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/next-gen/reference/com/google/android/libraries/ads/mobile/sdk/nativead/NativeCustomFormatAd) 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 To load a custom native ad, do the following: 1. Include `NativeAdType.CUSTOM_NATIVE` type as an ad type in the `NativeAdRequest`. 2. Set the custom native ad's format ID. ### Kotlin ```kotlin val adRequest = NativeAdRequest.Builder("AD_UNIT_ID", listOf(NativeAdType.CUSTOM_NATIVE)) .setCustomFormatIds(listOf("CUSTOM_NATIVE_FORMAT_ID")) .build() // Load the native ad with the ad request and callback. NativeAdLoader.load( adRequest, object : NativeAdLoaderCallback { override fun onCustomNativeAdLoaded(customNativeAd: CustomNativeAd) { // TODO: Store the custom native ad. } override fun onAdFailedToLoad(adError: LoadAdError) {} }, ) ``` ### Java ```java NativeAdRequest adRequest = new NativeAdRequest.Builder("AD_UNIT_ID", List.of(NativeAd.NativeAdType.CUSTOM_NATIVE)) .setCustomFormatIds(Arrays.asList("CUSTOM_NATIVE_FORMAT_ID")) .build(); // Load the native ad with the ad request and callback. NativeAdLoader.load( adRequest, new NativeAdLoaderCallback() { @Override public void onCustomNativeAdLoaded(@NonNull CustomNativeAd customNativeAd) { // TODO: Store the custom native ad. } @Override public void onAdFailedToLoad(@NonNull LoadAdError adError) {} }); ``` ### 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. This example shows you how to display a `CustomNativeAd`: ### Kotlin ```kotlin private fun displayCustomNativeAd(customNativeAd: CustomNativeAd, context: Context) { // Render the text elements. // The `customNativeAdBinding` is the layout binding for the ad container that // contains all `CustomNativeAd` assets. customNativeAdBinding.headline.text = customNativeAd.getText("Headline") customNativeAdBinding.caption.text = customNativeAd.getText("Caption") // If the main asset is an image, render it with an ImageView. val imageView = ImageView(context) imageView.adjustViewBounds = true imageView.setImageDrawable(customNativeAd.getImage("MainImage")?.drawable) imageView.setOnClickListener { customNativeAd.performClick("MainImage") } customNativeAdBinding.mediaPlaceholder.addView(imageView) // Render the ad choices icon. renderAdChoices(customNativeAd) // Record an impression. customNativeAd.recordImpression() } ``` ### Java ```java private void displayCustomNativeAd(CustomNativeAd customNativeAd, Context context) { // Render the text elements. // The `customNativeAdBinding` is the layout binding for the ad container that // contains all `CustomNativeAd` assets. if (customNativeAdBinding != null) { customNativeAdBinding.headline.setText(customNativeAd.getText("Headline")); customNativeAdBinding.caption.setText(customNativeAd.getText("Caption")); ImageView imageView = new ImageView(context); imageView.setAdjustViewBounds(true); imageView.setImageDrawable(customNativeAd.getImage("MainImage").getDrawable()); imageView.setOnClickListener( new View.OnClickListener() { @Override public void onClick(View v) { customNativeAd.performClick("MainImage"); } }); customNativeAdBinding.mediaPlaceholder.addView(imageView); // Render the ad choices icon. renderAdChoices(customNativeAd); // Record an impression. customNativeAd.recordImpression(); } } ``` ## 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 [`CustomNativeAd.getMediaContent()`](https://developers.google.com/ad-manager/mobile-ads-sdk/android/next-gen/reference/com/google/android/libraries/ads/mobile/sdk/nativead/CustomNativeAd.md.txt#getMediaContent()) to get the media content. Then call [`setMediaContent()`](https://developers.google.com/ad-manager/mobile-ads-sdk/android/next-gen/reference/com/google/android/libraries/ads/mobile/sdk/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: ### Kotlin ```kotlin private fun displayVideoCustomNativeAd(customNativeAd: CustomNativeAd, context: Context) { // Check whether the custom native ad has video content. val mediaContent = customNativeAd.mediaContent if (mediaContent != null && mediaContent.hasVideoContent) { // Render the media content in a MediaView. val mediaView = MediaView(context) mediaView.mediaContent = mediaContent customNativeAdBinding.mediaPlaceholder.addView(mediaView) } else { // Fall back to other assets defined on your custom native ad. val imageView = ImageView(context) imageView.adjustViewBounds = true imageView.setImageDrawable(customNativeAd.getImage("MainImage")?.drawable) customNativeAdBinding.mediaPlaceholder.addView(imageView) } // Record an impression. customNativeAd.recordImpression() } ``` ### Java ```java private void displayVideoCustomNativeAd(CustomNativeAd customNativeAd, Context context) { // Check whether the custom native ad has video content. MediaContent mediaContent = customNativeAd.getMediaContent(); if (mediaContent != null && mediaContent.getHasVideoContent()) { // Render the media content in a MediaView. MediaView mediaView = new MediaView(context); mediaView.setMediaContent(mediaContent); customNativeAdBinding.mediaPlaceholder.addView(mediaView); } else { // Fall back to other assets defined on your custom native ad. ImageView imageView = new ImageView(context); imageView.setAdjustViewBounds(true); imageView.setImageDrawable(customNativeAd.getImage("MainImage").getDrawable()); customNativeAdBinding.mediaPlaceholder.addView(imageView); } // Record an impression. customNativeAd.recordImpression(); } ``` See [Video Ads](https://developers.google.com/ad-manager/mobile-ads-sdk/android/next-gen/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. ### Kotlin ```kotlin private fun renderAdChoices(customNativeAd: CustomNativeAd) { // Render the AdChoices image. val adChoiceAsset = customNativeAd.getImage(NativeAdAssetNames.ASSET_ADCHOICES_CONTAINER_VIEW) if (adChoiceAsset != null) { customNativeAdBinding.adchoices.setImageDrawable(adChoiceAsset.drawable) customNativeAdBinding.adchoices.visibility = View.VISIBLE customNativeAdBinding.adchoices.setOnClickListener { // Handle click. See the next section for more details. customNativeAd.performClick(NativeAdAssetNames.ASSET_ADCHOICES_CONTAINER_VIEW) } } else { customNativeAdBinding.adchoices.visibility = View.GONE } } ``` ### Java ```java private void renderAdChoices(CustomNativeAd customNativeAd) { // Render the AdChoices image. Image adChoiceAsset = customNativeAd.getImage(NativeAdAssetNames.ASSET_ADCHOICES_CONTAINER_VIEW); if (adChoiceAsset != null) { if (customNativeAdBinding != null) { customNativeAdBinding.adchoices.setImageDrawable(adChoiceAsset.getDrawable()); customNativeAdBinding.adchoices.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE); customNativeAdBinding.adchoices.setOnClickListener( new View.OnClickListener() { @Override public void onClick(View v) { // Handle click. customNativeAd.performClick(NativeAdAssetNames.ASSET_ADCHOICES_CONTAINER_VIEW); } }); } } else { if (customNativeAdBinding != null) { customNativeAdBinding.adchoices.setVisibility(View.GONE); } } } ``` > [!IMPORTANT] > **Key Point:** If you use [Image download control](https://developers.google.com/ad-manager/mobile-ads-sdk/android/next-gen/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 GMA Next-Gen SDK. ### Record impressions To record an impression for a custom native ad, call the ad's `recordImpression()` method: ### Kotlin ```kotlin // Record an impression. customNativeAd.recordImpression() ``` ### Java ```java // Record an impression. customNativeAd.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. ### Kotlin ```kotlin imageView.setOnClickListener { customNativeAd.performClick("MainImage") } ``` ### Java ```java imageView.setOnClickListener( new View.OnClickListener() { @Override public void onClick(View v) { customNativeAd.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`: ### Kotlin ```kotlin customNativeAd.onCustomClickListener = object : OnCustomClickListener { override fun onCustomClick(assetName: String) { // Perform your custom action. } } ``` ### Java ```java customNativeAd.setOnCustomClickListener( new OnCustomClickListener() { @Override public void onCustomClick(@NonNull String assetName) { // Perform your custom action. } }); ``` 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.