# MediaTailor server-guided ad insertion configuration for VOD content
<a name="sgai-vod-configuration"></a>

AWS Elemental MediaTailor server-guided ad insertion for VOD content provides significant performance benefits through highly cacheable manifests and reduced server processing. Configuring SGAI for VOD content leverages the static nature of video-on-demand assets to maximize caching efficiency and minimize origin requests, making it ideal for large content libraries with repeated viewing patterns.

## Requirements for VOD SGAI
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Before you enable SGAI for VOD content, ensure that you have the following:
+ Your VOD content includes properly formatted ad markers (SCTE-35 or timed metadata)
+ Content is stored in a reliable origin with consistent availability
+ Your CDN is configured to cache SGAI manifests with appropriate TTL values
+ Players support server-guided ad insertion workflows
+ Your ad decision server can handle VOD-specific metadata and targeting

### Player requirements
<a name="sgai-vod-player-requirements"></a>

Players must be configured to handle SGAI VOD manifests and ad insertion:
+ Support for server-guided ad insertion workflows
+ Ability to process ad insertion guidance from VOD manifests
+ Support for client-side ad insertion during VOD playback
+ Proper handling of seek operations across ad breaks
+ Support for content duration and position tracking

## VOD playback configuration
<a name="sgai-vod-playback-config"></a>

To enable SGAI for VOD content, create a playback configuration that has the following settings:

**Example SGAI VOD playback configuration**  

```
{
  "Name": "VODSGAIConfig",
  "VideoContentSourceUrl": "https://your-vod-origin.com/content/",
  "AdDecisionServerUrl": "https://your-ads.com/ads",
  "PersonalizationThresholdSeconds": 5,
  "InsertionMode": "PLAYER_SELECT"
}
```

The following are key considerations for VOD SGAI configuration:

`VideoContentSourceUrl`  
Should point to your VOD content library with consistent URL patterns. Ensure the origin can handle the expected request volume and provides reliable content delivery.

`ConfigurationAliases`  
Include VOD-specific parameters like content duration, genre, or series information that can be used for ad targeting without affecting manifest cacheability.

`ManifestProcessingRules`  
Enable ad marker passthrough to preserve original content timing information, which is especially important for VOD content with pre-defined ad break positions.

## SGAI VOD manifest requests
<a name="sgai-vod-manifest-requests"></a>

SGAI VOD manifests use the same URL pattern traditional VOD ad insertion. 

```
https://your-config.mediatailor.region.amazonaws.com/v1/master/config-name/content-path/manifest.m3u8?aws.insertionMode=GUIDED
```

## VOD-specific ad targeting
<a name="sgai-vod-ad-targeting"></a>

VOD content enables unique ad targeting opportunities:

### Content metadata targeting
<a name="sgai-vod-content-metadata"></a>

Leverage VOD content metadata for improved ad targeting:
+ **Genre and category:** Target ads based on content type (drama, comedy, documentary)
+ **Content rating:** Ensure age-appropriate ad content (G, PG, R ratings)
+ **Series and season:** Target ads for series continuity or related content
+ **Release date:** Target based on content age (new releases vs. catalog content)
+ **Content duration:** Adjust ad load based on total content length

### Viewing context targeting
<a name="sgai-vod-viewing-context"></a>

VOD viewing patterns enable contextual ad targeting:
+ **Time of day:** Target ads based on when content is being watched
+ **Binge watching:** Adjust ad frequency for users watching multiple episodes
+ **Completion rate:** Target based on user's historical content completion patterns
+ **Device type:** Optimize ad formats for viewing device (TV, mobile, tablet)

## Testing SGAI VOD configuration
<a name="sgai-vod-testing"></a>

Verify your SGAI VOD setup with these validation steps:

1. **Test manifest generation**

   Request SGAI VOD manifest URLs for different content types and verify they return cacheable content with proper ad insertion guidance.

1. **Verify CDN caching**

   Check that your CDN is caching SGAI manifests according to the configured TTL values and achieving high cache hit rates.

1. **Test ad insertion**

   Confirm that players can successfully insert ads using the guidance provided in SGAI manifests for various VOD content.

1. **Test seek operations**

   Verify that seeking within VOD content works correctly across ad breaks and maintains proper playback position.

1. **Monitor performance**

   Use CloudWatch metrics to verify reduced origin load, improved cache hit rates, and successful ad insertion rates.

### Key testing scenarios
<a name="sgai-vod-testing-scenarios"></a>

Test these specific VOD scenarios:
+ **Popular content:** Verify high cache hit rates for frequently accessed VOD assets
+ **Long-form content:** Test ad insertion in movies or long episodes with multiple ad breaks
+ **Series content:** Verify consistent ad targeting across episodes in a series
+ **Different genres:** Test ad targeting based on content metadata and genre

## VOD SGAI optimization best practices
<a name="sgai-vod-optimization"></a>

Optimize your SGAI VOD implementation for maximum performance:

### Cache optimization
<a name="sgai-vod-cache-optimization"></a>
+ **Maximize TTL values:** Use longer cache durations for VOD manifests since content doesn't change
+ **Minimize cache keys:** Reduce cache key variations to improve hit rates
+ **Pre-warm popular content:** Cache manifests for trending or featured VOD content
+ **Monitor cache performance:** Track cache hit rates and optimize based on usage patterns

### Content delivery optimization
<a name="sgai-vod-content-optimization"></a>
+ **Consistent URL patterns:** Use predictable URL structures for better caching
+ **Metadata standardization:** Ensure consistent content metadata for reliable ad targeting
+ **Ad break positioning:** Optimize ad break placement for natural content transitions
+ **Quality variants:** Ensure SGAI works across all bitrate variants of your VOD content