In addition to the system-defined native formats, Ad Manager publishers have the option of creating their own native ad formats by defining custom lists of assets. These are called [custom native ad formats](https://support.google.com/admanager/answer/6223271), and can be used with reserved ads. This enables publishers to pass arbitrary structured data to their apps. These ads are represented by the [`NativeCustomFormatAd`](https://developers.google.com/ad-manager/mobile-ads-sdk/android/reference/com/google/android/gms/ads/nativead/NativeCustomFormatAd.md.txt) object. > [!NOTE] > **Note:** The `NativeCustomFormatAd` class doesn't support receiving the `ResponseInfo` object or the `extras` bundle. ## Load custom native ad formats This guide explains how to load and display [custom native ad formats](https://support.google.com/admanager/answer/6366911). ## Load a custom native ad Like native ads, custom native ad formats are loaded using the `AdLoader` class: ### Java ```java AdLoader adLoader = new AdLoader.Builder(this, "/21775744923/example/native") .forCustomFormatAd("12387226", new NativeCustomFormatAd.OnCustomFormatAdLoadedListener() { @Override public void onCustomFormatAdLoaded(NativeCustomFormatAd ad) { // Show the custom format and record an impression. } }, new NativeCustomFormatAd.OnCustomClickListener() { @Override public void onCustomClick(NativeCustomFormatAd ad, String s) { // Handle the click action } }) .forCustomFormatAd("12406343", new NativeCustomFormatAd.OnCustomFormatAdLoadedListener() { @Override public void onCustomFormatAdLoaded(NativeCustomFormatAd ad) { // Show the custom format and record an impression. } }, new NativeCustomFormatAd.OnCustomClickListener() { @Override public void onCustomClick(NativeCustomFormatAd ad, String s) { // Handle the click action } }) .build(); ``` ### Kotlin ```kotlin val adLoader = AdLoader.Builder(this, "/21775744923/example/native") .forCustomFormatAd( "12387226", { customFormatAd -> // Show the custom format and record an impression. }, { customFormatAd, s -> // Handle the click action }) .forCustomFormatAd( "12406343", { customFormatAd -> // Show the custom format and record an impression. }, { customFormatAd, s -> // Handle the click action }) .build() ``` The `forCustomFormatAd` method configures the `AdLoader` to request custom native ad formats. You can call the method multiple times for different custom format IDs. The method accepts the following parameters: - The ID of the custom native ad format the `AdLoader` should request. Each custom native ad format has an ID associated with it. This parameter indicates which format your app wants the `AdLoader` to request. - An [`OnCustomFormatAdLoadedListener`](https://developers.google.com/ad-manager/mobile-ads-sdk/android/reference/com/google/android/gms/ads/nativead/NativeCustomFormatAd.OnCustomFormatAdLoadedListener.md.txt) to be invoked when an ad has loaded successfully. - An optional [`OnCustomClickListener`](https://developers.google.com/ad-manager/mobile-ads-sdk/android/reference/com/google/android/gms/ads/nativead/NativeCustomFormatAd.OnCustomClickListener.md.txt) to be invoked when the user taps or clicks on the ad. For more on this listener, see the "Handling clicks and impressions" section. Because a single ad unit can be set up to serve more than one creative format, `forCustomFormatAd` can be called multiple times with unique format IDs in order to prepare the ad loader for more than one possible custom native ad format. > [!NOTE] > **Note:** `forNativeAd` and `forCustomFormatAd` can be used simultaneously with a single `AdLoader` if you have an ad unit that's configured to serve multiple ad formats.
### Custom native ad format ID The format ID used to identify a custom native ad format can be found in the Ad Manager UI under the **Native** section inside the **Delivery** drop-down: ![](https://developers.google.com/static/ad-manager/mobile-ads-sdk/images/ad-manager-custom-template-list.png) Each custom native ad format ID appears beside its name. Clicking on one of the names brings you to a details screen showing information about the format's fields: ![](https://developers.google.com/static/ad-manager/mobile-ads-sdk/images/ad-manager-custom-template-example.png) From here, individual fields can be added, edited, and removed. Note the **Name** of each of the assets. The name is the key used to get the data for each asset when displaying your custom native ad format. ## Display custom native ad formats Custom native ad formats differ from system-defined ones in that publishers have the power to define their own list of assets that make up an ad. Therefore, the process for displaying one differs from system-defined formats in a few ways: 1. Text and image assets are available through `getText()` and `getImage()` getters that take the field name as a parameter. 2. Because there is no dedicated `ViewGroup` class to register with Google, you need to record impressions and clicks manually. 3. A custom native ad has a `null` media content if the ad does not contain a video asset. Here's an example function that displays a `NativeCustomFormatAd`: ### Java ```java public void displayCustomFormatAd (ViewGroup parent, NativeCustomFormatAd customFormatAd) { // Inflate a layout and add it to the parent ViewGroup. LayoutInflater inflater = (LayoutInflater) parent.getContext() .getSystemService(Context.LAYOUT_INFLATER_SERVICE); View adView = inflater.inflate(R.layout.custom_format_ad, parent); // Locate the TextView that will hold the value for "Headline" and // set its text. TextView myHeadlineView = (TextView) adView.findViewById(R.id.headline); myHeadlineView.setText(customFormatAd.getText("Headline")); // Locate the ImageView that will hold the value for "MainImage" and // set its drawable. Button myMainImageView = (ImageView) adView.findViewById(R.id.main_image); myMainImageView.setImageDrawable( customFormatAd.getImage("MainImage").getDrawable()); ... // Continue locating views and displaying assets until finished. ... } ``` ### Kotlin ```kotlin public fun displayCustomFormatAd (parent: ViewGroup, customFormatAd: NativeCustomFormatAd) { val adView = layoutInflater .inflate(R.layout.ad_simple_custom_format, null) val myHeadlineView = adView.findViewById(R.id.headline) myHeadlineView.setText(customFormatAd.getText("Headline")); // Locate the ImageView that will hold the value for "MainImage" and // set its drawable. val myMainImageView = adView.findViewById(R.id.main_image); myMainImageView.setImageDrawable( customFormatAd.getImage("MainImage").drawable); ... // Continue locating views and displaying assets until finished. ... } ```
## Native video for custom native ad formats When [creating a custom format](https://support.google.com/admanager/answer/7661908), you have the option to make the format eligible for video. In your app implementation, you can use [`NativeCustomFormatAd.getMediaContent()`](https://developers.google.com/ad-manager/mobile-ads-sdk/android/reference/com/google/android/gms/ads/nativead/NativeCustomFormatAd.md.txt#getMediaContent()) to get the media content. Then call [`setMediaContent()`](https://developers.google.com/ad-manager/mobile-ads-sdk/android/reference/com/google/android/gms/ads/nativead/MediaView.md.txt#setMediaContent()) to set the media content on your media view. If the ad has `null` media content, make alternate plans to show the ad without a video. The following example checks if the ad has video content, and displays an image in its place if a video is not available: ### Java ```java // Called when a custom native ad loads. @Override public void onCustomFormatAdLoaded(final NativeCustomFormatAd ad) { MediaContent mediaContent = ad.getMediaContent(); // Assumes you have a FrameLayout in your view hierarchy with the ID media_placeholder. FrameLayout mediaPlaceholder = (FrameLayout) findViewById(R.id.media_placeholder); // Apps can check the MediaContent's hasVideoContent property to determine if the // NativeCustomFormatAd has a video asset. if (mediaContent != null && mediaContent.hasVideoContent()) { MediaView mediaView = new MediaView(mediaPlaceholder.getContext()); mediaView.setMediaContent(mediaContent); mediaPlaceholder.addView(mediaView); // Create a new VideoLifecycleCallbacks object and pass it to the VideoController. The // VideoController will call methods on this object when events occur in the video // lifecycle. VideoController vc = mediaContent.getVideoController(); vc.setVideoLifecycleCallbacks( new VideoController.VideoLifecycleCallbacks() { @Override public void onVideoEnd() { // Publishers should allow native ads to complete video playback before // refreshing or replacing them with another ad in the same UI location. super.onVideoEnd(); } }); } else { ImageView mainImage = new ImageView(this); mainImage.setAdjustViewBounds(true); mainImage.setImageDrawable(ad.getImage("MainImage").getDrawable()); mediaPlaceholder.addView(mainImage); mainImage.setOnClickListener( new View.OnClickListener() { @Override public void onClick(View view) { ad.performClick("MainImage"); } }); } } ``` ### Kotlin ```kotlin // Called when a custom native ad loads. NativeCustomFormatAd.OnCustomFormatAdLoadedListener { ad -> val mediaContent = ad.mediaContent // Apps can check the MediaContent's hasVideoContent property to determine if the // NativeCustomFormatAd has a video asset. if (mediaContent != null && mediaContent.hasVideoContent()) { val mediaView = MediaView(mediaPlaceholder.getContest()) mediaView.mediaContent = mediaContent val videoController = mediaContent.videoController // Create a new VideoLifecycleCallbacks object and pass it to the VideoController. The // VideoController will call methods on this object when events occur in the video // lifecycle. if (videoController != null) { videoController.videoLifecycleCallbacks = object : VideoController.VideoLifecycleCallbacks() { override fun onVideoEnd() { // Publishers should allow native ads to complete video playback before refreshing // or replacing them with another ad in the same UI location. super.onVideoEnd() } } } } else { val mainImage = ImageView(this) mainImage.adjustViewBounds = true mainImage.setImageDrawable(ad.getImage("MainImage")?.drawable) mainImage.setOnClickListener { ad.performClick("MainImage") } customTemplateBinding.simplecustomMediaPlaceholder.addView(mainImage) } } ``` Download the [Ad Manager Custom Rendering example](https://github.com/googleads/googleads-mobile-android-examples/releases) for a working example of native video in action.
See [Video Ads](https://developers.google.com/ad-manager/mobile-ads-sdk/android/native/video-ads.md.txt) for more information on how you can customize a custom native ad's video experience. ## Render the AdChoices icon As part of [Supporting the Digital Services Act (DSA)](https://support.google.com/admanager/answer/14335032), reservation ads served in the European Economic Area (EEA) require an AdChoices icon and a link to [Google's About This Ad page](https://support.google.com/adsense/troubleshooter/1631343). When implementing custom native ads, you are responsible for rendering the AdChoices icon. We recommend you take steps to render and set the click listener for the AdChoices icon when rendering the main ad assets. The following example assumes you have defined an `` element in your view hierarchy to hold the AdChoices logo. > [!IMPORTANT] > **Important:** Set the AdChoices icon at least 15 pixels by 15 pixels. ```xml ``` The following examples renders the AdChoices icon and configures the appropriate click behavior. ### Java ```java private AdSimpleCustomTemplateBinding customTemplateBinding; private void populateAdView(final NativeCustomFormatAd nativeCustomFormatAd) { // Render the AdChoices icon. String adChoicesKey = NativeAdAssetNames.ASSET_ADCHOICES_CONTAINER_VIEW; NativeAd.Image adChoicesAsset = nativeCustomFormatAd.getImage(adChoicesKey); if (adChoicesAsset == null) { customTemplateBinding.adChoices.setVisibility(View.GONE); } else { customTemplateBinding.adChoices.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE); customTemplateBinding.adChoices.setImageDrawable(adChoicesAsset.getDrawable()); // Enable clicks on AdChoices. customTemplateBinding.adChoices.setOnClickListener( new View.OnClickListener() { @Override public void onClick(View v) { nativeCustomFormatAd.performClick(adChoicesKey); } }); } ... } ``` ### Kotlin ```kotlin private lateinit var customTemplateBinding: AdSimpleCustomTemplateBinding private fun populateAdView(nativeCustomFormatAd: NativeCustomFormatAd) { // Render the AdChoices icon. val adChoicesKey = NativeAdAssetNames.ASSET_ADCHOICES_CONTAINER_VIEW val adChoicesAsset = nativeCustomFormatAd.getImage(adChoicesKey) if (adChoicesAsset == null) { customTemplateBinding.adChoices.visibility = View.GONE } else { customTemplateBinding.adChoices.setImageDrawable(adChoicesAsset.drawable) customTemplateBinding.adChoices.visibility = View.VISIBLE // Enable clicks on AdChoices. customTemplateBinding.adChoices.setOnClickListener { nativeCustomFormatAd.performClick(adChoicesKey) } } ... } ```
> [!IMPORTANT] > **Key Point:** If you use [Image download control](https://developers.google.com/ad-manager/mobile-ads-sdk/android/native/options.md.txt#image_download_control) to request only image URLs, the AdChoices asset respects this setting and only returns the image URL. ## Record impressions and report clicks Your app is responsible for recording impressions and reporting click events to Google Mobile Ads SDK (Legacy). ### Record impressions To record an impression for a custom native ad, call the ad's `recordImpression()` method: ```java myCustomFormatAd.recordImpression(); ```
If your app accidentally calls the method twice for the same ad, the SDK automatically prevents a duplicate impression from being recorded for a single request. ### Report clicks To report to the SDK that a click has occurred on an asset view, call the ad's `performClick()` method. Provide the name of the asset that was clicked using the same string you defined in the Ad Manager UI. ```java myCustomFormatAd.performClick("MainImage"); ```
Note that you don't need to call this method for every view associated with your ad. If you had another field called "Caption" that was meant to be displayed but not clicked or tapped on by the user, your app wouldn't need to call `performClick` for that asset's view. ### Respond to custom click actions When a click is performed on a custom format ad, there are three possible responses from the SDK, attempted in this order: 1. Invoke the `OnCustomClickListener` if one was provided. 2. For each of the ad's deep link URLs, attempt to locate a content resolver and start the first one that resolves. 3. Open a browser and navigate to the ad's destination URL. To implement a custom click action, provide an `OnCustomClickListener`: ### Java ```java AdLoader adLoader = new AdLoader.Builder(context, "/21775744923/example/native") .forCustomFormatAd("10063170", new NativeCustomFormatAd.OnCustomFormatAdLoadedListener() { // Display the ad. }, new NativeCustomFormatAd.OnCustomClickListener() { @Override public void onCustomClick(NativeCustomFormatAd ad, String assetName) { Log.i("MyApp", "A custom click just happened for " + assetName + "!"); } }).build(); ``` ### Kotlin ```kotlin val adLoader = AdLoader.Builder(this, "/21775744923/example/native") .forCustomFormatAd("10063170", { ad -> // Display the ad. }, { ad, assetName -> Log.i("MyApp", "A custom click just happened for $assetName!") }).build() ```
At first, it might seem strange that custom click listeners exist. After all, your app just told the SDK that a click happened, so why should the SDK turn around and report that to the app? This flow of information is useful for a few reasons, but most importantly it allows the SDK to remain in control of the response to the click. It can automatically ping third-party tracking URLs that have been set for the creative, for example, and handle other tasks behind the scenes, without any additional code.