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Frequently Asked Questions

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

What is the difference between CPM and CPD campaigns?

CPM stands for cost per thousand, whereas CPD stands for cost per day. When purchasing an online ad campaign, you may choose to have your ad displayed for a specific number of days, or to have it deliver a set number of impressions. A 16$ CPD rate implies that you will be charged 16$ for every day that your campaign runs on the website, regardless of how many impressions it delivers. A 25$ CPM rate implies that you will be charged 25$ for every thousand impressions delivered, regardless of how many days the campaign ran. To avoid priority conflicts, CPM and CPD campaigns are assigned to different zones of our website. Please refer to our rate card to see which zones are available for your preferred mode. If you’re not sure which mode is right for you, please contact an advertising representative.

How does ad rotation work?

If you choose to run on a “per day” basis, your campaign will be in even rotation with other CPD campaigns, with impressions equally shared between advertisers. If you choose to run on a “per thousand impressions” basis, your campaign will be in rotation with other CPM campaigns. In this case, campaigns with high impression targets will be displayed more prominently than those with low targets. If you’re not sure which mode is best for your campaign, please contact an advertising representative.

How many ads will be in rotation with mine?

In CPD zones, we generally have two to four advertisers in rotation. Keep in mind that certain ad zones or times of year may be busier than others. For an estimate of how many ads will be displayed in your chosen zone, please send the details of your campaign to addesign@dailypublications.org

Can I make changes to my ad while the campaign is running?
Sure! Just send us your revised creative and we will replace for you. If you would like our graphic artist to make the modifications for you, please contact addesign@dailypublications.org with the details.

Can I have more than one creative running at the same time? Is there a limit?
If you send us more than one creative, they will simply be put in rotation. In this case, your share of impressions will be split equally between the various creatives. For this reason, we recommend using a maximum of three creatives. Adding lots of different creatives will not increase the amount of exposure that your campaign receives.

Should I use CMYK or RGB?

Web ads should always be in RGB mode.

What is the difference between CMYK and RGB?

RGB is the colour mode that your computer monitor uses. It generates colours by adding (R)ed, (G)reen and (B)lue lights to illuminate your black monitor, in varying intensities. CMYK is the colour mode that we use when we print colours. It uses (C)yan, (M)agenta, (Y)ellow and blac(K) inks to “subtract” from the brightness of the white paper. For more information, see: What is RGB? What is CMYK?

Which colour profile should I use?
Most web ads will render just fine without an embedded colour profile. If the colours appear dull, we recommend embedding the sRGB profile. (See : What is a colour profile?)

Which file formats do you accept?
We accept JPEG, PNG, GIF (static or animated), Flash and most JavaScript tags. Please note that the most commonly used mobile phones and tablets (roughly 23% of our traffic) do not support Flash files. Unless an HTML5 version is available, we recommend that you provide us with an image version of your ad to use as a fallback.

Do you accept video ads?
We accept video embed code from YouTube and Vimeo.

Do you accept special formats, rich media, popups, sound, etc.?
At this time, we do not accept ad units that pop out or stretch to cover other page content. Files which contain sound must not start playing automatically. Other special formats may be accepted on a case-by-case basis. Please send the material and campaign details to addesign@dailypublications.org as early as possible, as the review process takes time.

What should be the size and resolution of my file?
Ads should be submitted at the pixel size listed on our rate card. Web-ready files should have a resolution of 72 dpi. (See : What is Resolution? What is DPI?) We also support 1.5x and 2x density files, which improve image quality on devices with higher resolving power, such as tablets and smartphones. If you would like us to create high density files for you, please provide us with the original, high resolution material (usually 300 dpi). To create a high density file yourself, see our special guidelines for Photoshop.

Do you have a file size (weight) limit?
While we don’t have an official limit, please keep in mind that the lighter your file is, the quicker it will load and the more impressions it will receive. If your file causes our website to load slowly, we will ask for a revised, optimized version. For tips on how to optimize your file, please see our special guidelines for Photoshop.

What is the minimum text size?
For dark text on a light background, the minimum size is 12 pt. For reverse fonts (pale text on a dark background), the minimum size varies according to the font type and colours used; please contact our graphic designer for assistance at addesign@dailypublications.org

Should I use a Serif or Sans-Serif font?
Although Serif fonts are commonly used in print, Sans-Serif fonts seem to be favoured on the Web. There are no set rules; among Serif and Sans-Serif fonts, some are easier to read while others are more eye-catching. How you choose to use them is a matter of personal preference.

How can I avoid blurry text in image files?
We recommend using a 16 pt font to ensure legibility. If your text still comes out blurry, try using less anti-aliasing and avoid compression modes which cause your image to look pixelated. For more information, see our special guidelines for Photoshop.

How can I access your website’s statistics?
A statistics document giving advertisers a general overview of our website’s performance over the past year is available upon request. If you would like to be sent statistics for a particular time frame or a select audience, please contact addesign@dailypublications.org

What is the difference between pageviews and impressions?
Pageviews measure how many times a webpage is displayed, whereas impressions measure how many times an ad is displayed. As there is typically more than one ad on a page, there can be multiple impressions per pageview. However, there are many situations in which impressions will not register : if a user clicks away from a page before the ad has a chance to load; if the user chooses not to display images or other media; if the user deactivates JavaScript code; the device used does not support the ad’s file format (most commonly Flash).

How many impressions will my ad get?
Impressions vary according to web traffic and the amount of inventory available. If you have an upcoming CPD campaign, we can provide you with an estimate; please send your campaign information to addesign@dailypublications.org For CPM campaigns, impressions are guaranteed; we will run your ad as long as it takes for it to reach its target. In this case, we will provide you with an approximate end date.

Can you send proof that my ad ran on your website?
We send out screenshots and performance reports upon request. Please contact addesign@dailypublications.org

How can I monitor my ad’s performance?
If you would like to receive periodic performance reports, please contact addesign@dailypublications.org

Why isn’t my ad showing on the website?
If your campaign began more than 20 minutes ago and you can’t see your ad on our website, please make sure that any ad blocking plugins are deactivated. You may need to refresh the page a few times before your ad appears. If you still can’t see your ad, you may need to clear your browser’s cache. If none of this works, please email addesign@dailypublications.org

Why does my Bigbox ad never show up in the top box?
If your ad is being displayed in the lower Bigbox zone, your campaign was purchased on a per-day basis (CPD). The top Bigbox zone is reserved for CPM campaigns (campaigns with set impression goals). For more information, see our Ad rotation, CPM and CPD section.

How to create 1.5x and 2x density files
To create higher density files, your original file needs to be large or high resolution. Under the Image menu, select Image Size. If your file’s resolution is higher than 72 pixels/inch, uncheck the Resample Image box and set the resolution to 72 pixels/inch. Next, check the Resample Image and Constrain Proportions boxes. Set the pixel size width to twice that of the ad size you purchased (use our rate card for reference). Apply your changes and look at the image at its actual pixel size (100%). If it looks blurry, undo your changes; your original file does not contain enough information to create a 2x density file. Otherwise, optimize and save the file. Repeat these steps to create a 1.5x density file, setting the pixel size width to one and a half times that of the ad size you purchased. Finally, create the default version of your ad, using the actual width of the ad size purchased. When you send the files to ads@dailypublications.org, please specify that you’re sending high density versions along with the default size.

How to optimize your file
In the File menu, select Save for Web & Devices. Change the file type from GIF to JPEG and PNG-8 and see which option provides the smallest file size (displayed below the image). If the image looks pixelated, switch to the next smallest size. If all three formats make your image look pixelated, try PNG-24. You might want to save two versions of the file : one with the Convert to sRGB option checked and one with the option unchecked. Embedding a colour profile will make your file slightly heavier, but your file’s colour might look dull without it (GIF files in particular).

How to improve text legibility
To avoid blurry text, you’ll want to avoid using too much anti-aliasing. Select your text and bring out the Character window (under the Window menu). Compare the different anti-aliasing modes (represented by aa in the Character window) to see which option looks best. The Sharp and Crisp settings tend to yield the best results.

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