Produce your video file
Before you upload your file, please make sure it was produced in the correct format and layout.
Also, make sure to visit our extensive list of tips and tutorials for the leading editing and transcoding applications.
Login to Spotloader
Using your user credentials, login in to your Spotloader account. If you do not have an account, please reach out to your station representative for a Spotloader invitation link.
Navigate to the file upload form
Click on the the upload icon in the left navigation bar or the upload files button on the dashboard to access the upload form.
Select a file source
Upload a file
Choose this option to upload a file from your local computer. Only accepted video file types such as .MP4, .MPEG, .MXF, and .MOV are accepted.
Paste a link
Choose this option to enter the URL of a supported file location, including Dropbox, S3, FileAnywhere, and others. If your file storage/sharing platform is not yet supported, please contact your representative and we will do our best to make it work.
Alternatively you may wish to upload web links by using our Link Browser.
Enter the Spot Metadata
We recommend not exceeding 16 characters in length, although some stations may accept longer codes.
In case of a revision, we recommend appending “R1”, “R2”, etc. at the end of the original Media ID.
The Media ID is often referred to as the ISCI code or Ad ID.
If your spot does not contain initial slate and black, enter ‘0’ seconds and ‘0’ frames as the SOM.
If the commercial starts, for example, 7 seconds into the video, enter ‘7’ seconds and ‘0’ frames as the SOM.
The sum of Duration and SOM should equal the total file duration.
For more information, please read about the accepted video layouts.
Read about audio layouts for files containing surround sound, no audio, etc.
Each Media ID within Spotloader must be unique. We strongly recommend not using generic Media IDs such as NEWSUMMERSPOT, 2026EVENT, or FOOTBALL30.
Only one instance of a Media ID can be used in Spotloader at a time. If your upload fails due to the Media ID already existing you will need to use a different one or contact your station representative to see if the existing file can be removed.
Select one or more destination
After entering the necessary metadata in the upload form, you will need to select a station, or multiple stations, to deliver your file. By clicking Advanced Search you can look for stations via their call letters or market location. Once your account has delivered at least one file to a station then that station will be quickly selectable from the Recent tab. You can also set a group of favorite stations if needed from within the Fav tab.
Need to send a file to another station after the upload is finished? Additional destinations can be added after the file is uploaded so there is no need to upload additional files.
If you are unable to find the destination or station you are trying to delivery a spot to please contact your station account representative to verify you are using the correct Spotloader service.
Upload the file
Click on the “Upload” button to start your upload. When the upload is complete, the file will be analyzed according to the station’s validation rules and will be either accepted or rejected. If the file fails to upload you will be presented with a description of the error. Please see our pages on some common upload errors and possible solutions for them.
If you need to transfer additional files, click on the “Add File” button to open an additional upload form. Additional uploads can be made even while previous uploads are processing or in their upload process.
After your file is uploaded
Once your file is uploaded you can view the delivery to the station(s) in real time via the Deliveries page. You can also preview and manage your spot, and prior uploaded spots, from the Files page