Maximizing Advertising Revenues For Online Publishers

The ability to earn money is an essential skill for online publishers. It defines the profitability and longevity of their business. However, the digital ad monetization world is getting more and more complex. This requires publishers to be more proactive and involved in order to maximize revenue and stay on top of things.

This article explores some approaches for online publishers to increase online advertising revenues. It includes yield optimization tactics such as header bidding and price floors, as well as tapping into new ways to generate revenue.

How to maximize ad revenue

Let us take a look at some ways to grow publisher revenue:

  • Find the optimum setup with header bidding

Header bidding is not only popular, but it also allows publishers to test different scenarios. For example, you can experiment with the number of demand partners plugged in and the wrapper timeout to find the best mix. Too much demand can slow down page load, but too little demand can hurt your revenues. The same goes for the time allowed for buyers to bid.  

  • Set the proper price floors

It’s important for publishers to set floors that strike the best balance between CPM and fill rate. But it’s also important to take a granular approach as opposed to a one-size-fits-all approach. To maximize revenue, you can adjust price floors based on geography, ATF vs. BTF units, etc. Informing buyers about these floors will allow them to bid accordingly.

  • Experiment with ad layouts

You can design and try out different article layouts to boost total revenue. This may involve larger ad units or pagination for longer pieces of content. You could also try to increase session times by increasing content (e.g. integrating videos, galleries, etc).

  • Adjust content

One way to cater to your audiences is through content customization or generating new content for a specific user segment. Another way is by using content personalization, either passive or active. That means tailoring the displayed content to the user’s browsing history or allowing them to self-select their preferences, respectively. Finally, you can add on-page content recommendations to keep users engaged.

  • Explore new revenue streams
    • Native advertising – Since it’s evident that this form of advertising is on the rise, it’s an approach worth adopting. Native ads are non-intrusive and invoke trust as they blend with your content, thus generating higher CTRs and user engagement.
    • Affiliate marketing – You can further explore the potential of quality editorial content with relevant affiliate links. There are different types of programs to join. Of course, publishers need to be transparent to their audience about affiliate marketing and clearly state that a particular offer is sponsored.
    • Digital subscriptions – Users have quite a few options on the market, leading many professionals to fear subscription fatigue. There is also a lot of competition. However, carefully personalized packages based on audience analysis can still capture users. The digital subscription economy is expected to reach $1.5T by 2025, so it’s still an opportunity worth exploring.
    • Monetize data – Once you collect data (e.g. user behavior, registration, surveys, etc.), you can sell it in several ways: For example, you can sell data directly to advertisers you partner with. Alternatively, you can activate your audience segments on an advertiser’s DSP. Finally, your data can be sold through a data exchange platform.
    • Segment audiences and identify new ones – Properly dividing their existing audience into segments can help publishers attract new advertising ad spend. It also enables better content personalization and ad targeting. In addition to that, publishers can discover entirely new audiences through tools such as audience extension.
    • Drive repeat traffic – Different ways to increase repeat traffic include: user subscriptions to receive new content via email or push notifications, referred traffic from social media, etc. Nurturing free subscribers can bring great value in the long run.
  • Get help from the pros – Revenue maximization can be an overwhelming task that requires constant alertness. Publishers often find themselves torn between improving monetization and creating quality content. It takes a village to carve the best strategy – and you can always ask for help. A partner who specializes in AdOps, Technical Support, Yield Optimization, Ad Quality, etc. can free up a lot of your time.

Wrap Up

Maximizing digital advertising revenue can be a monster of a job. But with the right content strategy, yield optimization efforts, and monetization partnerships, publishers can sustain their business and explore the potential of the audience they’ve worked so hard to build.