How to Move Facebook Apps to Bidding with Admob Mediation

Facebook apps bidding integration

Facebook Audience Network helps developers monetize their app by showing highly targeted ads that match the interests of users. After using Admob, most of the developers use Facebook Audience Network to earn good amount of revenue. Developers need their hard work to be rewarded, so they try integrate ads in their apps to earn revenue. Now we can use multiple accounts in our single app and use bidding to show which network ads to be shown. The network ads having higher ecpm will win and ads of that network will be shown.

What is Bidding:

                A bid is how much revenue will to paid to a developer for a specific action. Different types of bids include cost per click or cost per 1000 impressions (CPM). Advertisers budget is the maximum amount they are willing to spend on their ad over a period of time. App bidding enables app publishers and developers to establish an impartial and open auction over their ad inventory. All advertising networks are used in apps simultaneously and the highest bidder for the placement wins and the ads of higher bidder are shown in app, thereby providing publishers with opportunities to earn more. Publishers can maximize their access to high value advertisers.

                In simplest words, if we are using two ad networks in our app for example FAN and Admob with open bidding using mediation, then ad requests will be called from both networks. Now if Admob network gives us higher ecpm than FAN , then Admob ads will be shown for that instance. Everytime an app gets ad requests, the mediation platform will compare ads and ads having higher ecpm will win and will be displayed to user.

Not willing to move your Facebook Apps to bidding?

If you are not willing to move your apps to bidding, then FAN ads will stop to be shown on your app. There is no other option than moving apps to bidding. You must have to move your apps to bidding to continue displaying facebook ads on your apps. Moving facebook apps to bidding requires some mediation platform. These mediation platform include Admob, MoPub, Applovin MAX , Fyber, ironSource etc. If you are not willing to use Admob as mediation partner, you can try other one. However in this tutorial , Admob will be used as mediation platform.

Move your Facebook Apps to Bidding using Admob as Mediation Platform:

To successfully move your apps to bidding, follow these steps:

Requirements:

·         Facebook Business Account Login

·         Admob Login

·         Android Studio using Java

Now follow these simple steps:

Step No. 1:

Goto https://business.facebook.com and login and switch to your Business Account.

Now in your business Account, click on Go to Business Settings

Now click on Monetization Manager

Or you can directly open Monetization manager by trying following link.

https://business.facebook.com/pub/home/ 

 

Step No. 2:

After opening Monetization Manager, click on these menu three lines from left, click on Integration dropdown menu and click on Bidding Integration.

 

 

Step No. 3:

Now select your Mediation Platform as Admob and Select your app as shown below.

 

Please note that if you have not added your app already in Facebook Properties, then first create new Property ID, create Ad Placements and then follow step No. 3.

Step No. 4:

 

After selecting your app, copy all Ad placement IDs into notepad as we need these ids later.

 

 

Paste ids to a notepad

 

 

 

In next Window check the checkbox of read_audience_network_insights and click Generate Token

 

Copy the token, property id, app id and paste to notepad as we need them later. Finally click OK.

 

 

Step 5:

Now open admob.google.com and Sign in. Now if you have not already added your app, then first add your app and create ad units.

After creating ad units, click on Mediation.

 

 

Click on Create Mediation Group

 

In the next Window, select Ad Format as Banner Ad and select Platform as Android and click Continue

 

In next window, write any mediation name as shown in picture below and click Add Ad Units

 

 

In the next screen , select your app and click Done

 

 

After selecting your app, below you will see two options Open Bidding and Waterfall.  In Open Bidding , click on ADD AD SOURCE

 

 

In next Window, select Facebook Audience Network

 

 

After selecting FAN, in next window, you have to copy and facebook banner placement ID from your notepad file you already pasted there and paste it in Placement ID box. Finally click Done.

 

 

Now below Open bidding there is option of Waterfall. In Waterfall tab, click on Add Ad Source.

 

 

 

Now in next Window, in search box, write Facebook

 

 

After searching facebook, select Facebook Audience Network

 

 

In next window, write Label name or leave as it is and in Manual ecpm, write ecpm such as 1 USD

 

 

In next window, paste here your facebook banner placement id and click done.

 

 

Finally click on Save

 

 

Now you have successfully created Mediation Group of banner ad. Repeat same steps to add interstitial Ads.

To add Mediation group of Interstitial Ads, goto Mediation and click on Create Mediation Group.

Now in Ad Format , Select Interstitial , select Android platform and click Done.

 

 

In next window, write Mediation group name and click Add Ad Units

 

 

In next window, select your app and click done

 

 

After selecting app, below is option of Open Bidding. In Open Bidding, click Add Ad Source

 

 

 

In next Window , select Facebook Audience Network

 

 

Now in next window, copy Facebook Interstitial placement id from notepad and paste it here in placement ID and click Done.

 

 

Now in Waterfall, click on Add Ad Source

 

 

Search for Facebook and select Facebook Audience Network and select it. In next Window, write ecpm as 1 usd and click continue.

 

 

In next window, copy facebook interstitial ad placement id from notepad and paste it here in placement id and click done

 

 

Finally click on Save

 

 

Now you have successfully added mediation group of interstitial ads.

Note: You may wonder that only placement ids are needed here in this tutorial, but please note that for very first time when you create mediation , there maybe an option of entering User Access Token, so in that case enter that copied token when asked. Similarly App id may also be needed. Anyhow , it is pretty easy to follow. Also note that admob may prompt you to accept policy terms and conditions, so accept these terms and allow facebook and admob as mediation partners if prompted. Finally you will get success notification after accepting terms and conditions.

 

Step No. 6:

Now go to Android studio and open your project. In App Level Build.gradle file, add        multiDexEnabled true in defaultConfig block

 

In App level build.gradle, add these 3 dependencies,

         implementation 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-ads:20.2.0'
         implementation 'com.google.ads.mediation:facebook:6.5.0.0'
         implementation 'com.google.android.ads:mediation-test-suite:2.0.0'

 

Please Note that you have to use latest versions of these dependencies,

 

Now right click on res folder and create new resource directory and name it xml

 

Write directory name as xml and click ok.

 

Now right click on xml and click on click on New and click on XML Resource File

 

Now name the file as network_security_config  and click OK

 

Now open this network_security_config.xml  file and remove all present code and  paste the following code.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<network-security-config>
    <domain-config cleartextTrafficPermitted="true">
        <domain includeSubdomains="true">127.0.0.1</domain>
    </domain-config>
</network-security-config>

 

Now  goto AndroidManifest.xml file add internet permission.

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />

 

Now under application tag, add following lines

android:networkSecurityConfig="@xml/network_security_config"
tools:targetApi="n"

 

Now under application tag , add following meta-data code

<meta-data
    android:name="com.google.android.gms.ads.APPLICATION_ID"
    android:value="@string/admobAppLevelIDManifest" />

Finally AndroidManifest.xml file be like this

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"     xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"     package="com.example.sampleapp">     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />     <application         android:networkSecurityConfig="@xml/network_security_config"         tools:targetApi="n"         android:allowBackup="true"         android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher"         android:label="@string/app_name"         android:roundIcon="@mipmap/ic_launcher_round"         android:supportsRtl="true"         android:theme="@style/AppTheme"         >              <activity android:name=".About" />         <activity android:name=".MainActivity">             <intent-filter>                 <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />                 <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />             </intent-filter>         </activity>         <meta-data             android:name="com.google.android.gms.ads.APPLICATION_ID"             android:value="@string/admobAppLevelIDManifest" />     </application> </manifest>

 

Now we have to create banner ad container in ActivityMain.xml alongwith a button like this

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"     xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"     android:layout_width="match_parent"     android:layout_height="wrap_content"     android:orientation="horizontal">     <!--      Banner Ad container     use real admob banner ad id instead of     test ad id, just replace your real id with test     id in strings.xml     -->     <com.google.android.gms.ads.AdView xmlns:ads="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"         android:id="@+id/adView"         android:layout_width="wrap_content"         android:layout_height="wrap_content"         android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"         android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"         ads:adSize="SMART_BANNER"         ads:adUnitId="@string/admobbannerad" />     <Button         android:id="@+id/button"         android:layout_width="350dp"         android:layout_height="100dp"         android:layout_alignParentStart="true"         android:layout_alignParentTop="true"         android:layout_alignParentEnd="true"         android:layout_marginStart="40dp"         android:layout_marginTop="204dp"         android:layout_marginEnd="40dp"         android:text="Show Interstitial Ad" /> </RelativeLayout>

 

Now you have to add real Admob banner and interstitial ad ids in Strings.xml file. Remember, you have to use real ad ids not test ad ids.

Strings.xml file:

<resources>     <string name="app_name">FB Bidding with Admob Mediation</string>     <string name="admob_interstitial_ad">ca-app-pub-394025xxxxxxxxxx/xxxxxx</string>     <string name="admobbannerad">ca-app-pub-3940256yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy</string>     <string name="admobAppID">ca-app-pub-39zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz</string>     <!--Please Note that you must have to replace all these 3 ad ids with real admob ad ids before testing.     Using Test ad ids will not show you required results. Before using real ad ids, make sure you have added     your device as test device both in admob and fb interface as I did in video. FB ad ids are not required here.      --> </resources>

 

Now you have to goto MainActivity.java and initialize sdk as follows inside onCreate

MobileAds.initialize(this, new OnInitializationCompleteListener() {     @Override     public void onInitializationComplete(InitializationStatus initializationStatus) {         Map<String, AdapterStatus> statusMap = initializationStatus.getAdapterStatusMap();         for (String adapterClass : statusMap.keySet()) {             AdapterStatus status = statusMap.get(adapterClass);             Log.d("MyApp", String.format(                     "Adapter name: %s, Description: %s, Latency: %d",                     adapterClass, status.getDescription(), status.getLatency()));         }         ShowBannerAds();         LoadInterstitialAds();         //MediationTestSuite.launch(MainActivity.this);         //Please note that if you want to test mediation then uncomment MediationTestSuite line and         //comment ShowBannerAds(); and LoadInterstitialAds ();  lines         //change this status again before uploading to playstore     } });

Now outside of onCreate, create these three methods, loadBannerAds(), loadInterstitialAds(), showInterstitialAds() like these.

public void ShowBannerAds(){     mAdView = findViewById(R.id.adView);     AdRequest adRequest = new AdRequest.Builder().build();     mAdView.loadAd((adRequest)); } private void LoadInterstitialAds() {     AdRequest adRequest = new AdRequest.Builder().build();     //use real admob interstitial ad id instead of test ad id, just replace your real id with test id in strings.xml     InterstitialAd.load(this, getString(R.string.admob_interstitial_ad), adRequest, new InterstitialAdLoadCallback() {         @Override         public void onAdLoaded(@NonNull InterstitialAd interstitialAd) {             mInterstitialAd = interstitialAd;         }         @Override         public void onAdFailedToLoad(@NonNull LoadAdError loadAdError) {             mInterstitialAd = null;         }     }); } public void ShowInterstitialAds(){     if (mInterstitialAd != null) {         mInterstitialAd.show(MainActivity.this);         mInterstitialAd.setFullScreenContentCallback(new FullScreenContentCallback(){             @Override             public void onAdDismissedFullScreenContent() {                 //do something when interstitial ad is closed by user, or leave it blank             }             @Override             public void onAdShowedFullScreenContent() {                 //add below line                 mInterstitialAd = null;             }         });     } }

Then in buttonClick Listener, call showInterstitialAds(); method

The final MainActivity.java should look like this

package com.example.fbbiddingwithadmobmediation; import androidx.annotation.NonNull; import androidx.appcompat.app.AppCompatActivity; import android.os.Bundle; import android.util.Log; import android.view.View; import android.widget.Button; import com.google.android.ads.mediationtestsuite.MediationTestSuite; import com.google.android.gms.ads.AdRequest; import com.google.android.gms.ads.AdView; import com.google.android.gms.ads.FullScreenContentCallback; import com.google.android.gms.ads.LoadAdError; import com.google.android.gms.ads.MobileAds; import com.google.android.gms.ads.initialization.AdapterStatus; import com.google.android.gms.ads.initialization.InitializationStatus; import com.google.android.gms.ads.initialization.OnInitializationCompleteListener; import com.google.android.gms.ads.interstitial.InterstitialAd; import com.google.android.gms.ads.interstitial.InterstitialAdLoadCallback; import java.util.Map; public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity {     private AdView mAdView;     private InterstitialAd mInterstitialAd;     @Override     protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {         super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);         setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);         MobileAds.initialize(this, new OnInitializationCompleteListener() {             @Override             public void onInitializationComplete(InitializationStatus initializationStatus) {                 Map<String, AdapterStatus> statusMap = initializationStatus.getAdapterStatusMap();                 for (String adapterClass : statusMap.keySet()) {                     AdapterStatus status = statusMap.get(adapterClass);                     Log.d("MyApp", String.format(                             "Adapter name: %s, Description: %s, Latency: %d",                             adapterClass, status.getDescription(), status.getLatency()));                 }                 ShowBannerAds();                 LoadInterstitialAds();                 //MediationTestSuite.launch(MainActivity.this);                 //Please note that if you want to test mediation then uncomment MediationTestSuite line and                 //comment ShowBannerAds(); and ShowInterstitialAds();  lines                 //change this status again before uploading to playstore             }         });         //Show admob ads here on a button click or at some other place, I am showing it on a button click         Button button = findViewById(R.id.button);         button.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {             @Override             public void onClick(View view) {                 ShowInterstitialAds();             }         });     }     public void ShowBannerAds(){         mAdView = findViewById(R.id.adView);         AdRequest adRequest = new AdRequest.Builder().build();         mAdView.loadAd((adRequest));     }     private void LoadInterstitialAds() {         AdRequest adRequest = new AdRequest.Builder().build();         //use real admob interstitial ad id instead of test ad id, just replace your real id with test id in strings.xml         InterstitialAd.load(this, getString(R.string.admob_interstitial_ad), adRequest, new InterstitialAdLoadCallback() {             @Override             public void onAdLoaded(@NonNull InterstitialAd interstitialAd) {                 mInterstitialAd = interstitialAd;             }             @Override             public void onAdFailedToLoad(@NonNull LoadAdError loadAdError) {                 mInterstitialAd = null;             }         });     }     public void ShowInterstitialAds(){         if (mInterstitialAd != null) {             mInterstitialAd.show(MainActivity.this);             mInterstitialAd.setFullScreenContentCallback(new FullScreenContentCallback(){                 @Override                 public void onAdDismissedFullScreenContent() {                     //do something when interstitial ad is closed by user, or leave it blank                 }                 @Override                 public void onAdShowedFullScreenContent() {                     //add below line                     mInterstitialAd = null;                 }             });         }     } }

Now uncomment the line 

MediationTestSuite.launch(MainActivity.this);

Step No. 7:

Now we have to add our android device as test device in both admob and facebook interface.

First goto settings in your android phone, then goto Google

After that, click on Ads, here you will see Your Advertising ID. Copy/write that id to notepad file as we need that id both for admob and FAN.

Now goto admob.google.com and click on settings. And click on Test Devices tab and click Add Test Device button. Now write device name, select android and paste advertising ad you got from your phone and finally click on Save.

Step No. 8:

Now we have to add our phone as test device in facebook.

Open business.facebook.com and goto Monetization manager, next Click on Integration and click on Testing

 

Now Switch ON Testing Enabled and write here Advertising Id you copied from your android phone and write name of device and click Add.

Finally you have successfully added test device in facebook.

Now you have to go back to android studio and run your application in your same phone.

After successful installation, you will get Mediation Test Suite prompt, here you have to test facebook and admob open bidding and waterfall ads.

Note: Sometimes in Open Bidding , facebook does not instantly show ads , so if you get error of No Fill from source, don’t worry, just publish your app on PlayStore, after a couple of days, when fb  approves your app for bidding, you will start to get fb ads on Open bidding. Till that time only waterfall ads will be shown.

Finally, before creating final Signed apk, just remove mediation test suite dependency and code as this may create warnings of special permission error while uploading on playstore.

Just remove these lines.

mplementation 'com.google.android.ads:mediation-test-suite:2.0.0'

MediationTestSuite.launch(MainActivity.this);

Finally you have successfully moved your apps to bidding. Congratus.Facebook ads might display for open bidding after a few days. If you still face No fill from Ad Source, then it may not the problem of integration, you may have to contact facebook support to resolve this issue. They will fix it.
For full info, Watch this 16 minutes video Tutorial