Server-Side Ad Insertion (SSAI)

Category: infrastructure

A video delivery architecture that programmatically stitches targeted advertisements directly into a single continuous video stream at the server level.

Also called "ad stitching," SSAI stands in contrast to Client-Side Ad Insertion (CSAI). Instead of forcing the user's browser or streaming device to fetch and parse separate video payloads mid-stream (which causes layout lag and is easily blocked by browser scripts), the server fetches the ad file, transcodes it to match the source bit-rate, and injects it straight into the HLS manifest. This ensures smooth playback and complete immunity to standard client ad-blockers.

Common Examples

• Deploying server-side ad insertion across our video distribution nodes eliminated mid-roll buffer pauses and lifted our view-through rates by twelve percent.
• Handling server-side ad insertion effectively requires dynamic manifest manipulation servers that can scale out effortlessly during high-volume sports broadcasts.