Most publishers start their monetization journey with Google AdSense. It lets them create ad units, place them on their websites, and see dollars roll in. As web traffic starts to grow, publishers integrate a Google ad manager account, opening a bigger pool of demand.

Publishers are provided with new ad customizations like creating line items and setting priorities to sell premium and remnant inventory. Not limited to that Google ad manager account opens up new methods of dealings—direct deal, programmatic guaranteed, open auction.

Along with all this, publishers are also presented with the opportunity to integrate AdSense and Ad Exchange to Google ad manager account (GAM). In this post, we are discussing why and how publishers use this GAM feature.

But first, let’s clear the basic understanding these Google products.

Google AdSense: AdSense is Google’s ad network , majorly used by new and small-scale publishers for website monetization. A publisher starts by getting approval from AdSense to use the platform, followed by Google scrutinizing whether the website meets minimum requirements.

If you are abiding by all the adsense policies , Google approves the publishers to use AdSense services. It, then, asks publishers to generate a code and place it on their website. Upon successful implementation, publishers are allowed to create ad layouts and place them on their website. It allows monitoring ad units, tracking their performance, and updating as required. AdSense gets buyers from Google Ads (another Google service for advertisers and a part of Google Display Network).

Google Ad Exchange (formerly DoubleClick Ad Exchange): AdX is a real-time markeplace that hosts variety of inventory sellers and buyers. Using AdX, publishers can go for real-time biddings, private auctions, and preferred deals. When it comes to signing up, AdX has higher eligibility requirements than AdSense, making it tricky for most publishers to access AdX services.

Google Ad Manager (formerly DoubleClick for Publishers): It’s an ad server for publishers. After the rebranding of its product in 2018, Google merged DFP and AdX for better delivery and monetization. It lets publishers manage, segregate, and monetize their inventory (display, video, and app) under a single dashboard. Google ad manager account comes in two variations, Ad Manager for Small Publishers (free) and Ad Manager 360 (paid). 

Why Should You Add AdSense and AdX to GAM Line Items?

Google Ad Manager only offers a platform for publishers to manage their inventory. When it comes to selling it, they need demand partners and advertisers. For that, most publishers have direct deals and relationships for yield partners.

However, there is – still – some amount of inventory left that remains unsold – remnant inventory. This is when it is advised to publishers to involve AdSense and AdX to the mix.

AdSense is great when it comes to handling leftover inventory. It directly takes impressions to Google Display Network and find a well-paying buyer.

Similarly, AdX is known to have the largest pool of demand partners willing to pay good dollar to reach the right audience.

Apart from remnant inventory handling, one should also consider the competition these platforms bring to your inventory. Basically, Google is very competitive when it comes to winning an impression – thanks to its sophisticated algorithm to match advertisers and users. Likewise, it adding AdX and AdSense to the mix ensures that you have the right deal and getting paid the fair amount for your inventory.

Google Ad Manager deals in line items that capture delivery details and creative details for advertisers. While setting up line items, publishers set types and priorities to them. Premium inventories have high priority and is sold as guaranteed inventory, while non-guaranteed line items (with low priority) might suffer from unfilled impressions.

And finally, GAM ease out the reporting. Since everything is managed under one dashboard, publishers can easily see and compare the performance of various yield partners vs. AdSense and AdX.

How to Link AdSense and AdX to Google Ad Manager?

As a first step to use AdSense and AdX with GAM, publishers must link these services. Here’s how to do that:

• Launch Google Ad Manager dashboard, go to Admin >> Linked Account.
• Click on New AdSense link and/or New Ad Exchange link button.
• Add details of your AdSense / Ad Exchange account and Save.

If you are unable to see the above options on your Google Ad Manager account, then either contact a Google sales representative or get in touch with a Google Certified Publishing Partner (like AdPushup) to enable linking.

Note: Make sure you have access to Google AdX to continue. If not, we (AdPushup) can help you get it.

Set up AdSense in Google Ad Manager

In Google Ad Manager, AdSense can be set for network and ad unit level. If the setting is applied to the network level, AdSense works for all ad units as default, unless it is manually overridden while setting an individual ad unit. This means ad unit level settings take precedence over the network level settings.

Enable AdSense for Google Ad Manager network

• On the GAM dashboard, click Inventory >> Network settings.
• Enable Maximize revenue of unsold inventory with AdSense and Save it.

Enable AdSense for a Specific Ad Unit

• On the GAM dashboard, click Inventory >> Ad units.
• Create a new ad unit.
• Enable Maximize revenue of unsold inventory with AdSense and Save it.

Compete AdSense and Ad Exchange with Google Ad Manager

In order to make AdSense or Ad Exchange compete with Google ad manager account, publishers need to get started by creating line items. Also, make sure dynamic allocation is enabled.

Dynamic allocation makes sure that only the highest bidder wins each impression. With this setting, Google compares each bid coming in from AdSense or Ad Exchange with an existing GAM line item to choose the winning bid.

Here’s how you can do this:

• On the GAM dashboard, go to Delivery >> Order >> New Order.
• Under Line item, click on Type and choose AdSense or Ad Exchange.
• Complete other settings for this line item and Save.

Note: Publishers don’t need to add AdSense or Ad Exchange tag to their websites for AdSense line item or Ad Exchange line item to work. Once enabled via GAM, Google Publisher Tag will take care of delivery from AdSense or Ad Exchange network.

In Closing

Google ad exchange can, indeed, bring you the best revenue for your remnant inventories. By exposing the ad inventories to numerous advertisers in real-time, a publisher can leverage Google’s AdX solution to optimize and monetize every ad impression.

So, if your site is big enough or growing constantly, it’s high time to get in touch with a Google Certified Publishing Partner.

if something is still bugging you about the set up, the fill the below form and get in touch with our experts.