Ads failed to load with error 3

[Pixel Shastra]

My Unity app, which is not published yet, is failing to show my ad banner with this error:

05-14 21:31:34.005 26531 26531 I Ads     : Ad failed to load : 3

05-14 21:31:34.010 26531 26727 E Unity   : Failed to load ad: No fill

05-14 21:31:34.010 26531 26727 E Unity   : System.EventHandler`1:Invoke(Object, TEventArgs)

05-14 21:31:34.010 26531 26727 E Unity   : System.EventHandler`1:Invoke(Object, TEventArgs)

05-14 21:31:34.010 26531 26727 E Unity   : System.Reflection.MonoMethod:Invoke(Object, BindingFlags, Binder, Object[], CultureInfo)

05-14 21:31:34.010 26531 26727 E Unity   : UnityEngine.AndroidJavaProxy:Invoke(String, Object[])

05-14 21:31:34.010 26531 26727 E Unity   : UnityEngine._AndroidJNIHelper:InvokeJavaProxyMethod(AndroidJavaProxy, IntPtr, IntPtr)

I built the app with Unity, installed on my pixel 3 without publishing. I also tested with test ad unit and that worked. My admob account was approved several hours ago. Since then, I have been making ad requests only from this one phone. 

Could someone tell me how to fix this or how long I'm supposed to wait? Some questions on my mind are:

1. Is it a problem I only make these requests from one phone at this time? I just want to see a real ad ONCE before I publish to the store for alpha testing (and I won't click on it).

2. Is it required that I publish the app (closed-alpha ok?) before real ads are served? 

[Mobile Ads SDK Forum Advisor Prod]

Hi Pixel,

Thank you for trying out the Mobile Ads SDK! I wish you success in monetizing your app. Regarding your ad inventory issue and how to see ads before publishing - unfortunately this forum is doesn't support Ad inventory issues since we only support implementing the SDK into apps. The forum for ad inventory is the AdMob forum. With that being said, I have heard of possibly helpful information for those just starting their AdMob account and wanting to see ads in their app:

• to setup tax info, name and address and phone number in your AdMob Account with verification if applicable
• to publish your app on Google PlayStore and set up an app-ads.txt on your apps website - https://support.google.com/admob/answer/9363762?hl=en
• to fill out as soon as possible whenever you reach a revenue threshold all the payment details you can fill out in your AdMob Account at that revenue threshold - https://support.google.com/admob/answer/2772208, video describing thresholds
• to have in mind what would tempt more advertisers to rent space on your app

Since you don't yet want to do publishing yet only the first bullet point may help you right now and the other bullet points may help you as you succeed.

Regarding wether you need to publish before having ad inventory I have not heard that you need to publish in order to have ad inventory. Note that the AdMob forum is the place to get support on that.

Regarding wanting to see ads before you publish without causing a policy violation you may want to use a test device that will not report any impressions or clicks but will use your ad unit Id's. I can only refer you to this article on the AdMob forum regarding invalid activity.  

If you would like for me to confirm what you are seeing could you send to me via "Reply privately to author" your app Id, ad unit Id's affected?

Kind regards,
Aryeh Baker
Mobile Ads SDK Team

ref:_00D1U1174p._5004Q1zpNT8:ref

[Mobile Ads SDK Forum Advisor Prod]

Hi Pixel,

Thank you for giving me privately your app Id and ad unit Id. I tested them in a Unity project and received that error code 3 that you saw which means that your ad unit Id did receive an ad due to lack of ad inventory. Ad inventory issues are out of scope of this forum. With that said, I can only relay to you what I have heard that the more set up your AdMob account is with a payment system, phone number, address and all other verifications that you can do at the stage that your app is in the better your access to ad inventory could be. I wish you success in monetizing your app and you may want to check out the AdMob Forum for more information on ad inventory and account setup.

Kind Regards,

[Pixel Shastra]

Thanks for the confirmation. I'll try the other forum.

[Pixel Shastra]

Fyi, that link to admob forum does not exist. From that page, I also tried searching for this inventory problem which gave this link - https://support.google.com/admob/thread/34238053?hl=en. --- and that too does not exist.

With the lack of community page for admob support -- what other forum do you suggest asking this inventory problem I'm facing?

[Mobile Ads SDK Forum Advisor Prod]

Hi Pixel,

 

I can confirm that the links provided do exist, and are showing properly on our end (kindly see attached screenshots). You may try checking them out on another browser or device to see if that would fix the issue.

 

Regards,

Ziv Yves Sanchez

[Pixel Shastra]

Yes, it was a transient issue. After a few minutes of my posting the screen refreshed and worked.

Sadly, the workaround they suggest is to use mediation, which I already do (I mediate between admob and Unity Ads). I'm not sure what to do anymore :( 

[Mobile Ads SDK Forum Advisor Prod]

Hi Pixel,

 

Thank you for confirming that you have resolved your concern regarding the URL links we've provided.

 

As for your other concern: could you kindly confirm that you've fully completed the setup of your AdMob account, particularly the billing and PIN verification sections? Some publishers have reported seeing ads only after fully completing their account setup.

 

If you have any issues on verifying or completing the above, or if you have any other account or ad-serving concerns in general, it is still best to reach out to the AdMob Help Center for further assistance, as I'm afraid that we can only provide technical support for the AdMob SDK in this forum. The product specialists there should be able to provide better insights on such.

[Pixel Shastra]

My account is verified. The payment section is disabled with the message that I need to reach threshold. I'm assuming the pin verification also happens after I get to fill it.

I just heard from my alpha testers that they can see the ads. My phone is still not showing it. One of the testers is in the same location as mine so I'm not sure why I don't see it. I haven't coded the ad request to treat my device as test device. Any idea?

[Mobile Ads SDK Forum Advisor Prod]

Hi PIxel,

Thank you for informing us of your success in seeing ads by your alpha testers. I hope that what I heard about account setup that I relayed to you was helpful. The fact that your phone doesn't receive ads and someone who is standing next to you is receiving ads in his phone sounds to me like an ad serving issue which is out of scope of this forum. With that being said I can guess that many factors are taken into account when serving ads because advertisers target what they want to target.

Now that you have done what you can at your revenue threshold to set up your account the video link describing further revenue thresholds may be of use to you and the rest of the items:

• to publish your app on Google PlayStore and set up an app-ads.txt on your apps website - https://support.google.com/admob/answer/9363762?hl=en
• to fill out as soon as possible whenever you reach a revenue threshold all the payment details you can fill out in your AdMob Account at that revenue threshold - https://support.google.com/admob/answer/2772208

• to have in mind what would tempt more advertisers to rent space on your app

will be applicable when you are ready.

Kind regards,
Aryeh Baker