Google starts supporting sellers.json in AdSense and in AdMob

Google this month launched support for sellers.json by introducing sellers.json settings in AdSense and in AdMob. AdSense is Google’s monetization program for small web publishers, and AdMob is Google’s monetization program for app publishers.

According to Google, sellers.json goes hand in hand with authorized sellers (app-ads.txt or ads.txt). While app-ads.txt / ads.txt enables the developers to document the advertising platforms and account_ids authorized to sell their inventory, the sellers.json standard enables buyers to know the selling entity involved.

sellers.json and the ads.txt lets buyers know the business entity that benefits materially from the transaction, which is critical from an ad fraud detection perspective as most fraud is committed by individuals for monetary gains.

Google is not requiring that publishers are fully transparent. Publishers can choose to remain Confidential or chose the option Transparent.

Publishers that choose Transparent can list themselves with a business domain. Google says the business domain should be the official website of the business or corporation.

Publishers that list themselves as Transparent, have the name in the billing profile listed in Google’s sellers.json file.

Example of the information displayed in sellers.json: