After working for months to build a good website, now it’s time to monetize it. When it comes to monetization, all eyes glaze over Google Adsense. Yes, we know that it’s one of the best ad networks to monetize your platforms, but there are also other choices that you may also consider.
We can’t just simply pick one from the others. There are so many aspects to think about as well, like the system. Is it using CPC or CPM, or is the platform using the bidding system or random placement, like Adsense? So, before actually applying for one, it’s always wise to know what you’re dealing with.
If you want to have a platform that may offer bigger profit, then be ready to meet the higher requirements. Some platforms require publishers to have more than 1,000 or even 10,000 monthly views, while some don’t actually care about that. In the end, the platforms with high requirements will always be able to provide greater results compared to the ones that don’t apply any rules.
So, which one would you like to pick? Do you want an ad network that pays well, or do you just want to apply to any of them since it’s your first time monetizing a website? For every purpose and need, there will always be an option. And in this article, we want to provide a list of the 5 best ad networks for publishers. We also add some explanation about the system, pros, cons, and what others think to help you decide.
But before we’re going further talk about the choices that we have, we want to explain the tips for choosing the best ad networks. As mentioned above, people may have different preferences in the ad network they want to join. So in order to see which one is most suitable, follow the tips below:
The higher ad network size also means that there’s more variation in the ad inventory. With more advertisers to work with, you can do contextual targeting when asked. Contextual targeting or ad targeting based on the content is definitely helpful to maintain and increase user experience when opening the website. When they see a relevant ad, chances are they will click it.
Contextual targeting is surely more effective than random targeting. People often avoid the kind of ad that represents something different from the page they opened. In short, with contextual targeting, your page CTR will increase as well. Thus, an increase in user engagement is also increased.
But, in the long run, worse add quality may also worsen the user experience. As a result, people will leave your page because they feel the page is somehow not enjoyable to read. Imagine that you’ve spent hours creating a great piece of content and then ruined it because the ads show something completely different. The users will, understandably, be annoyed, and leave the page without leaving an impression. That’s how bad the worse-quality ads are.
A good platform is one that may offer multiple ad formats to be used. It doesn’t mean that a platform that has only one ad format is bad, of course. But with more ad formats to work with, you can also be creative in maximizing your profit, without actually ruining the user experience.
You can also make a combination to make the ads look appealing, like video ads or text ads, for example. Using multiple formats is great, but make sure not to overoptimize them.
Since Adsense has its own team to manually check your platform, you have to make your website or YouTube channel ready for monetization. The process may take a very long time, although it’s rewarding in the end. But, not all people are that lucky.
So, if you wish to look for alternatives, then the requirements, especially the traffic requirement is one aspect you really need to focus on. If this is your very first experience monetising a website, then we highly suggest platforms that don’t have strict rules about traffic.
Although logically, they pay less, they can give you the experience of how the whole monetization works. And it’s not a lifetime contract as well. When your website is growing, you can switch to other platforms anytime you like. Neat, right?
But other than CPC and CPM, there are other methods that most ad networks also use, like Cost Per View (CPV), Cost Per Action (CPA), of Fixed Cost. For the CPV, you’ll get paid every time the ad video is rolled. CPA works differently than any of the options above. It also requires more action.
If an ad network uses the CPA model, that means that you’ll get paid each time user does a specific task, like installing an app or filling out a questionnaire. Meanwhile, Fixed Cost works in a similar way to the traditional billboard mechanism. The advertisers play as renters who pay a good amount of money to rent the ads space publishers provide. So during a specific amount of time, their website will display the advertisers’ ads.
Other than the pricing model, you also need to see the payment terms. Usually, they use 30, 60, or 90 bases. If an ad network uses a 30-day payment, that means your balance can be transferred monthly, 60 every two months, and 90 every three months. Although it’s clear that there’s a difference, most ad networks use the 30-day payment terms.
Another aspect that is no less important is the payment options. See if the ad network is able to provide more than one payment method. Other than a bank transfer, an ad network should have a digital payment through internationally-known gateways, like Paypal or Pioneer. With an easier payment method, you can get your money more quickly and comfortably.
And before doing anything else, make sure that the ad network actually pays. See the people’s reviews to find some good and bads about it. If you notice even a single red flag, avoid it immediately, and look for other working alternatives.
The first option we have here is CodeFuel. The company has been around for years, starting in 2014. Today, it has become one of the most used ad networks, and a great alternative to Google Adsense.
With good relationships established with the publishers and advertisers, CodeFuel has been the medium to connect both parties to achieve greater results. Although the name didn’t feel familiar at first, publishers recognized CodeFuel immediately after understanding how it works.
Some people might say that the requirements are a bit high to achieve. But that’s just how it works to make sure that the platform offered by publishers is of top quality. In CodeFuel, advertisers are always looking for the best of the best. So, it’s logical to think that it requires the users to have a project of at least $10,000.
A high amount of revenue is obtained from various monetization methods offered. For example, there’s a way to monetize your browser extension, apps, and platforms. CodeFuel offers these options so that the publishers can get their way to obtain the most optimal profit they can get.
Best Features:
Pros:
Cons:
What They Said About It
According to some reviews, people do love using CodeFuel as an ad network. The amount of profit is pretty generous, and may even be higher than Adsense, at times. However, due to the high requirement, not all publishers can enter the partnership.
Click Here to Visit CodeFuel Website
The next one is Monumetric. Similar to CodeFuel, Monumetric also has ways of monetization you can use. They use a bidding system that connects advertisers and publishers directly. Other than that, the platform also has dynamic mobile ads, which are on trend.
Unlike most ad networks, Monumetric applies different plans, starting from the Propel, which requires publishers to have at least 10K views per month. The plan made was made to drive small and medium-sized publishers to grow.
As for the bigger publishers, they can have the Apolio plan instead, which requires more than 10M views per month.
Best Features:
Pros:
Cons:
What They Said About It
Since the platform offers different plans for different purposes, each publisher may find it easy to seek the best ad strategy for their own platforms. However, since the requirement is pretty tight, they need to work harder to achieve the desired results.
Click Here to Visit Monumetric
The next option we have here is the Propeller Ads. This is a special ad network for advertisers since it offers a generous amount of features, especially the ones related to fraud prevention. However, publishers can also get their hands on the platform if they want to look for a starter.
Best Features:
Pros:
Cons:
PropellerAds isn’t that bad by any means. Publishers, who want to monetize their website for the first time but struggling with the minimum traffic requirement, can use this platform instead of Adsense. Getting low profit from such a platform is understandable, but that’s okay since most publishers who use PropellerAds are beginners.
Click Here to Visit PropellerAds
Moving on, there’s a network called PubMatic. Similar to the ad networks mentioned above, PubMatic doesn’t only offer ways of monetization, but also solutions to make ads quality better, and connect agents between advertisers and publishers.
The bidding system that is used by most ad networks is now simplified in PubMatic. The marketplace is made private and the ad network uses a real-time bidding system to manage the competition. PubMatic also has other mention-worthy features, including an identity hub, quality tools, and much more.
Best Features:
The users like the idea of real-time bidding, and the features PubMatic offers are great and helpful. Most users who came to this ad network really enjoy the experience of a private marketplace as well since all feel more direct. However, some publishers have some complaints about it, especially about the payment terms.
Click Here to Visit PubMatic
The last one on the out list is PubWise, the programmatic ad platform that’s known for its ability to generate higher profit on par with Adsense. The platform works really well for both advertisers and publishers. It uses the bidding system and will offer detailed reporting about it to the publishers. The platform also has the feature to optimize performance so both advertisers and publishers can effectively achieve their desired results.
Best Features:
Pros:
What They Said About It
The overall experience of people who used PubWise is varied. Some say they experience great profit coming from the platforms due to the optimization. The payout term is also not problematic. After the revenue is generated, the publishers can take them on the 10th of every month. However, the users’ main complaint is about the dashboard. They reported it to be confusing and lacks functionalities.
Click Here to Visit PubWise
Although, remember that without this requirement, that means every publisher can enter, which results in a lower CPM and profit in general. However, use the opportunity to grow. In the future, you’ll certainly get higher revenue if you keep everything optimized and fresh.
We can’t just simply pick one from the others. There are so many aspects to think about as well, like the system. Is it using CPC or CPM, or is the platform using the bidding system or random placement, like Adsense? So, before actually applying for one, it’s always wise to know what you’re dealing with.
If you want to have a platform that may offer bigger profit, then be ready to meet the higher requirements. Some platforms require publishers to have more than 1,000 or even 10,000 monthly views, while some don’t actually care about that. In the end, the platforms with high requirements will always be able to provide greater results compared to the ones that don’t apply any rules.
So, which one would you like to pick? Do you want an ad network that pays well, or do you just want to apply to any of them since it’s your first time monetizing a website? For every purpose and need, there will always be an option. And in this article, we want to provide a list of the 5 best ad networks for publishers. We also add some explanation about the system, pros, cons, and what others think to help you decide.
But before we’re going further talk about the choices that we have, we want to explain the tips for choosing the best ad networks. As mentioned above, people may have different preferences in the ad network they want to join. So in order to see which one is most suitable, follow the tips below:
Tips for Choosing The Best Ad Networks
1. The Ad Network Size
It’s always better to pick an ad network with more than 10,000 advertisers rather than one with 1,000 advertisers. Why? Because the more advertisers are there, there are more chances that your website will be monetized.The higher ad network size also means that there’s more variation in the ad inventory. With more advertisers to work with, you can do contextual targeting when asked. Contextual targeting or ad targeting based on the content is definitely helpful to maintain and increase user experience when opening the website. When they see a relevant ad, chances are they will click it.
Contextual targeting is surely more effective than random targeting. People often avoid the kind of ad that represents something different from the page they opened. In short, with contextual targeting, your page CTR will increase as well. Thus, an increase in user engagement is also increased.
2. Ads Quality
People often said that the ads that you often see on the internet reflect the content that you previously accessed. However, it’s not always true. Most of the time, publishers don’t care about what kind of ads that will be displayed on their sites. As long as it’s not something related to adultery or anything that will get their site banned, they’ll be okay with it.But, in the long run, worse add quality may also worsen the user experience. As a result, people will leave your page because they feel the page is somehow not enjoyable to read. Imagine that you’ve spent hours creating a great piece of content and then ruined it because the ads show something completely different. The users will, understandably, be annoyed, and leave the page without leaving an impression. That’s how bad the worse-quality ads are.
3. Colorful Ad Formats
Some people like to stay with banner ads, while others enjoy the experience (and profit) from pop-ups under ads. Aside from the niche itself, people do have differences in the types of ads they want to display.A good platform is one that may offer multiple ad formats to be used. It doesn’t mean that a platform that has only one ad format is bad, of course. But with more ad formats to work with, you can also be creative in maximizing your profit, without actually ruining the user experience.
You can also make a combination to make the ads look appealing, like video ads or text ads, for example. Using multiple formats is great, but make sure not to overoptimize them.
4. Requirements
Another important aspect to consider. When talking about an ad network in general, most people would refer to Google Adsense as the top one. In general, Adsense is great. Until now, many people are still making a living out of the platform. But in all honesty, getting accepted to Adsense isn’t as easy as you might think.Since Adsense has its own team to manually check your platform, you have to make your website or YouTube channel ready for monetization. The process may take a very long time, although it’s rewarding in the end. But, not all people are that lucky.
So, if you wish to look for alternatives, then the requirements, especially the traffic requirement is one aspect you really need to focus on. If this is your very first experience monetising a website, then we highly suggest platforms that don’t have strict rules about traffic.
Although logically, they pay less, they can give you the experience of how the whole monetization works. And it’s not a lifetime contract as well. When your website is growing, you can switch to other platforms anytime you like. Neat, right?
5. Payment Terms and Options
Ad networks use different compensation methods. Generally, they use CPC or Cost Per Click or CPM, which is Cost Per Mile. CPC is often used for websites. Each time the ad is clicked, you’ll get paid. And as for CPM, the amount is counted for every mile or 1,000 views. Let’s say on one video you get 10,000 views while the CPC is around $10; you may gain $100 as a profit.But other than CPC and CPM, there are other methods that most ad networks also use, like Cost Per View (CPV), Cost Per Action (CPA), of Fixed Cost. For the CPV, you’ll get paid every time the ad video is rolled. CPA works differently than any of the options above. It also requires more action.
If an ad network uses the CPA model, that means that you’ll get paid each time user does a specific task, like installing an app or filling out a questionnaire. Meanwhile, Fixed Cost works in a similar way to the traditional billboard mechanism. The advertisers play as renters who pay a good amount of money to rent the ads space publishers provide. So during a specific amount of time, their website will display the advertisers’ ads.
Other than the pricing model, you also need to see the payment terms. Usually, they use 30, 60, or 90 bases. If an ad network uses a 30-day payment, that means your balance can be transferred monthly, 60 every two months, and 90 every three months. Although it’s clear that there’s a difference, most ad networks use the 30-day payment terms.
Another aspect that is no less important is the payment options. See if the ad network is able to provide more than one payment method. Other than a bank transfer, an ad network should have a digital payment through internationally-known gateways, like Paypal or Pioneer. With an easier payment method, you can get your money more quickly and comfortably.
And before doing anything else, make sure that the ad network actually pays. See the people’s reviews to find some good and bads about it. If you notice even a single red flag, avoid it immediately, and look for other working alternatives.
The 5 Best Ad Networks for Publishers
1 - CodeFuel
The first option we have here is CodeFuel. The company has been around for years, starting in 2014. Today, it has become one of the most used ad networks, and a great alternative to Google Adsense.
With good relationships established with the publishers and advertisers, CodeFuel has been the medium to connect both parties to achieve greater results. Although the name didn’t feel familiar at first, publishers recognized CodeFuel immediately after understanding how it works.
Some people might say that the requirements are a bit high to achieve. But that’s just how it works to make sure that the platform offered by publishers is of top quality. In CodeFuel, advertisers are always looking for the best of the best. So, it’s logical to think that it requires the users to have a project of at least $10,000.
A high amount of revenue is obtained from various monetization methods offered. For example, there’s a way to monetize your browser extension, apps, and platforms. CodeFuel offers these options so that the publishers can get their way to obtain the most optimal profit they can get.
Best Features:
- Ads optimization, which works amazingly
- Various monetization methods to maximize profits
Pros:
- The UI is simple and easy to learn
- Variety of monetization
- Analytic tools are already available at the start
- The platform may integrate with other tools, including the analytics
- There’s an ad optimization tool
Cons:
- The requirement is considered high for small and medium-sized publishers.
What They Said About It
According to some reviews, people do love using CodeFuel as an ad network. The amount of profit is pretty generous, and may even be higher than Adsense, at times. However, due to the high requirement, not all publishers can enter the partnership.
Click Here to Visit CodeFuel Website
2 - Monumetric
The next one is Monumetric. Similar to CodeFuel, Monumetric also has ways of monetization you can use. They use a bidding system that connects advertisers and publishers directly. Other than that, the platform also has dynamic mobile ads, which are on trend.
Unlike most ad networks, Monumetric applies different plans, starting from the Propel, which requires publishers to have at least 10K views per month. The plan made was made to drive small and medium-sized publishers to grow.
As for the bigger publishers, they can have the Apolio plan instead, which requires more than 10M views per month.
Best Features:
- Has advanced technologies for ad implementation
- Ad strategies will be thoroughly explained
- The experts will help small and medium-sized publishers to grow
- Track earning feature
- Detailed reports to track the progress
Pros:
- Has lots variety of ads, including optimized mobile ads
- Has different plans for different types of publisher
Cons:
- The requirement is high, with at least 10K a month.
What They Said About It
Since the platform offers different plans for different purposes, each publisher may find it easy to seek the best ad strategy for their own platforms. However, since the requirement is pretty tight, they need to work harder to achieve the desired results.
Click Here to Visit Monumetric
3 - PropellerAds
The next option we have here is the Propeller Ads. This is a special ad network for advertisers since it offers a generous amount of features, especially the ones related to fraud prevention. However, publishers can also get their hands on the platform if they want to look for a starter.
Best Features:
- The AI-driver technology will help you to achieve greater results
- There’s full transparency between the publishers, advertisers, and the platform
- Each user will be given powerful tools to work with.
- Fraud detection that runs in real-time
- Ads re-targeting optimization
Pros:
- One of the ad networks that doesn’t apply traffic requirement
- The payment threshold is pretty low
- Fast payment is possible on this platform.
Cons:
- Websites that don’t use English, will experience lower revenue.
- Has lower CPM as well
PropellerAds isn’t that bad by any means. Publishers, who want to monetize their website for the first time but struggling with the minimum traffic requirement, can use this platform instead of Adsense. Getting low profit from such a platform is understandable, but that’s okay since most publishers who use PropellerAds are beginners.
Click Here to Visit PropellerAds
4 - PubMatic
Moving on, there’s a network called PubMatic. Similar to the ad networks mentioned above, PubMatic doesn’t only offer ways of monetization, but also solutions to make ads quality better, and connect agents between advertisers and publishers.
The bidding system that is used by most ad networks is now simplified in PubMatic. The marketplace is made private and the ad network uses a real-time bidding system to manage the competition. PubMatic also has other mention-worthy features, including an identity hub, quality tools, and much more.
Best Features:
- The ad quality is properly maintained and monitored
- Real-time bidding system to make everything much more practical
- Private marketplace
- Has a bunch of useful services for profit optimization
- Uses the real-time bidding system, or RTB
- The analytics are great and precise
- Doesn’t have integration with some mobile DSPs.
The users like the idea of real-time bidding, and the features PubMatic offers are great and helpful. Most users who came to this ad network really enjoy the experience of a private marketplace as well since all feel more direct. However, some publishers have some complaints about it, especially about the payment terms.
Click Here to Visit PubMatic
5 - PubWise
The last one on the out list is PubWise, the programmatic ad platform that’s known for its ability to generate higher profit on par with Adsense. The platform works really well for both advertisers and publishers. It uses the bidding system and will offer detailed reporting about it to the publishers. The platform also has the feature to optimize performance so both advertisers and publishers can effectively achieve their desired results.
Best Features:
- Feature to help publishers to manage the bidding system on their ad space
- Amplifying performance through a header bidding system
- Has access to Google Adsense
- Also offers ad optimization, direct controls over the ads, and analytics.
Pros:
- Has a free trial that can be used to feel the experience for the first time
- Excellent customer support that works 24/7, responsive in handling users’ problems while offering solutions
- The tracking system is great.
- The dashboard is not user-friendly, so it needs to be fixed so users can know what they’re actually accessing.
What They Said About It
The overall experience of people who used PubWise is varied. Some say they experience great profit coming from the platforms due to the optimization. The payout term is also not problematic. After the revenue is generated, the publishers can take them on the 10th of every month. However, the users’ main complaint is about the dashboard. They reported it to be confusing and lacks functionalities.
Click Here to Visit PubWise
Conclusion
So, which of the ad networks above you’d like to try first? Collaborating with ad networks is a great way to finally gain an income from your website. Although most ad networks usually apply the minimum traffic requirements, some don’t. So if this is your first time monetizing your blog, then look for the ones that don’t have them, like some of the options we’ve provided above, for example.Although, remember that without this requirement, that means every publisher can enter, which results in a lower CPM and profit in general. However, use the opportunity to grow. In the future, you’ll certainly get higher revenue if you keep everything optimized and fresh.
