Google Ad Manager remains the industry-standard ad server for publishers and agencies. This guide covers the complete trafficking workflow from order creation to creative upload and go-live.
GAM Account Structure
GAM organises campaigns as: Network → Advertiser → Order → Line Item → Creative. Understanding this hierarchy is essential before you traffic your first campaign.
Creating an Order
Navigate to Delivery → Orders → New Order. Set the advertiser, agency (if applicable), and trafficker. Orders are containers — they hold line items and inherit billing and contact information.
Line Item Setup
Line items define when, where, and how your ads serve. Key settings: Type (Standard, Sponsorship, Price Priority), targeting (geo, device, audience), dates, and rate. Use Standard type for most direct-sold campaigns.
Creative Upload
GAM accepts HTML5, image, video (VAST), and third-party tags. For third-party creatives from CM360, paste the Iframe tag. Always set the correct size and test with the Ad Preview tool before trafficking.
Floodlight Integration
Link your GAM network to CM360 for Floodlight conversion tracking. Go to Admin → Linked Accounts → Campaign Manager. Once linked, Floodlight activities appear automatically in GAM reports.
Quality Checks Before Launch
Run the creative through Ad Review Centre, confirm targeting settings, verify the flight dates, and check the priority level against existing campaigns to avoid delivery conflicts.