Banner Ad Specs

I am working on some static web banner ads. The specs for file size read:

“100k initial; 300k polite max (200kb max for 3rd party tags)”

I’m used to just seeing a fixed size for web banner ad specs. What is the initial and polite max?

Thanks.

I’d never heard of that until now. It’s a good question. Just poking around google I gather that initial is the file size before loading additional assets, and polite is the size of everything including additional assets loaded.

https://support.google.com/richmedia/answer/2672514?hl=en

If you aren’t loading additional assets, use the “initial” limit to keep the load time down to a minimum.

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I’ve run across these terms before, but I’m unsure how widespread their accepted definition is, so it might be best to ask the source.

My understanding, though, is that the initial load is the content that, well, initially loads, like a static banner. The polite load is the part of an ad (or whatever) that loads after the initial load occurs.

In other words, by default, things load from top to bottom on a web page, so a top banner will load first, then whatever else is on the page will load next. The polite load would be whatever subsequent content is loaded into the banner position after the main content finishes loading, like, for example, an extra animation that replaces the static image that loads first. I suppose it’s called polite since it waits for everything else to load before it intrudes.

There’s also a theoretical subsequent load that is something that doesn’t automatically load and, instead, only loads in response to an action by the user requesting it — like clicking on the banner to trigger some additional content being pulled in.

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Just-B designzombie

Thanks. I suppose I could have just googled the answer myself. Sorry. My mind is fried.