5 Things you should be doing with Ad networks
by Robert Derow
ContextWeb Advertiser Advisor
Below is a list of 5 things that you should at least test with ad networks. Every media type has its strong points and below are a few things that you can get with ad networks that other forms of online media come up short or just can’t do.
1. Leverage the massive content network of Google. There are two things that I highly suggest testing with the Google network:
- Build out an image ad campaign and cherry pick from their full disclosure site list. I am amazed at the caliber of some of the websites I find in the Google network. This can be a great way to test into non-traditional verticals for your brand as well. You might find that your weight loss product converts amazing on wedding inventory or vice versa.
- Test Google’s content page targeting. This is where Google targets your particular vertical on the page level allowing you to only display when your content of choice is present. This is similar to ContextWeb’s solution.
2. Start remarketing to your users via Advertising.com’s Lead back program or ValueClick’s User Retargeting program (URT). Valueclick’s network penetrates 75% of the US online population that is 132 million unique users! With user retargeting CPMs finally down to a realistic level this media tactic has become wildly profitable for a variety of products/services. The great thing about the re-marketing via an ad network is you don’t need the user’s email address to re-message to them. Just simply drop the URT cookie on the user when they hit your homepage and next time they are on a site within the network they will get your ad. To entice users back to the site advertisers can re-message to site visitors with coupons, different products, sale items etc.
3. Pixel tracking and auto optimization. I know it seems obvious and some would call it a no brainer but I am shocked by how many advertisers don’t pixel track and optimize to an eCPA. Most large ad networks offer this technology (If they don’t I would move on to one that does) and will take your campaign on a CPM, CPC, or CPA and optimize to your back end goal. A larger network has thousands of sites to optimize across so your chances of finding a pocket of sites that work is high.
4. Buy with a niche ad networks. One of my issues with working with ad networks is you don’t know for sure where you are running. You might be told your are in the “Health” channel but later find out that your ads were running on Myspace (based on a true story). One way around this is the buy with niche vertical ad network like Choice Media, Active Athlete network, or E Healthcare solutions. These are all vertical networks within the health arena that will guarantee that your ads will be adjacent to relevant content.
5. Set up a risk diverse CPC or CPA based campaign. Many ad networks will take advertising campaigns on a CPC or a CPA basis if the offer is attractive. If you want to mitigate risk this is a great way to do so while learning how a new campaign performs. Once you know what your metrics need to be you can convert it to a CPM if you want. Personally I think it is best to buy on a CPM because if the campaign is a success you get the upside not the publisher. However when you have a new product or service for which you don’t have data, a CPA or CPC campaign’s low risk might be the perfect vehicle.
Robert Derow started his online career more then 6 years ago at Synergy6 a cutting edge online direct marketing agency. There he had the opportunity to not online master online direct response but also worked across a number of high profile branding initiatives doing all of the media buying and planning. From there he went to Foote, Cone, and Belding the prestigious full service ad agency. At FCBi Robert works on the Merck account and had the opportunity to partake in one of their largest product launches Vytoirn, as well as one of their most monumental product terminations Viox. Leaving FCB for more experience Robert landed at ContextWeb a contextual ad network start up. There he did publisher acquisition and brought many tier one relationships to ContextWeb. Currently Robert runs the external media buying department at Rodale Publishing.
-- From The ContextWeb Advisors
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