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Rich francis
Rich francis

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A Quick Guide to Video Ad Networks for Publishers

Do you want to make more money on your website? Ad networks are one of the best ways to do this. Ad networks allow you to generate revenue by displaying ads on your site or within videos that run on your site. It can be overwhelming trying to decide on which Ad network is right for you. Many Ad networks have different features and benefits that they offer advertisers. Some Ad networks will work better with certain types of videos than others. In this guide, we'll go over the most popular Ad networks and discuss their best features so you can make an informed decision when choosing an Ad network for your website.

Here’s what you will learn in this Guide:

  • What are video ads?
  • Different Types of video ad formats
  • Which Ad network is right for you
  • How to Monetize Online Videos with Ad Networks

What are Video Ads for Publishers?

Put simply, an Ad networks partner up with a large number of publishers and provide them access to available video ads that are on their site. The clicks and views seen on the publisher's site can lead to potential customers or buyers. Advertisers then pay the Ad network for views or clicks of these ads. Publishers then get a share of these generated revenue.

ad networks

Image credit to: brid.tv

There are two types of video ads:

Direct-sold video ads: This type of ad is sold manually and has to go through client negotiations to discuss and satisfy the needs of the client. Advertisers then pay Ad networks to place their ads on specific websites or videos.

Programmatic video ads: Advertisers bid for ad placement on Ad Networks. Programmatic advertising is the automated buying and selling of online media space, primarily through real-time bidding (RTB) in an open auction environment with various types of targeting methods available. Many publishers utilize this method because it allows them access to a wider range of advertisers that they would not normally have if they relied solely on direct-sold campaigns.

Types of Video Ad Formats
There are three main types of video ad formats for publishers to choose from:

  1. Pre-rolls which occur before your content begins.
  2. Mid-Rolls happen during playback in the middle of a piece of content.
  3. Post-rolls take place after viewing has finished but while still on-screen/in view.

Which Ad network is right for you?
As we mentioned earlier, there are many Ad networks out there and most Ad networks offer different features and benefits that they can provide to you as a publisher. Here are some of the top Ad network options:

Amazon Publisher Services - Amazon Ad Network is a direct-sold ad network that allows you to monetize your video content. Advertisers can search and select from over one million videos on the Ad network to run their ads against. Amazon offers competitive CPM rates, access to well-known brands, and provides publishers with detailed reports.

AdPushup - is an Ad network that focuses on Pre-roll and Post-roll video ads and offers a wide range of targeting options. Advertisers can target particular user segments or even specific websites for their pre/post-roll video ad campaigns. AdPushup also has the option to offer direct deals with advertisers so publishers have access to premium traffic

Google Adsense – Advertisers place bids for ad placement on Google AdSense Ad Network and the highest bidder wins the spot during programmatic auctions. Ads are displayed with or near your video content. Adsense offers a competitive CPM rate, easy integration and access to rich Ad formats such as skippable video ads or companion banners that can be placed on your site with the click of a button

AdPlayer.Pro - AdPlayer.Pro oustream solution for publishers enables publishers to monetize their inventory with video ads outside the conventional, video content environment. Namely, publishers can benefit from integrating outstream video ad units in-between or onhover their editorial content, which allows ensuring maximum ad viewability without disrupting viewers website experience.

Discovery - Advertiser bids on your inventory through Ad Manager for placement in Discovery-owned apps, TV shows or videos.
Outbrain - an Ad network that focuses on bringing publishers high-quality, customized content recommendations. Outbrain can be integrated into a publisher's website or blog with just one line of code.

Virool - Advertisers place bids for ad placement on the Virool Ad Network and their bid is entered into an automated auction to determine which advert will be shown to end-users. Advertisers are charged when the ad is displayed.

Videology - Advertisers place bids for ad placement on Videology Ad Network and the highest bidder wins during an automated auction that determines which video will be shown to end-users. The advertiser pays a fee only if their advertisement is served after AdVend Network has received the video ad slot.

CodeFuel Ad Network - This Ad network offers Pre-roll, Mid-Roll and Post-roll ads. Advertisers include Amazon, Microsoft, Walmart & Under Armour. Advertisements are viewable on desktop devices only. Most of the Ad networks you'll encounter will be focused solely on video ad placements but CodeFuel also has display advertising solutions for publishers looking to diversify their advertising options.

Conclusion
As Ad networks continue to grow, Advertisers are looking for more options and publishers will benefit from the additional revenue streams. Advertisers are also looking for more Ad networks to choose from in order to get the most appropriate ad placement on their sites. Advertiser competition will drive Ad network bids up which in turn, results in higher revenue potential for publishers!

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