Roku Lesson 21 How to Insert Ad Tags in Your Roku Feed (JSON & MRSS)

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to add monetisation-ready ad tags directly into your Roku feed file — whether you’re using JSON (for Direct Publisher) or MRSS (for custom setups).

This is the technical step that turns your Roku/Fire TV channel into a revenue-generating platform.

🧠 Prerequisites

Before inserting ads:

You must know whether your feed is JSON or MRSS.
You should already have a VAST ad tag URL (from Roku Ads, SpotX, Broadpeak, etc.).
You need to know where your videos are in your feed structure.

📁 Example 1: JSON Feed with Ad Breaks

Roku Direct Publisher uses a JSON feed. Here’s how to add ads to a video item:


{
  "providerName": "My Channel Name",
  "language": "en",
  "lastUpdated": "2025-10-01T12:00:00+00:00",
  "shortFormVideos": [
    {
      "id": "video1",
      "title": "My First Video",
      "content": {
        "dateAdded": "2025-09-25T00:00:00+00:00",
        "videos": [
          {
            "url": "https://mycdn.com/video1.mp4",
            "quality": "HD",
            "videoType": "MP4"
          }
        ],
        "duration": 1200,
        "adBreaks": [300, 600, 900]  
      },
      "thumbnail": "https://mycdn.com/thumb1.jpg"
    }
  ]
}

Note: Roku fills these breaks with its own ads if you are in the Roku advertising program. If not, the ad breaks are ignored until you connect a network.

📁 Example 2: MRSS Feed with VAST Tag

Older feeds or custom players may use MRSS XML. You can specify a VAST ad tag like this:


<item>
  <title>My First Video</title>
  <link>https://mycdn.com/video1.mp4</link>
  <description>This is a test video.</description>
  <media:content url="https://mycdn.com/video1.mp4" type="video/mp4" duration="1200" />
  <media:thumbnail url="https://mycdn.com/thumb1.jpg" />
  <media:ad>
    <vastAdTag>https://your-ad-network.com/vast.xml</vastAdTag>
  </media:ad>
</item>

Note: The <media:ad> block allows you to fetch ads from a third-party server like SpotX or Broadpeak. You’ll need to ensure your Roku app/player supports this tag.

💡 Pro Tip: Use Dynamic VAST URLs

Many ad providers let you pass dynamic variables like:

{device_ip}
{video_id}
{timestamp}

This lets them serve more relevant, high-paying ads — increasing your revenue per 1,000 views (eCPM).

🧰 Tools to Help

GitHub – for hosting your feed file for free
Roku Developer Portal – to validate your JSON or MRSS feed
Kapwing / Canva – to embed overlays, QR codes, or affiliate promos if you’re not using ad networks yet

📈 Monetisation Strategy: Start Small, Scale Fast

If you don’t yet qualify for Roku’s ad program or your VAST tag isn’t approved:

Start with affiliate QR code overlays or sponsor intros
Add short sponsor messages (“This show is brought to you by…”) inside the video
Use overlays with scannable links to your online store or offers

As your viewership grows, you can switch to CPM-based ads from Roku or major VAST networks.

🔜 In the Next Lesson

We’ll cover exactly how to:

Apply to Roku’s Partner Ad Program
Find trusted VAST ad providers
Embed your first affiliate promo correctly inside a show