Clothes checked, medicines checked, trekking shoes checked, snacks checked, and so on. In fear of forgetting something, we make a checklist to make sure we have everything we need before we go on our trip. Then why did we overlook following this process when we were going to choose an ad network for our ad campaigns?
If we look at the Statista report, we understand that not only you but most advertisers often avoid the checklist, which leads to a lack of control over ad budget wastage. Globally, it’s calculated that $54.63 billion was wasted on digital advertising because of invalid traffic. By 2024, this figure is expected to rise by one-third, reaching over $72 billion.
Finding an advertising network is similar to finding a soulmate who never disappoints you, but it’s not easy. It takes much time, lots of effort, and, yes, a deep understanding of your needs to find the perfect match. After all, an ad network will be your partner—not in a romantic sense, but in an advertising sense.
So, let’s move on to the blog, but first, let’s see what we have. In this blog, you will get a comprehensive checklist for selecting the advertising network to help you make a well-informed decision.
Ad Network: The Perfect Intermediator
Imagine that time when showing ads was too complicated for advertisers, and publishers had few opportunities to monetize their content because there was no medium to connect them and make things simple. Although times are different today, when we think back, we realize how messy and time-consuming the process must have been. There was lots of paperwork and many time-consuming tasks. Thankfully, someone eventually created an ad network to make things easier.
So, what is an advertising network? Does its work only simplify paperwork? No, it plays the role of an ‘Intermediator,’ which means it connects advertisers with publishers, and by this perfect connection, it fulfills the digital advertising and monetization objectives.
While traditional advertising methods were also used, so why are advertisers and publishers showing more trust in ad networks? Can you track ad performance in real-time using traditional methods? Can you target your ideal audience? Can you control your ad campaigns?
The answer is no, but you can do all these things with advertising networks. Impressive, isn’t it?
The Benefits of Partnering with an Ad Network
The benefits of using an advertising network are just amazing. All the benefits of using it can surely add some extra confidence to your advertising strategy. Check it out:
Wide Range of Options Brings Many Opportunities
Whether you are an advertiser or publisher, choosing an ad network will bring you many benefits. First of all, you don’t need any third party who complicates the process or takes a cut of your revenue. An advertising network offers you full freedom where the control is in your hands.
The ad campaign you run, the ad you publish, or choosing the ad format will be entirely up to you. Apart from the new advertising networks in the market, many have a wide range of advertisers and publishers, which means the trading of an ad never runs out of opportunities.
More Cost-Effective Than You Think
This benefit is for advertisers. If you have ever used an ad network, then you might know that it is very cost-effective. The only condition is that the advertising network that you selected must be reliable and genuine.
Advertising networks take a bid from you, and according to that bid, it places your ad on the most relevant websites and apps; this is the one side of the coin. However, the second side of the coin is that you will experience the quality traffic that comes from an ad campaign to your website, which increases sales. This means you can get a faster return on your investment and improve profitability as compared to traditional mediums of advertising.
Puts the Right Ad in the Right Place
Ad placement is key to a successful ad campaign. If placed incorrectly, the ad might fail to reach its target audience. For example, if a clothing brand publishes its ad on a website that sells home appliances, the chances of getting clicks are low because the audience is not relevant.
Ad networks have publisher partners who are ready to give websites or apps space for an ad and get paid according to the ad’s performance (number of clicks, impressions, and actions). Advertising networks match the right ad for the right place, which helps maximize engagement and overall campaign effectiveness.
Hits the Mark with Targeted Ads
Partnering with an ad network helps you reach the right audience through targeted ads. For example, if you’re an e-commerce business selling products in the US and Europe, a local ad network with expertise in each region can connect you to relevant customers. This approach ensures that your online ads will be seen by specific audiences only, which makes them more effective.
By partnering with advertising networks that specialize in different areas, you can reduce marketing costs and optimize your campaigns, which leads to better results without losing focus on key markets. Baidu, Tencent, and Sina Weibo are good options for targeting China, and Zeropark and Kadam are good choices for targeting the USA.
However, if you want to target both countries, you can try our ad network 7Search PPC to reach a global audience with high-quality traffic from 239+ GEOs.
Direct Access to Detailed Ad Reports
You don’t need to call or stand in a long queue to ask for the ad reports, as advertisers used to do. The ad network makes the process simple and gives real reports of your ad right in front of you. This means you can easily check how many clicks and impressions your ad gets, as well as the important KPIs like:
- Click-Through Rates (CTRs)
- Conversion Rates.
Hunt the Right Ad Network: Your Checklist
We have now reached the section where the main purpose of this blog will be fulfilled. Below is a checklist to help you find the right advertising network:
Size or Reach
The first checklist for finding the ideal advertising network is its size or reach. Readers, size, or reach of the advertising network are very important as they decide the effectiveness of your ad campaigns. An advertising network with a global reach can allow you to earn more by gaining more leads around the world.
Now, the question is, how will you find the reach of the advertising network? Simply check their past records and the impressions that they claim to offer their clients. If an advertising network claims to have a vast reach, don’t trust them quickly and blindly because some advertising networks are fake and deliver bot traffic in exchange for a high amount.
Advertising Formats
Ad formats, like banner ads, native ads, in-page push ads, and many more. They are the real magnets that help you attract the audience to your online ads and encourage them to take action. However, not all ad formats perfectly match with every vertical or target audience. Yes, it’s true because different industries and audiences have different needs and preferences, so not every ad format works well for every situation.
You need to check whether your chosen advertising network offers the ad format that fits your personal preferences. If not, switch to another advertising network. We won’t suggest you settle for a format that might waste your budget.
Quality of the Traffic
If you are ready to invest in digital advertising, then you deserve the desired results without any compromise. When choosing an advertising network, focus on the quality of inventory and traffic. You must ensure the ad network provides high-converting traffic and premium inventory relevant to your audience. You must also look for transparency in traffic sources and be wary of hidden prices.
A reputable advertising network often collaborates with popular publishers, but some of them use unfair tactics to drive low-quality traffic. If you know any person who previously used your chosen advertising network or is currently using it, then ask them about the quality of traffic and its performance. You can also look for social proof available on many platforms and real reviews; by doing this, you can get an idea about the network’s credibility.
If you believe in practicality and have trust issues on social proof, then you can create and launch your ad campaign with that advertising network with a minimum budget and analyze its performance. If you get a satisfactory result, then you can confidently increase your spending and take full advantage of what the advertising network offers.
Targeting Capability
Suppose you want to show your online ad in the USA, but the chosen advertising network never allows you to do so because of the limitations on geographic targeting. Is it fair enough? Absolutely not, because based on your research, you can get more leads by targeting U.S. traffic, which could significantly boost your ad’s effectiveness and return on investment (ROI).
Check if the chosen ad network offers a precise targeting option. Use it for desired geographic targeting to reach the right audience and maximize your campaign’s potential. You can also check if your chosen advertising network offers a traffic estimator tool. Don’t know about it? It’s a tool that gives you a basic idea about the expected volume of traffic from a particular country, as well as the bidding price.
Real-Time Monitoring
Effective advertising networks provide real-time monitoring features to track your campaign’s performance. Look for platforms that offer detailed stats on key metrics like clicks, impressions, and conversions. These insights help you understand which ad campaigns are performing well and which aren’t. Integration with popular trackers helps you focus on results, which in turn allows you to easily modify your ad budget.
If your chosen advertising networks fail to provide you with these kinds of tools and promise that they will provide them in the future, it might be a sign to explore other options because it’s your right to know the performance of your ad campaign.
Ad Manager
An ad manager is like an assistant to you, and we recently noticed that its demand is increasing day by day because, in a busy life, it’s difficult to manage ad campaigns on your own. Ad manager is a good option for advertisers to manage their things on the platform they have chosen for their ad campaigns. It helps in many ways, like:
- Campaign Management
- Budget Control
- Real-Time Alert
Isn’t it cool? So, check whether your advertising network offers you this service.
Customer Support
We might need help at any stage of life; similarly, advertisers can also need it in the journey of their ad campaigns because uncertainty can come at any time. That’s our next checklist: customer support, which is essential for you.
Check your chosen advertising network’s effectiveness in focusing on customer support. Most ad networks claim that they offer 24/7 customer support, but the reality may be different. You need to go deep and verify their responsiveness, availability, and expertise to make sure you get timely help when needed.
Budget
Your budget is one of the crucial factors when choosing an ad network. Consider your overall advertising goals and how much you are willing to spend per day, week, or month. Different ad networks have varying minimum budget requirements, so research options that match your financial constraints.
Look for an ad network that offers various pricing models like:
- Cost-Per-Click (CPC)
- Cost-Per-Mille (CPM)
- Cost-Per-Action (CPA)
This variety can help you hammer out the pricing model based on your online advertising goals.
Conclusion
It’s not easy to pick an ideal advertising network in the first attempt without going through the checklist process. Each factor, from the network’s reach to the quality of traffic and the level of customer support, plays a significant role in your campaign’s performance. A well-chosen ad network ensures better targeting, cost efficiency, and real-time insights, helping you get the most out of your ad spend. Take the time to evaluate your options carefully, and choose an advertising network that fits your goals, budget, and advertising needs for the best results.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why is choosing an advertising network important?
Ans. A well-chosen ad network can help you reach your ideal audience, optimize your ad spend, and improve your campaign’s overall performance.
How can I determine the reach of an advertising network?
Ans. You can check their past records, reviews, and the number of websites or apps they partner with.
How important is customer support from an ad network?
Ans. Customer support is very important because they can offer timely assistance and help you resolve any issues that may arise.
What budget should I allocate for my ad campaign?
Ans. Consider your overall business and online advertising goals and how much you are willing to spend. Different ad networks have varying minimum budget requirements.
Can I switch ad networks if I’m not satisfied with the current one?
Ans. Yes, you can switch advertising networks at any time. However, consider the potential disruption and the need to set up new ad campaigns.
