What is an ad network: how can a publisher choose the right one?

Ad network – definition

Ad network is an external entity acting as an intermediary between publishers and advertisers; ad networks put up for sale the ad inventories of publishers collaborating with them and sell it to the advertisers using various methods.

It’s not an easy task to choose the right one, as there is plenty of fish in the sea. However, there are some aspects that you can verify beforehand in order to ensure you’ll pick a partner that will provide you with everything you need in terms of content monetization.

Main types of ad networks

• Vertical ad networks – the main idea behind this ad network type is delivering ads to specific users. It’s a highly specialized solution and helps to target selected groups, which results in a relatively low global reach. An example of such a group might be expensive wine collectors or stay-at-home fathers. Targeting ad campaigns presenting high-priced wines or services for full-time dads to a broader audience might be ineffective;
• Horizontal ad networks, as opposed to vertical ones, aim to deliver ads to a broader group of users. Businesses target people who share common traits or preferences, often regardless of their specific jobs or interests. For instance, a company might use horizontal ad networks to promote products like pens or household appliances;
• Premium ad networks give priority to high-quality websites and mobile apps with large and engaged user bases. However, using this kind of advertising network is usually more expensive;
• Specialized ad networks offer companies a targeted ad experience. They serve ads adjusted to people from specific fields and niches or, for instance, display only specific ad formats, like video ads;
• Mobile ad networks aim at serving ads specifically on mobile devices. They are an important type of ad networks for application developers;
• Video ad networks specialize in delivering and monetizing video advertisements across various digital channels. These networks connect advertisers seeking to promote their video content with publishers who have video ad inventory available for ad placements.

Ad network vs. ad exchange

Although ad networks and ad exchanges both facilitate online advertising, their approaches differ:

As we already established, ad networks connect advertisers with publishers. They aggregate ad space from publishers and then sell it to advertisers, charging them for clicks or impressions.

On the other hand, an ad exchange is a platform that facilitates the buying and selling of ad inventory in real time through an automated auction-based system. Ad exchanges act as a marketplace where publishers can offer their ad space, and advertisers can bid on it.

In essence, ad networks serve as intermediaries connecting advertisers with publishers, facilitating the sale of ad space in bulk. Conversely, ad exchanges empower real-time bidding on individual ad impressions, providing advertisers with highly targeted and efficient advertising options.

What you should pay particular attention to when choosing an ad network:

• If they are well-developed technologically
  Your lack of proper advertising technology is probably what made you even start considering using an ad network’s services, so their good technological background is a must-have. Make sure that the one you choose offers various monetization methods, diverse ad formats, etc;
• If they collaborate with many Supply-Side Platforms (SSP)
  It’s crucial, especially when using programmatic solutions. Having access to your regional ad providers makes your ad inventory way more attractive because the chances are greater that your audience will be interested in the advertised goods – making the advertisers bid more willingly and offer higher prices. For example, suppose you are from Tunisia, and you start working with a Spanish ad network that only collaborates with Spanish SSPs. In that case, there’ll be not much to display to your users. These advertisers will simply have a different target because they’ll aim at showing their products to the audience that will most likely purchase them;
• If they offer support for publishers
  Especially at the beginning of your monetization journey, you may need some help with various tasks. That’s just the way it is. Therefore, a high level of ad network customer support should be seen as a real treasure. Apart from human contact with these fellows, you can also check if they run a blog explaining various monetization-related issues. That also helps a lot;
• If they have relevant experience
  How long a given company has been operating in the market is not a disqualifying question. However, it’s way easier to trust someone who is already doing something for a considerable period of time. Imagine going to a surgeon who started operating just yesterday! Experience may guarantee that a given ad network knows the industry well;
• If someone can confirm their efficiency
  You can also look for case studies or testimonials of people who have used their services in the past. This will tell you if what they brag about is actually true and if publishers who have come across this ad network are truly satisfied with their cooperation’s effects.

Pros and cons of going for an ad network

Now you know what to verify when looking for a monetization partner. However, if you’re not sure if having one is a good solution, let’s take a quick look at the major benefits of using an ad network’s services:

• It lets you reach more advertisers and can guarantee that only high-quality ads will be displayed next to your content (to ensure your brand safety);
• It provides you with technological support (ad servers, dedicated dashboards, etc.) and access to a whole range of ad formats to implement, making your ad inventory more attractive;
• It allows you to apply various methods of selling your ad inventory (it can not only facilitate the process of concluding direct deals, but also makes sure that you’re well-equipped to exploit methods like programmatic or Programmatic Direct);
• It helps you obtain a much higher fill rate than you would do yourself (even when using proper platforms).

But does it only have its upsides? Let’s consider the possible flaws of using an ad network’s services:

• It’s rather for the bigger publishers – it might be hard for a smaller content creator to meet the requirements to join some of the biggest ad networks, as it’s more beneficial for them to establish cooperations with publishers who generate higher traffic and have a more attractive ad inventory;
• It can possibly over-rely on automation and fixed solutions – because they usually work with enormous numbers of clients, they might stick to what is commonly considered good and what “generally works” in terms of monetization instead of looking for personalized options;
• Typical ad networks are intermediaries between publishers and advertisers, so they have to look after the interests of both involved parties. This means that they very likely will not be able to do all they can to provide you with the best monetization conditions possible since it would create more challenging situations for the advertisers.

Popular ad networks

• Google AdSense is a reliable, one of the largest, and most popular ad networks. It’s dedicated to website owners, whether their audience displays content on desktop or mobile devices. A big advantage of AdSense is that there’s no requirement to generate a specific volume of page views; however, there are still quality guidelines that websites must adhere to. The solution is free, but there’s a 100$ minimum payout threshold. It simplifies website monetization, making it easy for users without extensive expertise. If you opt for selling your online advertising space with AdSense, you can also use numerous Google tutorials if such a need arises;
• AdRoll is one of the ad networks that offer many good solutions for websites and mobile app owners. They can implement many types of ads, including Native Banners, Push ads, or Pop-up ads. The network offers three main plan options to choose from: a pay-as-you-go one (with limited options), a Marketing & Ads plan (which starts at 36$ and includes services such as e-mail marketing), and an Advanced Package (that, among others, includes enhanced optimization services and is priced individually);
• Adsterra is a good choice if you want to choose from a wide range of ad formats, including display, video, and native ads. The network is known for its global reach and diverse advertising solutions. If you decide to sell ad inventory with this ad network, you will have an opportunity to monetize your traffic efficiently through high-paying ad placements and timely payouts.

If you haven’t found the perfect ad network among the above-mentioned ones, you can check out our article dedicated to AdSense alternatives, where we delve into details of all the most popular ad networks out there!

So, are ad networks for everyone?

We live in times of choices and options, so there are obviously companies in the market that may manifest better-suiting qualities for you than just usual ad networks. The common use of ever-new monetization methods has led to the evolution of ad networks into new entities. Such an example is optAd360, which, even if often called an ad network, is actually more focused on the publisher’s interests. The right partner can personalize their offer not only to make you feel taken care of and give you some valuable advice in terms of monetization but, above all, can lead you to generate satisfactory ad revenue. Check if your content is in line with the optAd360 requirements and if what you want to achieve is consistent with what we can offer. See you along the way!