Overview
This document explains how to implement a section takeover featuring a Fabric XL ad unit alongside companion banner ads for specific site sections (News, Sport, etc.).
Use Case: Section Takeover with Fabric XL
A section takeover with Fabric XL delivers 100% share of voice within a specific site section (e.g., News, Sport) by combining a Fabric XL creative with companion ads across all section ad slots.
Scope
| Objective | 100% SOV within specific section |
|---|---|
| Inventory | Fabric XL slot + all section ad units |
| Targeting | Key-Value category=[section] |
| Delivery | Sponsorship or High-priority Standard |
| Common Sections | News, Sport, Business, Lifestyle |
Key‑Value Targeting
Use the site-side key category with the appropriate section value for precise targeting.
Key = category
Value = news (or sport, business, lifestyle, etc.)
GAM UI → Add Targeting → Custom Targeting → category = newsPlacements & Ad Units
Target the section-specific placement which includes:
- Fabric XL ad unit (section pages)
- All standard section banner positions
- Section-specific ad units (article pages within section)
Line Item Settings
| Type | Sponsorship (recommended) or Standard |
|---|---|
| Priority | Sponsorship (12) or High Standard (8-10) |
| Pacing | Even over flight |
| Goal | Impressions (match IO) |
| Frequency Cap | 1-3 per user per day (recommended for Fabric XL) |
| Targeting | Placement: RON_guernseypress.com + Custom KV: category=[section] |
| Creatives | 1x Fabric XL + duplicate companion creatives for each slot |
| Start/End | Flight dates, timezone confirmed |
| Labels | Roadblock + Competitive Exclusion + Section label |
Section Examples
News Section
| KV Targeting | category = news |
|---|---|
| URL Pattern | /news/*, /news/article/* |
| Pages | News landing, news articles, news subsections |
Sport Section
| KV Targeting | category = sport |
|---|---|
| URL Pattern | /sport/*, /sport/article/* |
| Pages | Sport landing, sport articles, sport subsections |
Other Sections
- Business:
category = business - Lifestyle:
category = lifestyle - Opinion:
category = opinion
Implementation Steps
1. Identify Section
Confirm the exact section and corresponding category value with the site team.
2. Create Fabric XL Creative
Upload the Fabric XL creative following technical specifications.
3. Create Companion Creatives
Upload and duplicate companion banner creatives for all section ad slots.
4. Configure Line Item
Set up with correct section targeting using category key-value.
5. Attach All Creatives
Attach the Fabric XL creative plus all companion duplicates to the line item.
6. Test on Section Pages
Navigate to section pages with ?google_force_console to verify delivery.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| No delivery in section | Wrong category value or KV not set | Verify section category value matches site implementation |
| Delivering outside section | Missing or incorrect KV targeting | Ensure line item has correct category targeting |
| Fabric XL not showing | Section pages may not have Fabric XL slot | Confirm with site team that section has Fabric XL ad unit |
| Inconsistent section coverage | KV not applied to all section pages | Work with dev team to ensure KV on all section pages |
| Companion ads missing | Missing duplicate creatives | Create duplicates for all section ad slot sizes |