads based on when content is being watched

  • Binge watching: Adjust ad frequency for users watching multiple episodes

  • Completion rate: Target based on user's historical content completion patterns

  • Device type: Optimize ad formats for viewing device (TV, mobile, tablet)

Testing SGAI VOD configuration

Verify your SGAI VOD setup with these validation steps:

  1. Test manifest generation

    Request SGAI VOD manifest URLs for different content types and verify they return cacheable content with proper ad insertion guidance.

  2. Verify CDN caching

    Check that your CDN is caching SGAI manifests according to the configured TTL values and achieving high cache hit rates.

  3. Test ad insertion

    Confirm that players can successfully insert ads using the guidance provided in SGAI manifests for various VOD content.

  4. Test seek operations

    Verify that seeking within VOD content works correctly across ad breaks and maintains proper playback position.

  5. Monitor performance

    Use CloudWatch metrics to verify reduced origin load, improved cache hit rates, and successful ad insertion rates.

Key testing scenarios

Test these specific VOD scenarios:

  • Popular content: Verify high cache hit rates for frequently accessed VOD assets

  • Long-form content: Test ad insertion in movies or long episodes with multiple ad breaks

  • Series content: Verify consistent ad targeting across episodes in a series

  • Different genres: Test ad targeting based on content metadata and genre

VOD SGAI optimization best practices

Optimize your SGAI VOD implementation for maximum performance:

Cache optimization

  • Maximize TTL values: Use longer cache durations for VOD manifests since content doesn't change

  • Minimize cache keys: Reduce cache key variations to improve hit rates

  • Pre-warm popular content: Cache manifests for trending or featured VOD content

  • Monitor cache performance: Track cache hit rates and optimize based on usage patterns

Content delivery optimization

  • Consistent URL patterns: Use predictable URL structures for better caching

  • Metadata standardization: Ensure consistent content metadata for reliable ad targeting

  • Ad break positioning: Optimize ad break placement for natural content transitions

  • Quality variants: Ensure SGAI works across all bitrate variants of your VOD content