Our DSA testing process consists of two steps. First, you must have your Downloadable Software Application (DSA) approved by our Network Quality team, then you must have each individual advertiser partner approve your DSA in their program. This article covers the first of these steps.

Step 1: Have your DSA approved by Rakuten Advertising

Before we begin testing, we expect your DSA to:

• Be easy to download and install
• Be free of bugs (for example, we prefer not to test BETA toolbars)
• Include Rakuten Advertising advertisers to ensure links are tested accurately
• Include an end-user license agreement (EULA) at some point during installation
• Stand down when it recognizes linksynergy and afscr=1
• Stand down when it recognizes any publisher links

Our Network Quality team does a multitude of tests to make sure that:

• The software does not automatically drop cookies
• Other publisher’s cookies are not being overwritten
• The DSA does not repeatedly ask the user to "click here to earn points"
• The sign to opt-in is not larger than the sign to opt-out
• It easily installs & uninstalls
• The software doesn't significantly change the end user's browsing experience

DSAs are reviewed by our in-house Network Quality specialists to ensure that our high standards are met and retested on a monthly basis to ensure that the high standards are kept. This overall process can take up to two weeks if no issues are encountered. 

Important: If you make changes to your DSA after it has been approved, you must notify us, as we will need to retest it.

Be sure to read Rakuten Advertising's DSA Guidelines and an overview of DSAs.

Step 2: Have your DSA approved by advertisers

If you are ready for Step 2, please read Have your DSA approved by Advertisers.