The Publisher Desk ads.txt
Ads.txt management tool for publishers in The Publisher Desk portfolio.
The facts
- Rating
- 5★ from 1
- Active installs
- 100+
- Price
- Free
- Last updated
- 18 Aug 2022
- Added
- May 2019
- Requires WP
- 3.0
- Tested up to
- WP 6.0.14
- Requires PHP
- 5.2.4
- Downloads
- 5,809
Our analysis
AI-assistedThe Publisher Desk ads.txt is a WordPress plugin designed for clients of The Publisher Desk. It helps manage the ads.txt file, which is essential for digital advertising, by automatically updating it with changes from The Publisher Desk while allowing users to add their own custom entries.
The plugin determines whether to use a physical ads.txt file or a virtual one based on the server configuration during installation. It also includes troubleshooting steps for users who may already have an existing ads.txt file, ensuring they can effectively manage their advertising settings.
Best for: This plugin is suitable for clients of The Publisher Desk who need to manage their ads.txt files effectively.
What it does well
- ✓Automatically updates ads.txt file based on changes from The Publisher Desk
- ✓Allows addition of custom lines to the ads.txt file
- ✓Includes troubleshooting steps for existing ads.txt files
Where it falls short
- •Limited information on broader compatibility or features
- •Requires specific server configurations to function optimally
Verdict
The Publisher Desk ads.txt plugin provides a straightforward solution for managing ads.txt files, particularly for users of The Publisher Desk, though it may have limitations based on server setups.
From the developer
PublisherDesk's own description of The Publisher Desk ads.txt, lightly tidied.
This is a WordPress plugin for clients of The Publisher Desk, intended to automatically propagate changes made to The Publisher Desk’s ads.txt file to client websites, while letting them add/retain custom lines as desired.
Functionality
This plugin provides management of the ads.txt file (Authorized Digital Sellers), an initiative from IAB Technology Laboratory, geared towards client of The Publisher Desk. Because the administration of a file outside the wordpress directory can pose challenges depending on the WP/Server configuration, the plugin decides on installation whether to use an actual ads.txt file in the root of the domain, or a quasi-ads.txt file built through a WP option and responding to a server request for “/ads.txt” by providing the contents of that option (containing both custom lines and those associated with TPD’s centralalized list).
Troubleshooting an installation:
If you already have an ads.txt file present on your site, the plugin will rename it to ads-txt-original.txt on installation, and re-rename that file back on de-installation. If your site’s wordpress instance doesn’t have access to files outside of its installation directory and you already have an ads.txt file, the plugin won’t be able to dislodge the existing file and allow the management of the one it creates. You can check whether this has happened if you check your site’s ads.txt file directly (site.com/ads.txt) and there’s no line reading:
“### END TPD ADS TXT ###”
a line that is used by the plugin to demarcate custom entries and The Publisher Desk’s. If this is the case, please deactivate the plugin, rename or remove your existing file, re-activate, and check the file again (you might have to refresh several times depending on caching). If you still don’t see that line and the file looks the same as before the update, please reach out to TPD for assistance.
Final Note: it’s good practice to have a backup of your custom ads.txt lines. We have functionality for retaining your custom lines on plugin updates/re-installs, but it’s good to make sure since it can be a big pain to recollect entries if you lose them.