Monetize with Ads Networks

Over the past year, there has been a distinct trend in the kinds of network buys advertisers are making, creating interesting implications for publishers. With more sophisticated targeting capabilities available from networks, advertisers are increasingly addressing multiple objectives through network segmentation.

While individual endemic website inventory remains a core branding vehicle, networks provide a valuable addition to the branding mix. (For those not familiar with the term "endemic sites," these are essentially vertical-specific sites. For example, an endemic website for an automotive advertiser would be Cars.com; an endemic site for a movie advertiser would be Fandango.) This is good news for publishers, because the more sophisticated the targeting tools a network can offer to advertisers, the higher the potential inventory yield for publishers.

The new network advertising
As branding dollars spent online increase, advertisers are finding networks to be an efficient complement to endemic site buys. As the space continues to become more fragmented, buyers are finding that networks are not only cost-effective, but also offer outcomes which are more granular and measurable than ever.

Examples of the newer, high-value solutions available include content channel targeting, demographic and psychographic targeting, behavioral targeting, publisher approved network/site transparency and rich media solutions.

What network brand advertising means for publishers
The emergence of these more robust network advertising creates lucrative opportunities for publishers. It also raises some issues, especially when it comes to website disclosure. Website disclosure can open doors to significantly higher advertising dollars.

The key to navigating the disclosure issue successfully is to establish a good relationship with a reputable network. Begin by opening up website disclosure to limited, trusted network partners. Networks, in turn, while offering advertisers more selectivity in content and audience, must be sensitive to their relationships with individual publishers.

A trusted network partner will never position their offerings as a cheaper route to access inventory on a site-specific basis because a) it is likely not the case, and b) it will put their relationship with the publisher at risk.

The truth is, while a percentage or area of a site's inventory can be allocated to an ad network, it does not always provide the same branding or customizable opportunities for advertisers that an endemic media buy does. Targeted network buys and endemic buys are two different and complementary marketing tools, and a good network partner will represent the relationship that way.

A positive evolution
While brand advertising over a network remains a fundamentally different sale than an endemic website sale, both can mean high revenue to publishers. The trend on networks is to offer more sophisticated and targeted solutions, whether it is display advertising, behavioral, demographic or content targeting, wireless or video.

With advertisers willing to pay more for these formats, publishers stand to gain. The key is to choose network partners that provide responsible disclosure, a solid track record with publishers, and the solutions, reach and advertiser relationships to ensure long-term results, simplified administration, and a truly strategic partnership.

There are several payment plans, depending on the advertising campaign of each company.

PPC stands for Pay Per Click. Basically you need to sign up with a certain Ads Network and paste some code snippets on your website. The network will then serve contextual ads (either text or images) relevant to the content of your website, and you will earn a certain amount of money for every click.

Some companies will pay money, simply to have their banner displayed on your site and seen by 1000 people, regardless of whether someone clicks on the banner or not. This type of advertising is called CPM (cost per 1000).

Others will pay you anywhere from 5 to 10 cents for every person that clicks on their banner on your site. This type of advertising is called CPC (cost per click).

Other campaigns will not pay just for displaying a banner, and not even for a click, but only if someone actually buys something, or orders a free product sample. This type of advertising is called CPA (cost per action).

While CPM advertising agencies prefer to deal with large established websites only, CPA agencies welcome smaller sites and startups as well.

Once you place advertising on your website, the advertising agencies will automatically track how much you earn, and once a month they will send you a check. So, all you have to do is concentrate on your website and do what you have always done.