In an effort to provide inside knowledge on the use of HTML5 ad code, which has turned into a premium tool in online advertising, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) announced last week it has published the final version of “HTML5 for Digital Advertising 1.0: Guidance for Ad Designers & Creative Technologists,” which helps users understand the common challenges users can face.

"With cross-screen campaigns becoming the norm, it is critical that we craft a uniform framework for HTML5 ad optimization," Steve Sullivan, vice president of Ad Technology at IAB, said in a statement. "HTML5 technology is being rapidly adopted in the marketplace, but the code comes with its own set of issues and impediments that need to be confronted. This guidance helps break through those barriers, promoting a level of performance and functionality that not only improves the HTML5 experience for marketers, creative designers, publishers, and other industry stakeholders, but elevates the experience for consumers as well."

Offering cost-saving suggestions on topics such as HTML5 display ad units, code and asset compression, and in-banner video advertising and animation will also help users save valuable time during the designing process. These topics will also be explored in detail at the upcoming HTML5 event, DevCon5 Developers & Designers Conference, in New York, July 24-25.

Readers who commented on the earlier version of the guide released in May believed that file size limits that were proposed would restrict HTML5’s key benefits, leading to IAB removing file size guidance and instead recommends designers and technologists to consult with their partners on a reasonable file size limit that best suits everyone’s needs.

"Input from the interactive advertising ecosystem is vital in developing the IAB’s various industry guidelines, best practices, standards and more," said Anna Bager, vice president and general manager of the Mobile Marketing Center of Excellence at IAB. "The amount of feedback we received on this particular document underscores the industry’s ongoing demand for seamless cross-screen advertising. Needless to say, we expect that this HTML5 guidance will fuel the multi-screen movement."

Founded in 1996, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is comprised of more than 500 leading media and technology companies that are responsible for selling 86 percent of online advertising in the United States. The IAB is committed to helping the interactive advertising marketplace grow even larger, educating marketers, agencies, media companies and the wider business community about the value of interactive advertising.