There are a lot of techniques and hacks that web publishers use to maximise ad revenue such as A/B testing, header bidding, lazy loading ads, et al. One such commonly used technique is known as auto-refresh ads. In this post, we’re going to explain what auto-refresh ads are, how they work, who should use them, and things to keep in mind before implementing them. What are A … [Read more...]
Header Bidding Wrappers: Explained
We’ve covered header bidding, the technology that enables publishers to offer their inventory to multiple ad exchanges simultaneously, many times on this blog before. But we haven't discussed the header bidding wrappers yet—an essential part of the process. First, let’s recap. Header bidding allows publishers to increase their ad revenue by creating bid pressure for the ad in … [Read more...]
How to Use Key-value Targeting in Google Ad Manager
Google Ad Manager (previously called DoubleClick for Publishers or DFP) is one of the most popular ad servers in the market and for good reason, its simple user interface coupled with powerful features such as key-value targeting. Key-value targeting enables publishers to organize inventory, target ads to a specific audience, webpage, ad slots, and improve reporting. Before … [Read more...]
What is Server-Side Ad Insertion? And How Does it Work?
Exact numbers on ad block usage for video are hard to come by, but YouTuber PewDiePie has gone on record to say that almost 40% of the subscribers to his channel are using ad block. Video creators are feeling the heat, losing anywhere between 30-40% of their ad revenue, and this has prompted ad tech companies to innovate and find ways to circumvent ad blockers on the video f … [Read more...]
First-Price Auctions vs. Second-Price Auctions—Understanding What They Mean and How They Differ
Last year, The Drum released a report on auction systems in collaboration with The Rubicon Project. The survey included 176 publishers or mobile app developers (45% sellers), and 204 DSPs, agencies and trading desks (53% buyers). One of the most key findings from the survey were that nearly 50% of buyers and sellers don’t understand the differences between first and second pr … [Read more...]
UX Fixes to Increase Time on Site and Decrease Bounce Rate
Most web publishers measure their performance in number of page views. While page views tell you how many people visited your website, it doesn't tell you how long they stayed. Ultimately, it doesn't matter how many people are visiting your website, what matters is whether they're sticking around long enough—that's what your conversions and revenue depend on. In this post, we … [Read more...]
Explainer: What is a Supply-Side Platform?
Ad tech loves its three-letter acronyms, and one of the most commonly heard ones is SSP, short for supply-side platform. So, what are supply-side platforms? Who uses them? And how do they work? Here's everything you need to know. What is a supply-side platform? A supply-side platform (SSP), also known as a sell-side platform, is a technology platform that enables web … [Read more...]
Going Forward, AdBlock Plus Won’t Block These Types of Mobile Ads
Last year, eyeo, the company that makes AdBlock Plus, handed over the reigns of the Acceptable Ads Committee to handful of independent members including users, publishers, advertisers, and researchers. The committee is tasked with defining the Acceptable Ads criteria, i.e., which types of non-disruptive ads are users okay with? The intention is to find a middle ground … [Read more...]
Google Gives Advertisers the Option to Buy Ads.txt Authorised-Only Inventory
Google has announced that advertisers using Display and Video 360 (previously known as DoubleClick Bid Manager) will now have the option of exclusively buying inventory that has been authorised by a publisher's ads.txt file; currently an opt-in, Google will make this a default setting by the end of this year. What's ads.txt? It's a protocol created by the IAB Tech Lab to … [Read more...]
“Speed Update”: Faster Web Pages Now Rank Higher in Mobile Search
Site speed first became a signal for search back in 2010 when Google announced that it was going to factor in how quickly a website loads into its search algorithm. This made sense: Users place a lot of importance on how fast a page loads and Google is obsessed with delivering good user experience. According to Google's own estimate, this change was to affect less than 1% of … [Read more...]