Read our complete guide to know what is ad network integration, how it works, and why it’s a game-changer for modern publishers.
Ad revenue in 2025 isn’t about serving impressions anymore. It’s a thoughtful amalgamation of intelligent delivery, integration precision, and positive user experience.
For publishers looking to optimize yield and tap into premium ad demand, understanding “what is ad network integration” isn’t optional; it is essential.
Our guide will help you decode what ad network integration is, implementation methods, key benefits, and best practices for choosing the right ad network integration strategy for your app or website.
What is an Ad Network?
An ad network is an intermediary between publishers (ad space sellers) and advertisers (ad space buyers) that facilitates the exchange of ad inventory. Think of it as a bridge connecting two islands for trade.
In layman’s terms, an ad network is a platform that connects publishers with advertisers who are looking to advertise on their websites.
What is Ad Network Integration? (Ad Network Integration Meaning)
With ad networks comes another question: “what is ad network integration?”. Let’s answer that.
For publishers, ad network integration is the process of technically connecting an ad network/s to the SSP to initiate ad space sales. In many cases, it also includes adding (more like integrating) an ad network to a publisher’s initial ad stack.
This integration allows ad networks to:
- Access the publisher’s ad inventory
- Serve relevant ads to the publisher’s audience
- Track performance metrics (impressions, clicks, conversions)
Types of Ad Network Integration
When discussing ad network integration, there are mainly three types, depending on the ad stack that the publisher is using. These include:
1. Website Ad Network Integration
Website integration involves integrating the ad network (s) with the publisher’s ad inventory. Such integrations are performed via the manual insertion of Tags (JavaScript code snippets), WordPress plugins, or CMS-specific extensions.
2. App Ad Network Integration
On the other hand, app integration involves integrating the ad network (s) with the app’s inventory. Unlike websites, app integration involves more technicality and is mainly achieved through SDKs.
How Ad Network Integration Works?
There are two methods of ad network integration – manual and automated. Let’s look at each of them in detail.
1. Manual Ad Network Integration
As the name suggests, manual integration involves human intervention in setting up the ad network functionality for the website or application. While manual integration provides granular control to publishers, it requires constant optimization to maintain a rising yield graph.
1.1 Tags/JS Code Snippets:
The simplest integration for publishers is the manual insertion of tags. Here, the ad network provides tags to the publisher to embed within the HTML code of the website.
These provide greater control of the ad inventory to the publisher. However, if the code snippets embedded are synchronous tags, it can impact the page load speed. If the ad is slow to load, the entire web page won’t load until the ad loads.
To solve this problem, the industry introduced asynchronous tags. These tags load independently of the website’s HTML code. Even if the ad is slow to load, it won’t affect the overall page load speed. The rest of the page would still load; in some cases, it may require technical expertise on the publisher’s end.
Nowadays, publishers prefer asynchronous tags to maintain their Core Web Vitals and provide a positive user experience for viewers.
There’s another type of tag integration called iFrame or inline Frame. It is a framework embedded within the HTML code of the website. The Ad Tags are placed within the framework, which isolates it from the main website’s code.
Publishers use iFrame to secure the functionality of their website and the layout in case the ad is poorly coded.
The best example of JavaScript insertion is AP Tags (AdPushup Tags). We provide tags to publishers, which they copy and paste into their website code to initiate the ad delivery process. For this, we require two things: the size of the tag (basically the ad size) and the number of tags you want of each size.
The final AdUnit code would look like this:
These tags are added within the body of the HTML code wherever the ads are to be rendered.
1.2 Header Bidding Implementation
Header bidding comes next. A subset of real-time bidding, header bidding can substantially increase a publisher’s yield. Publishers using AdPushup’s header bidding solution have experienced an average 40% uplift in ad revenue.
Unlike standard tags, the single-line HB tag is embedded within the header section of the website’ code. Whenever the user visits a website, the browser reads the code along with the HB code. And from there, the whole client-side header bidding process starts.
Let’s understand this through another product of ours – AP Lite (AdPushup Lite). AP Lite is an enterprise solution for publishers that combines the finesse of Ad Refresh and
Header Bidding. Again, our AdOps experts generate the code according to the specifications provided by the publishers, and you just have to copy-paste it.
The final code looks like this:
1.3 WordPress Plug-in/CMS-specific Extensions
Many blogging and small-business websites are created using content management system (CMS) software, such as WordPress. These platforms offer a cost-effective option for publishers to manage content and integrate ads into their websites.
Building on the CMS’s popularity, many ad networks offer easy-to-implement plug-ins or extensions to seamlessly integrate it with CMS websites. With some plug-ins, you can directly insert the code snippet without actually touching the code. However, even with plug-ins, you can utilize your technical comfort and insert the code manually within the HTML code.
For example, Google offers a Site Kit for WordPress by Google that connects your website to Google AdSense for website monetization.
1.4 Single SDK Integration
In manual integration, the publisher downloads and integrates the SDK of each ad network separately. Additionally, it is the publisher who must write the code to initialize each SDK, request ads, handle callbacks, and display ads. This entire process requires copying and pasting the code ad unit-wise for each placement within the app.
2. Automated Ad Network Integration
Automated integration is a simpler form of ad network integration that streamlines the process of working with ad network/s. It takes away the pain of manually inserting the code snippet. Instead, you simply need to follow one primary integration that will handle the rest of the functionality.
2.1 Unified SDK for SDK Mediation
Single SDKs can be troublesome for managing ad inventory. Managing individual SDKs for each ad network is tiresome and resource-consuming. It not only takes time but can also slow down the development of your publishing process.
To solve this problem, many publishers opt for SDK mediation using a unified SDK. Here, the ad networks provide a single, unified SDK to publishers, enabling them to integrate multiple demand sources and mediate among them.
Mediation SDKs are crucial for preventing conflicts across ad networks and reducing ad load delays, thereby enhancing the overall user experience in both Android and iOS apps.
To put it in a simpler way, an Ad SDK simplifies the process of ad serving within the publisher’s app without having to write the code from scratch.
AdPushup’s Mobile SDK is an excellent example of Unified SDK. It is a comprehensive SDK-based monetization wrapper for mobile apps, providing unified access to top-demand sources. The app publisher simply has to remove their current SDK integrations or mediation layers and embed our unified SDK.
With its built-in mediation logic, AP Mobile SDK minimizes bloat through its smart auction handling. Additionally, the lightweight SDK is available in multiple modules for iOS, Android, OTT/CTV, and WebView.
2.2 Ads in Cross-platform Apps
Many developers and app publishers are choosing cross-platform development to avoid writing separate code for iOS and Android. To achieve this, they utilize cross-platform frameworks such as React Native, Flutter, and Unity.
To integrate ads into such apps, ad networks offer separate SDKs that act as wrappers for the Android and iOS SDKs. This, in turn, provides a unified front for app publishers to run ads. For example,
- React Native users can use libraries like react-native-google-mobile-ads to integrate Google AdMob ads.
- On the other hand, Flutter users can use google-mobile-ads libraries or packages to integrate AdMob. However, Flutter developers may have to make additional configurations in native Android (e.g., build.gradle, AndroidManifest.xml) and iOS (e.g., Info.plist) project files before displaying ads.
2.3 Server Side Ad Insertion (SSAI)
Also known as Dynamic Ad Insertion, the ads are integrated into the video content on the server side before being delivered to the user’s device. However, in client-side ad insertion, the story is different.
The video gets paused when the ad is due. Then, the video player makes an ad request to the ad server, to which it responds. The player loads and plays the ad, and the video content is finally resumed.
SSAI offers publishers more long-term benefits, including high views because of uninterrupted video streaming (with no ad buffering), and wider device compatibility.
Benefits of Ad Network Integration
1. Revenue Optimization
Ad Network integration helps you access multiple demand partners at once. If you use a unified SDK, this process becomes even more straightforward. Multiple demand partners will increase bid pressure for each impression, which will, in turn, result in a higher eCPM.
2. Operational Efficiency
Ad network integrations provide a high level of operational efficiency by automating the majority of the ad-serving processes. This reduces the load on the publisher, allowing them to focus more on strategy. The networks manage payment collection, ad-serving technology, and campaign optimization. This reduces the operational load on the publisher, allowing them to focus more on strategy.
3. Advanced Targeting Capabilities
Ad networks bring sophisticated targeting capabilities that many publishers couldn’t develop independently. By leveraging user data and behavioral insights across the network, it brings the most relevant ads to the users. Combining this with publisher’s first-party data makes the targeting more refined, hence commanding higher eCPMs.
4. Access to Premium Demand
Ad network integration provides access to top-tier demand that a small publisher might never reach directly. This opens doors to higher-paying campaigns and more consistent revenue streams that would be difficult to secure through direct sales efforts.
5. Real-time Insights
Publishers gain access to detailed performance data, including which ad placements work best, audience demographics, and revenue trends. This information helps optimize site layout, content strategy, and future monetization decisions.
How to Choose the best Ad Network Integration Solution?
1. Ad Networks Supported
If you are opting for a unified SDK, do cross-check the number of ad networks you can use to mediate. Apart from this, consider the quality of the demand as well. The integration won’t be fruitful if the demand doesn’t align with your website or app niche.
Check the historical performance of the ad network to get your answers.
2. Ease of Integration
As a modern-day publisher, you shouldn’t have to worry about codes and integrations when they can be outsourced. Look for an ad network that offers pre-built SDK or no-code options. Additionally, consider how easy it will be to upgrade or remove the integration.
For this, it’s better to look for networks that offer plug-and-play solutions and test environments to verify the integration before going live.
3. Ad Format Variety
The ad format is a crucial factor when selecting the best ad network integration for your publishing or app business. Opt for an integration that offers ad formats that match your audience’s online behavior. For example, rewarded video ads are most effective in conjunction with games, while native ads tend to perform best in content apps.
4. Website/App Performance Impact
Get answers to these questions before proceeding with an integration:
- Will the integration cause SDK bloat?
- Are the JS code snippets synchronous or asynchronous?
- Is there a measurable impact on memory or loading time?
Monitor the crashes post test integration. This will help you identify whether the integration is a good fit for your app/website or not. You can also test SDKs by using profiling tools like Android Profiler. This step is important, as a poorly optimized SDK will negatively impact performance and user retention.
5. Reporting and Analytics
Look for these before finalizing the ad network integration:
- Can the reports be segmented easily?
- Does it support real-time data?
- Does it integrate with BI tools (like Tableau) or offer exportable data?
- Are metrics such as fill rate, eCPM, revenue, or impressions visible by segment, like geo or ad unit?
Technical Challenges and Solutions
1. Page Load Speed and Performance Optimization
Ad network integrations can slow down website and app loading if not optimized. Each ad network request adds to the latency, and poorly optimized integration can further block the webpage/app rendering.
Solutions:
- Implement asynchronous tags on websites and lightweight, unified SDKs in apps
- Use lazy loading for below-the-fold ad units to prioritize page content
- Set timeouts for auctions to avoid endless waiting
- A/B tests to optimize ad units
2. Ad Blocking and Viewability Issues
Ad blocking has always been a challenge for publishers. Many publishers had reported losing 15-40% of their revenue due to ad blockers in 2023-2024 (PubPower).
Solutions:
- Server-side ad insertion for video content
- Use native advertising formats that can bypass ad blockers
- Consider acceptable ads program that work with ad blockers
- Deploy ad visibility tools to track ad viewability
3. Cross-device and Cross-platform Compatibility
Ads don’t render the same on different platforms and devices. An ad layout and formation combination that works on Windows may not work on Mac. Similarly, what may work on mobiles may not work on desktops.
However, it is essential that your ads render consistently across platforms and devices to provide a seamless experience.
Solutions:
- Implement responsive display ads to adapt to different screen sizes
- Test ad rendering across platforms and devices to weed out discrepancies
- Utilize AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) for mobile optimization
4. GDPR and CCPA Compliance
There is a thin line between collecting user data and violating privacy. It requires fastidious preparations to thread that line. But what defines that line is explicit user consent. According to privacy laws such as GDPR and CCPA, marketers are required to obtain user consent before collecting user data for advertising purposes.
Solutions:
- Check privacy laws compliance before associating with an ad network
- Create a separate page on your website explaining how the data is collected and used
- Prefer contextual ad networks or those that offer cookie-less targeting
5. iOS 14.5+ Attribution Challenges
Apart from CCPA and GDPR, publishers need to take note of another privacy challenge – Apple’s App Tracking Transparency Framework. In 2020, Apple rolled out updates that introduced numerous security features, significantly impacting the advertising business.
It made sharing an Apple user’s data outside the walled garden impossible.
Solutions:
- Focus more on cookieless and contextual targeting
- Use first-party data for advertising
- Collect data directly from users (name or email)
Key Takeaways on Ad Network Integration
Ad Network: A platform that connects publishers and advertisers for the exchange of ad space for advertising.
What is Ad Network Integration: Process of integrating ad network to a publisher’s ad inventory to initiate the ad serving process. There are two types of integrations: Website integration and App integration.
Ad Network Integration Methods: JS Tags, Header bidding implementation, CMS-specific extensions, Unified SDK for SDK mediation, Server-side ad insertion, and Cross-platform plugins or packages.
Benefits of Ad Network Integration: Revenue optimization, operational efficiency, advanced targeting capabilities, access to premium demand, and real-time insights.
Considerations for Choosing an Ad Network Integration: Number and quality of the supported ad networks, ease of integration, ad format variety, impact of the performance, reporting and analytics.
Technical Challenges of Ad Network Integration: Page load speed and optimization, ad blocking issues, cross-device and cross-platform compatibility, privacy laws compliance like CCPA and GDPR, and iOS 14.5+ privacy attributions.
FAQs on Ad Network Integration
It is the process of connecting ad networks to a publisher’s ad inventory to initiate the sale of the ad space. The publisher can opt for either manual integrations, such as inserting JS tags, or automated integrations, like unified SDKs.
An example of ad network integration is embedding the adpushup.js code within the website’s code to initiate ad serving. This can be achieved through our products, such as AP Lite or AP Tags.
