Data Collection

Learn more about how Pathmatics delivers the most complete picture of the digital ad landscape possible

What We Capture

Devices/formats, ad formats, ad types, and sites/ad networks we collect

For display ads, our data capture technologies look for designated ad sizes: not by name but by standard size. We capture all IAB standard display and Rising Star display ad units.

Do capture Do not capture
Devices/formats
  • Facebook mobile
  • Instagram mobile
  • TikTok mobile
  • Snapchat mobile
  • X (Twitter) mobile and desktop
  • YouTube in-app, mobile and desktop video
  • YouTube display (e.g. homepage takeovers)
  • Desktop display
  • Mobile display
  • Desktop video
  • Mobile video
  • OTT / CTV video
  • Facebook desktop
  • social channels beyond Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, X (Twitter), Snapchat (e.g. Pinterest)
  • search
Ad formats
  • IAB standard display
  • Rising Star display units
  • pre-roll, mid- and post-roll, auto-play, click-to-play (desktop video)
  • pre-roll, click-to-play (mobile video)
  • pre-roll, mid-roll, post-roll content videos (Facebook mobile)
  • mid-roll, post-roll (mobile video)
  •  
Ad types
  • targeted ads
  • retargeted ads
  • click-to-play, user interaction required ads

native ads

Sites / ad networks
  • paywall or other login-required sites
    (e.g. The Wall Street Journal)
  • top ~12k US sites based on traffic
  • mobile video beyond YouTube.com, Facebook, Instagram, X, Snapchat, TikTok
  • in-app beyond Facebook, Instagram, X, Snapchat, TikTok
  • sites beyond ~12k+ US sites (20k+ globally)

Types of creatives we collect

Across devices/formats we capture most, but not all, creative types.

Do capture Do not capture
Creative types
Facebook
  • paid mobile newsfeed posts
album note
carousel offer
event photo
link status
music video
  • messenger ads
  • story ads
  • feed posts (not captured)
canvas / instant experience
slideshow
playables
collection units
Instagram
  • story posts
  • reels posts
  • sponsored posts
carousel photo
event status
link video
  • influencer activity
  • organic activity
IGTV
Snapchat
  • stories tab ads
photo video
story  
  • organic influencer campaigns
  • ads outside of stories tab
    filters collection ads
    lenses commercials
TikTok
  • For You tab
in-feed
  • boosted creator content
  • ads outside of for you tab
    branded hashtag challenge
    branded effects
X (Twitter)
  • promoted tweets
link status
photo video
  • promoted trends
  • promoted accounts
  • promoted tweets (not captured)
text
carousel
moment
desktop & mobile display, desktop & mobile video, YouTube, OTT
  • Flash
  • HTML5
  • HTML5 animation
  • image (JPG and GIF)
  • in-banner video
  • page skins
  • video
  • custom units / ad sizes (e.g. custom takeovers)
  • native ads
  •  

Was this article helpful?

Have more questions? Submit a request