In this context, green programmatic advertising is becoming more crucial because it is a powerful tool for businesses to communicate their commitment to environmental responsibility. It allows brands to showcase eco-friendly practices, highlight sustainable products, and share initiatives to reduce environmental impact. This not only resonates with environmentally conscious consumers but also builds trust and loyalty among a growing segment of the market that prioritizes sustainability.

Sustainable Programmatic Deals 

Right now, the need for green advertising is not driven by regulatory requirements. But as we see a broad global shift toward sustainability, it is a strategic imperative for businesses to participate in an environmentally conscious advertising marketplace.

Programmatic deals were always on the leading edge of any changes and developments in the programmatic industry. After all, they allow various additional features to be added by the publishers or the supply-side platforms (SSPs), which are not accessible if the transactions are done on the open exchange.

This includes the shift toward more sustainable marketing practices. By leveraging programmatic deals, advertisers can strategically target audiences on eco-friendly platforms, such as marketplaces for used clothing and accessories. But they can also optimize their media buying process to minimize their carbon footprint. This not only enhances the visibility of sustainable products but also aligns advertising efforts with environmental consciousness.

The essence of programmatic deals lies in their ability to optimize ad placements, ensuring they resonate with eco-conscious consumers. These deals facilitate a seamless connection between advertisers and consumers focused on environmentally friendly products and services. For example, in the case of a news publisher, the programmatic deal can only target specific ad units in articles about sustainability, renewable energy, circular economy, etc. The result is a win-win situation – advertisers reach a targeted audience genuinely interested in sustainable products while consumers discover products aligned with their values.

Furthermore, programmatic advertising allows for precise campaign impact measurement, including calculating carbon footprints. This feature was made available by two leading SSPs Marketplaces: Equativ (formerly known as Smart) and Adform. This level of transparency was unavailable previously. Now, it empowers advertisers to assess and refine their strategies, minimizing environmental impact while maximizing reach and effectiveness.

Carbon Footprint Measurement in Programmatic Deals

Let’s go with an example. The programmatic deal set up in Equativ SSP allows the buyer to calculate and get a report of the carbon footprint of each part of the media delivery process: from the campaign set up to the reporting. Several factors are considered into the carbon emission calculation, such as devices, deal type, creative size, format and duration and much more.

The Equativ Campaign carbon impact report allows us to check which device categories were the most energy efficient or which creatives caused the most footprint. In the preliminary information supplied by Equativ, we see some interesting conclusions. 

There were no surprises regarding the specific creative footprint: the lighter the creative, the less negative environmental impact. The worst were the longer video creatives and the heaviest display or rich media ads. In regards to the device categories, the most efficient were the mobile phones: smartphone < TV < tablet < PC. 

In a first test campaign, Equativ’s methodology reduced the carbon impact by 64%, generating 37g of CO2 emitted per 1k impressions versus 103g as a benchmark. The environmental impact of the campaign represents the equivalent of driving 27.76 kilometers, compared to 76.8 kilometers for a non-optimized campaign.

“In the digital advertising ‘value chain,’ which encompasses the journey from conceptualizing an idea to the moment when an advertisement reaches the user and the subsequent reporting of results to the advertiser, multiple stages are involved. Each of these stages needs the use of energy. Hence, we meticulously examine the entire campaign delivery process to initially quantify the energy consumption associated with each step. Subsequently, we focus on reducing this energy consumption by optimizing the path and refining the underlying processes while guaranteeing the meet of expected performance from our partners.”,

says Marcin CZACHOROWSKI, Senior Manager, Demand Partnerships at Equativ.

For detailed information on green programmatic deals, check the presentation from our recent event.

Go For Responsible Programmatic Advertising

In essence, programmatic deals are not just revolutionizing the advertising landscape but steering it towards a greener, more sustainable future. As brands increasingly prioritize eco-friendly messaging, programmatic deals are a key enabler, paving the way for a more environmentally conscious and responsible advertising ecosystem.

If you’re interested in sustainable programmatic deals, contact our team to get to know the offer. 

The post How Programmatic Deals Are Leading the Way to Sustainable Advertising first appeared on Yieldbird - Research Hub.

Even though you may try your best, you’re only human, and humans make mistakes. But wait a minute, would there be a solution to help me out with this and automate the process of Open Market pricing strategy setup? Here it is – Google Optimized Floor Prices. But the real question is, are you getting the most out of it? What about alternatives for GAM users?

In this article, we delve into the powerful mechanisms of Google Optimized Floor Prices and the other solution – Price Genius, two cutting-edge tools designed to boost your earnings. Let’s explore how these tools work, their similarities, and the key differences that set them apart.

Google Optimized Floor Prices: Unleashing the Power of Machine Learning

Google Optimized Floor Prices is a revolutionary flooring mechanism embedded within unified pricing rules. Unlike traditional floor prices and target eCPM, it harnesses the prowess of machine learning to adjust floor price levels dynamically. The primary objective? Maximizing a publisher’s long-term revenue while preventing excess unfilled impressions.

Key Features

• Automatic Adjustment: Fully automated, it ensures hassle-free operation on any part of the publisher’s inventory.
• Overrides Unified Pricing Rules: Google Optimized Floor Prices take precedence over unified pricing rules, except for advertiser-specific rules.
• Experimentation: Publishers can set up experiments to optimize the performance and maximize revenue potential.

Price Genius: Elevating Revenue with AI-Powered Precision

Price Genius is an AI-powered automatic floor price management tool designed to elevate publishers’ revenue. This solution employs machine learning algorithms to determine optimal daily floor prices for each managed ad unit, ensuring a data-driven approach to maximize earnings.

Key Features:

• AI-Powered Precision: Utilizing machine learning, Price Genius selects optimal floor prices on selected ad units daily to maximize revenue.
• Benchmarking Mechanism: Equipped with a built-in benchmarking mechanism and a dedicated reporting dashboard for performance evaluation.
• Traffic Segmentation: Uses key values to split traffic, aiding in modeling and benchmarking for better decision-making. 

See Price Genius in action:

• How Wallapop Optimized Pricing Strategy and Generated 8.6% Uplift
• How Taboola News Optimized Pricing and Generated 11% Uplift With Price Genius

Can Google Optimized Floor Prices and Price Genius Coexist?

While both tools share similarities, they operate in distinct ways, making simultaneous use challenging. Google Optimized Floor Prices and Price Genius cannot handle the same part of the inventory and traffic concurrently. However, publishers can leverage the strengths of both tools by using Google Optimized Floor Prices on the benchmark part of the traffic, while Price Genius will manage the rest.

Key Similarities:

• Machine Learning-Based: Both tools harness the power of machine learning for automatic floor price adjustments.
• Automation: Fully automated processes ensure efficiency and ease of use.
• No Interference: Both tools will override other rules (except advertiser-based rules) on the traffic they handle.

Key Differences:

• Frequency of Adjustments: Price Genius maximizes daily revenue with frequent adjustments, while Google Optimized Floor Prices prioritize long-term value preservation with less frequent adjustments.
• Reporting and Benchmarking: Price Genius provides a dedicated reporting dashboard and built-in benchmarking mechanisms, whereas Google Optimized Floor Prices relies on the publisher for performance evaluation.

Price Genius is GAM’s Perfect Extension

In conclusion, Google Optimized Floor Prices and Price Genius are powerful tools to maximize publishers’ revenue potential in the dynamic world of digital advertising. 

Do you want to challenge Google Optimized Floor Prices from your GAM? Experience the benefits firsthand by trying a free Price Genius trial. Witness the seamless integration of AI-powered precision into your ad revenue management. Don’t miss out—empower your publishing journey now!

The post Open Market Pricing Strategy: Google Optimized Floor Prices and Price Genius first appeared on Yieldbird - Research Hub.

What does it signify? Join us as we unravel this mystery in the following paragraphs.

Price Genius: The Perfect Extension to GAM

Price Genius is an AI-powered tool designed to enhance programmatic ad pricing strategies. You might be wondering why you need Price Genius when Google Ad Manager (GAM) seems to do the same job. Well, Price Genius is not a competitor; it’s a perfect complement to GAM, making your ad pricing even more effective.

Let’s delve deeper into Price Genius’s inner workings. When publishers set their floor prices at various levels, these prices remain static until someone manually adjusts them in GAM. With Price Genius, this process is automated through machine learning algorithms, eliminating the need for human intervention. Furthermore, it updates floor prices daily, whether on a regular weekday, a weekend, or a holiday – all without delays.

How Exactly Does The Algorithm Work?

Typically, traffic is divided into two segments: 90% is optimized by Price Genius, while the remaining 10% serves as a benchmark for evaluating price strategy efficiency. The percentage of segments can be different, depending on the publisher’s choice. The algorithm aims to identify the optimal floor price that maximizes revenue. When Price Genius spots an opportunity, it adjusts the prices, leading to uplifts.

But What If The Uplift Is 0%?

A 0% uplift doesn’t signify Price Genius’s failure; quite the opposite, in fact. It indicates that your initial prices are already optimal; hence, Price Genius can’t make them any better. Congratulations!

What’s Next?

Even in this scenario, you can still benefit from Price Genius as a cost-free solution. It acts as a guardian for your pricing strategy, always ready to step in if necessary. Keep in mind that once prices are set, they may not remain ideal forever. And here’s something crucial to note: you don’t actually pay for Price Genius. It generates uplifts for you, translating into additional revenue, and we only take a tiny percentage of this extra profit.

Make the Most of Your Pricing Strategy: Try Price Genius

You may believe your pricing strategy is already perfect, but how can you be certain without checking? Price Genius offers the best way to find out. If everything is set up optimally, you’ll see a 0% uplift, providing double verification at no cost. However, if there’s room for improvement, you stand to benefit significantly. Give Price Genius a try today and make the most of your pricing strategy.

See Price Genius in action:

• How Wallapop Optimized Pricing Strategy and Generated 8.6% Uplift 
• How Taboola News Optimized Pricing and Generated 11% Uplift With Price Genius

The post Why Is a 0% Uplift in Price Genius Not a Failure? first appeared on Yieldbird - Research Hub.

Artificial intelligence offers publishers many opportunities, particularly in advertising and programmatic ads. In this comprehensive article, we delve into the realm of AI for digital publishers, exploring its multifaceted role in reshaping the industry, focusing on aspects different than content creation. 

Let’s explore!

What’s Artificial Intelligence?

Everyone talks about artificial Intelligence and how it influences our lives and business, but what exactly is AI? Artificial intelligence refers to the capability of machines, particularly computers, to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence. This includes understanding language, recognizing patterns, solving problems, making decisions, and learning from experience. AI systems are designed to mimic human cognitive functions and can process and analyze large amounts of data to achieve specific goals or tasks.

AI for Digital Publishers – Content Creation

AI has become a widely embraced tool within the publishing sector, primarily for its ability to streamline content creation. It excels in producing automated content, encompassing a spectrum from articles, reports, and summaries to dynamic visual elements like graphics and videos. Beyond content generation, AI also lends its prowess to tasks like editing, proofreading, and seamless text translation. Furthermore, it plays a vital role in optimizing content for search engines. Notably, AI extends its influence to distribution by identifying optimal channels and timings, ensuring precise delivery to the intended audience.

Source: The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Publishing 

But how does AI relate to programmatic advertising?

AI’s Role in Digital Publishing Beyond Content

1. The Power of AI in Ad Viewability

As we’ve shown in our previous article on How to Improve Programmatic Ads Viewability Without Affecting User Experience, viewability is vital in the ad world. AI-powered solutions enable publishers to enhance ad viewability by analyzing user behavior and engagement patterns. By understanding when and where users are most receptive, publishers can strategically place ads for optimal visibility. This boosts ad performance and fosters a positive user experience, as relevant and well-placed ads seamlessly integrate into the user’s browsing journey.

AI has the capability to manage the strategies that enhance viewability, and these strategies are actively employed. This functionality can be accessed using Viewability Tools designed for mobile devices. Publishers have the flexibility to decide the extent to which they want their ads to be visible on their website based on their desired impact on user experience. The system automatically enables particular viewability-boosting strategies only if they actually increase viewability.

2. Data-Driven Insights

AI-driven programmatic ads provide publishers with invaluable data insights. Publishers comprehensively understand their audience’s behaviors and interests by analyzing user interactions and preferences. With this information, publishers can fine-tune their content and ad strategies, delivering personalized experiences that resonate with users on a deeper level.

3. Consistency Across Platforms

AI bridges the gap between advertising channels, ensuring a cohesive and integrated user experience. Publishers can leverage AI to manage cross-channel campaigns, tailoring content and ads to suit each platform’s unique characteristics. This consistency enhances brand identity and user engagement, reinforcing the publisher’s presence across multiple touchpoints.

4. Automated Brand-Advertiser Alignment

This multifaceted process involves leveraging advanced AI algorithms to seamlessly match advertisers with content that resonates most effectively with their target audience. By adeptly aligning content and advertisements, digital publishers can not only enhance user engagement but also unlock substantial revenue potential. This innovative technique ensures that suitable ads are seamlessly integrated into the proper context, delivering a more coherent and engaging user experience. 

5. Floor Prices Optimization

Programmatic advertising flourishes through real-time data analysis, with AI serving as its core engine of efficiency. AI-driven algorithms consistently monitor the ad environment and estimate the best floor price at a particular moment. This immediate optimization guarantees publishers extract optimal value from their inventory and generate higher revenue. 

A prime illustration of this capability is Price Genius – a fully automated solution. Whether it’s a regular workday, weekend, or holiday, the product employs machine learning algorithms daily to establish the best floor prices. Moreover, unlike manual work, it can react in seconds in case of any errors and handle them equally fast.

6. Predictive Analytics for Future Success

AI-powered programmatic advertising is not just about the present—it’s about predicting the future. AI-enabled predictive analytics empower publishers to anticipate market trends and user behaviors. By identifying emerging patterns, publishers can make informed decisions about content creation, ad placement, and audience targeting, positioning themselves for long-term success.

7. Ensuring Brand Safety

AI can continuously monitor digital platforms in real-time, instantly flagging content that may pose a risk to brand safety. This allows for immediate action, AI can automate the process of blocking content or websites that do not meet brand safety standards and whitelisting those that are safe. This ensures that ads are placed only in brand-safe environments.

A real-world solution working this way is a tool designed by GeoEdge. The company’s machine learning models look into creatives and landing pages for malicious characteristics to prevent or stop the execution of malvertising in real time. It allows AI to secure the user experience with malvertising prevention.

8. Fake Traffic Detection

Imagine AI as the Sherlock Holmes of the digital world, constantly on the lookout for suspicious characters. AI uses algorithms to spot strange behavior patterns, like mouse movements, keyboard inputs, and more. It’s possible because artificial intelligence can watch your every move on websites and apps. It knows that real people scroll, click, and chat with content, while bots tend to act like they’ve had too much espresso, going click-click-click at warp speed. Once AI spots a bot, it doesn’t hesitate to stop it and block it from future violations.

The AI Revolution in Ads Monetization

As you can see, artificial intelligence has revolutionized the digital publishing landscape by offering solutions beyond content creation.

This paradigm shift empowers publishers to fashion ad experiences that are not only captivating but also engender a deeper, more profound resonance with their target demographics. By embracing the full spectrum of AI’s capabilities, publishers have a potent toolset to craft narratives that seamlessly meld with their audiences’ preferences and aspirations.

Experience firsthand the potential that lies within the realms of AI-driven solutions. Get in touch now to begin your thrilling journey with the Yieldbird Platform’s AI-driven solutions. Check how others used the power of artificial intelligence in programmatic advertising by reading our case studies, or dive in hands-on with a complimentary 30-day trial. Join the AI revolution and supercharge your ad monetization today!

The post AI for Digital Publishers: Elevating Advertising Strategies first appeared on Yieldbird - Research Hub.

In this article, we will explore the sources of troubleshooting revenue drops and discuss how to differentiate between general market trends and areas that need improvement. Let’s start by highlighting some crucial principles to remember during the troubleshooting process.

Keep reading if you’re eager to take charge of your ads revenue and find practical solutions for revenue fluctuations in programmatic advertising. Let’s dive into ad troubleshooting and learn how to safeguard your revenue from pitfalls.

Sources of revenue troubleshooting

Before we can conclude that the drop in revenue is dictated by reduced spending by most advertisers, we need to check several elements to be sure that technical errors – in the form of both reduced ad request issuance and declines on the part of a specific revenue source [i.e., reduced spending on the part of Ad Exchange, Open Bidding, Header Bidding] or even a particular SSP – are not responsible for the sudden drop in revenue.

Before we go through the potential causes of the declines, let’s introduce some important principles:

1. General to Specific Approach: Start by narrowing down the responsible area as much as possible. Determine whether the drop is related to desktop or mobile, below-the-fold or above-the-fold units, anchors, video, or interstitials. The more detailed the identification, the quicker you can pinpoint the issue in your inventory range.

2. Distinguish Anomalies: Understanding the setup of your ad space is crucial to know what behaviors are not standard for our settings. Be aware of whether you expect high occupancy with direct campaigns, Header Bidding involving multiple SSP platforms, or a video player with an ad block option.

3. Consider Seasonality: Seasonality declines are due to the cyclical nature of demand and consumption of a given service. Thus, we know that TV programs experience increases on weekends and holidays (when else can you manage to sit in front of the TV, right?), while news services, on the other hand, experience declines on weekends. For this reason, we expect increases during Black Week, decreases after Christmas Eve, and a mediocre Q1 simultaneously, but it all depends on the type of publisher and its content category.

Reasons for revenue drops and how to deal with them

Once we know where it fell, what fell, and that it was not due to seasonality, we can consider the most important thing: WHY DID IT FALL?

We’ll start with the most trivial issue (and we won’t dwell heavily on it):

1. Traffic

We are examining whether the magnitude of the revenue declines is related to the decline in the volume of advertising requests per unit and the decrease in pageviews on the site. Here, it is essential to consider an implication, meaning the occurrence of these two factors simultaneously; otherwise, we will encounter a problem.

Revenue is generally expected to decrease less than advertising requests and page views. This is attributed to the fundamental economic law of supply and demand, where a decrease in resource availability generates a higher demand for them. A well-adjusted pricing policy is necessary to achieve this relationship, maximizing revenue by “squeezing” as much as possible out of advertisers, considering the lower volume of potential ad impressions.

If the requests experience a different trend than the page views, it indicates a technical problem, and some collision is likely preventing the ad requests from reaching the ad server. In such cases, we need to consult with an AdOps specialist who can review the technological elements and identify any conflicts that might be blocking the broadcast of the requests.

However, let’s assume that traffic has increased, but revenue continues to fly downward. In that case, it’s a good idea to focus on the next aspect of…

2. Changes in specific emissions

This one is much more complicated, and here’s why: within the Open Market, a drop in one impression usually leads to drops in subsequent ones. This happens due to the competition between impressions and the aggressive behavior of advertisers. When Ad Exchange buyers generate a lower eCPM (and consequently lower prices in programmatic), they pull other competitors to do the same.

However, let’s start with something easily and quickly checked (if you have the right technology). We need to verify whether all intended platforms in Header Bidding have access to buy space. This can be achieved with a tool that pins bids with SSPs, ideally in real-time. Google Ad Manager doesn’t handle this issue very well, as it not only has reporting delays but also incompletely reflects the actual performance of platforms. Here, tools with direct connections to SSPs, such as Prebid Stack, come to the rescue. Such a tool’s reporting system can swiftly identify which platform has stopped bidding for a given space due to changes in ads.txt. In more complicated cases, the customer service of a particular SSP can assist.

Once we are certain that all SSPs are bidding as they should, we can move on to checking Open Bidding. Here, we need to ensure we haven’t lost any Yield Partners from the auction. Finally, we can proceed to examine Ad Exchange. Open Bidding was intentionally only briefly mentioned because I haven’t encountered a case that significantly influenced monetization.

Ad Exchange, on the other hand, poses quite a challenge to troubleshoot because we are treading dangerously close to a critical boundary: DEMAND. However, at this point, we won’t delve much deeper into that complexity. We’re still a little way off from crossing that line!

What predominantly impacts Ad Exchange buyer traffic is clicks (AdSense’s legacy lives on forever), and the CTR ratio should be the first thing to check. If the ratio of clicks to impressions has dropped, it indicates that AdWords has also experienced a decline and possibly led to more advertisers withdrawing from the Authorized Buyers pool. When we identify that the CTR is responsible for this turmoil, we have several approaches to attempt to remedy the situation: 

• Check the ad grid: Drops in CTR are often linked to reduced visibility (the chicken and egg dilemma). This indicates changes in the ad grid, such as moving units to less accessible places for users or element collisions on the page (i.e., some panel obstructing access to the ad unit). Improving the ad grid can lead to a return to normal revenue levels.
• Verify with Google: Google may have subjected the unit to a click filter. This can happen when the CTR exceeds 1% due to the unit being too close to clickable elements on the page. This process may take some time. Improving the page layout and requesting a re-review from Google’s side could lead to revenue recovery in approximately two weeks.

If the CTR turns out to be normal, we need to delve deeper into the buyers. Analyzing advertisers will answer whether the declines were influenced by one particular buyer setting the tone for space sales or if it’s a collective trend of reduced spending. In the latter case, we can confidently attribute it to a decrease in demand. Our options are limited then, and we simply have to wait for better times.

IMPORTANT: It is crucial not to switch these steps, as a decrease in CTR will also lead to a corresponding drop in traffic from advertisers. These two different causes of revenue declines must be distinguished.

3. Distribution of guaranteed emissions

The last aspect is more advanced, as it involves the distribution of guaranteed emissions, which complicates the picture we outlined earlier. When analyzing declines in programmatic, we are operating in two dimensions of advertising requests and revenue:

• Overall: the total volume of advertising requests and the total revenue generated.
• Programmatic: what programmatic had a chance to tap into by the existence of direct campaigns, and with them, it almost couldn’t fight for space (for less complication, let’s leave out the existence of First Look and Standard campaign options, which can admit bids from Open Auction).

This is because the budgets of direct and programmatic campaigns are usually separate (although one impression sneaks the other the opportunity to buy space). Because of this, we encounter sudden drops in programmatic revenues due solely to an increase in the share of direct campaign impressions. This has the effect of reducing the space for programmatic impressions.

Exploring the hidden dynamics of revenue fluctuations in programmatic advertising

Examining revenue fluctuations in programmatic, particularly in the context of the Open Market, poses challenges due to the dynamic nature of demand. Differentiating between aspects we can improve and the overall market trend requires a comprehensive analysis of several key elements. Investigating whether the sudden drop in revenue results from technical errors, such as reduced ad request impressions or decreased spending from Ad Exchange, Open Bidding, Header Bidding, or a specific SSP, is crucial.

Understanding the underlying causes of these declines demands a detailed analysis and a deep understanding of various aspects of the advertising market. To achieve this, utilizing tools that aid in monitoring changes and quickly identifying errors becomes essential. Often, distinguishing these declines from changes in demand is not easy. Gaining proficiency in analyzing selected elements will help prevent jumping to hasty conclusions.

LET’S GET IN TOUCH!

Bartłomiej Oprządek
Regional Growth Director
publishers@yieldbird.com

[contact-form-7]

The post How to Deal With Troubleshooting Revenue Fluctuations in Programmatic Advertising? first appeared on Yieldbird - Research Hub.

This article aims to shed light on the importance of Universal IDs as a potential remedy in the face of a cookieless future. We will explore the concept of Universal IDs, their classification, and how they can serve as a bridge to maintain audience targeting and personalization capabilities.

Join us on this informative journey as we delve into the world of Universal IDs and empower publishers to navigate the challenges and seize the opportunities that lie ahead in the post-cookie era.

What is Universal ID?

A Universal ID is a user identifier that serves as a shared identity across the supply chain without relying on third-party cookies. What makes Universal IDs reliable and accurate in identifying users because they are not limited to probabilistic matching and can be created using deterministic matching methods.

By adopting Universal IDs, the digital marketing industry can overcome the challenges posed by fragmented user data and the limitations of third-party cookies. It provides a standardized and efficient way to track and identify users across devices and platforms, enabling more personalized and effective advertising strategies.

Types of Universal IDs

Universal IDs come in two primary types: Probabilistic and Deterministic. 

Probabilistic Universal IDs

They utilize statistical algorithms and patterns to make educated predictions about user identities. This approach analyses various data points such as browsing behavior, device information, and location to create a probabilistic match between users and their devices on different domains. While probabilistic matching offers broad coverage and scalability, it may not provide 100% accuracy in identifying individual users.

Deterministic Universal IDs

They rely on authenticated user information to establish a direct and reliable match. This involves leveraging data from logged-in user accounts, email addresses, or other verified identifiers. Deterministic matching offers higher accuracy and precision in identifying users, as it is based on known and verified data. However, it may have limitations in terms of coverage, as it relies on users being authenticated or logged in across platforms.

The choice between Probabilistic and Deterministic Universal IDs depends on a publisher’s specific goals and priorities. Probabilistic matching can provide broader coverage and reach, making it suitable for audience expansion and targeting a larger user base. Deterministic matching, on the other hand, offers greater accuracy and personalized targeting, making it beneficial for precise audience segmentation and delivering tailored experiences.

Publishers need to carefully evaluate their objectives, available data sources, and privacy considerations when choosing the type of Universal ID that best aligns with their strategies. Some publishers may opt for a hybrid approach combining Probabilistic and Deterministic methods to maximize coverage, accuracy, and audience reach.

Benefits of a Universal ID Solution for Publishers

A Universal ID solution offers several benefits for publishers and marketers. 

Third party cookies independence

Firstly, a significant benefit is the reduction of reliance on cookies and other third-party services. As major internet browsers like Mozilla Firefox or Safari (who already did) and Google Chrome move away from supporting cookies, Universal ID solutions offer an alternative for publishers to deliver personalized and relevant ads without relying on cookies browsers can block.

Higher programmatic revenue

Universal IDs also enable better user data and matching accuracy. With high matching rates and accurate targeting, publishers can offer valuable user data to advertisers, increasing the value of their platform and commanding higher ad prices. This can lead to higher revenue potential and improved returns on investment for advertisers.

Preparing for the Future

As you see, it is wise for publishers to be proactive and prepare their Prebid setups to accommodate Universal ID modules. By doing so, they can ensure a smooth transition and be ready to harness the benefits that may arise as the industry adapts to cookieless environments. Additionally, it may be worthwhile to consider establishing accounts with one or more Universal ID providers to stay ahead of the curve.

At Yieldbird, we empower our clients by providing access to multiple Universal ID providers through our Prebid Stack, fully free of charge. This allows publishers to choose from various options based on their specific requirements and preferences. You can find ID5, Liveintent, Shared Id, Panorama Id, and many others in the Yieldbird Platform. Publishers can conduct A/B tests on how particular Universal ID providers perform on their inventory. With extensive testing, publishers will have more time to familiarize themselves with specific providers and choose the one that best suits their expectations, as results can vary from method to method and tool to tool.

Unlocking the Power of Universal IDs

As the era of third-party cookies draws near, publishers must remain vigilant and explore alternative solutions. While Universal IDs offer potential advantages, their impact on advertising results may not be groundbreaking. However, by being prepared and incorporating Universal ID modules into Prebid setups, publishers can position themselves for success in a post-cookie world.

Remember, embracing change and planning ahead will be key to thriving in the future of digital advertising!

We suggest the simplest way to adopt Universal IDs – through the Prebid Stack. Everything is conveniently streamlined there, and all the necessary components are readily available, eliminating the need for guesswork. Moreover, you can easily set up A/B tests and check out the results in the analytics panel to make it best for you. Contact our team to try Prebid Stack and its possibilities for free.

LET’S GET IN TOUCH!

Bartłomiej Oprządek
Regional Growth Director
publishers@yieldbird.com

[contact-form-7]

The post Universal IDs for Publishers – Are They a Necessity? first appeared on Yieldbird - Research Hub.

But don’t worry. We’re here to help you with that choice. Get ready to embark on a journey to discover how to choose the perfect SSP tailored to your specific inventory needs.

9 Ways to choose the right SSPs for your stack

Now that you are acquainted with the essential advantages of SSPs, it is time to decide and select the ones that suit your inventory best. However, determining the perfect fit for your stack requires careful consideration of a few key points.

1. GEO

When selecting SSPs, one of the most critical factors to consider is the users’ location. While many platforms have a universal demand, the most desirable users typically come from the USA or Canada. In Europe, the primary limiting factor is the requirement for user consent to data collection, such as the EU Consent policy applicable to the EEA regions, as well as the need for localized language support. While the United States has fewer restrictions, it is not completely exempt, as demonstrated by regulations like COPPA.

Failure to properly match users’ locations can have significant consequences for an SSP’s ability to monetize transferred auctions. This can lead to unnecessary costs and result in missed potential profits. It is crucial to address this issue at the beginning of the partnership with the platforms. Furthermore, in some cases, SSPs may be able to estimate the eCPM for a specific market and campaign, offering valuable insights into potential earnings.

2. Technology

In the EEA market, the presence of TCF-enabled tools is of utmost importance. Almost all SSPs require user consent for data processing to optimize their campaigns effectively. While there are opportunities to serve limited ads, the trade-off is a lower eCPM rate. 

Nevertheless, CMP is not the sole requirement for platforms. Another crucial aspect is the implementation of ads.txt, which acts as a document authorizing entities participating in programmatic auctions. This serves as a protective measure for both advertisers and publishers against various forms of ad fraud. Ensuring compliance with ads.txt is essential in establishing trust and maintaining the integrity of the advertising ecosystem.

3. Demand partners

When considering a Supply Side Platform, it is crucial to evaluate its relationships with demand partners, including ad networks, agencies, and advertisers. The strength and extent of these relationships can have a significant impact on your monetization efforts. A robust network of demand partners means that the SSP has established connections with a diverse array of buyers who are actively looking to purchase ad inventory.

Furthermore, a strong network of demand partners ensures that you have a variety of advertisers vying for your inventory. This diversity of advertisers allows you to cater to different target audiences and attract brands from various industries. It also creates healthy competition among advertisers, driving up prices and maximizing the revenue potential of your ad inventory.

4. Inventory quality

Factors such as visibility, ad density, and eCPM value can significantly impact your revenue potential. It’s essential to ensure that your inventory meets certain standards for optimal results.

Regarding visibility, it’s crucial that your standard display ads have a visibility rate of at least 40%. If the visibility falls below this threshold, collaborating with any platform may prove to be ineffective. In such cases, it’s worth exploring various custom formats that some platforms offer as alternatives. For instance, anchor units provided by Next Millennium are an excellent option. These layer units are attached to the top or bottom edge of the screen and boast an average visibility rate of over 90%. Custom formats like these can be a game-changer, providing higher visibility and potentially generating more revenue for publishers. Platforms like YOC and Next Millennium offer a wide range of custom formats, including Understitial, Outstream, and Native ads, which can diversify your inventory and attract more advertisers.

Video inventory availability might be slightly less than that for desktops, but it still presents significant opportunities. It’s crucial to keep in mind policies, especially when using Google tools, such as the requirement that the length of the ad should not exceed the length of the video. Leading demand providers in the video inventory space include Adform and Appnexus, which can offer valuable options for monetizing your video content.

5. Support

What kind of support range will you require? How responsive is their customer support team? These are important questions to ask.

Technical support and account management play a vital role in ensuring a smooth and efficient partnership with the SSP. In the dynamic world of programmatic advertising, issues can arise, and having responsive support can make all the difference in resolving them quickly and effectively.

A dedicated account manager can be a valuable asset, providing personalized assistance and guidance tailored to your specific needs. They can help optimize your revenue generation by offering insights, strategic advice, and recommendations based on their expertise and industry knowledge.

6. Usability and management

When selecting SSP, it’s important to consider several factors contributing to a smooth and efficient implementation process.

First, assess the expertise of the developers managing the platform. Look for an SSP that provides a simple implementation process, eliminating the need to hire a dedicated development team. A straightforward setup and a detail-oriented standard operating procedure will ensure a hassle-free integration experience.

Consider the user interface (UI) and ease of use of the SSP. A well-designed and intuitive interface can greatly enhance your workflow and save time. Look for features like APIs and integration capabilities with other platforms in your tech stack, allowing for seamless connectivity and efficient operations.

Another important aspect is reporting and analytics. A good SSP should provide comprehensive reporting tools, including real-time reporting, performance metrics, and audience insights. These features enable you to monitor and optimize inventory management effectively, making data-driven decisions to maximize revenue.

7. Header bidding

For publishers, it is imperative that the chosen Supply Side Platform provides a fast and reliable Header Bidding solution seamlessly integrated with their tags. Header Bidding has emerged as the latest trend in the ever-evolving Ad Tech industry, offering significant potential for publishers to maximize their revenues on a per-impression basis.

However, publishers should be cautious as not all Header Bidding solutions are created equal. Choosing a solution that goes beyond a basic setup and incorporates a range of advanced features is essential. One critical consideration is the impact on page load speed, as a sluggish website can lead to poor user experience and lower ad viewability. Publishers should ensure that the selected Header Bidding solution is optimized for performance while delivering optimal revenue results.

8. Brand safety

Publishers need SSPs that are integrated with brand safety tools, that provide an added layer of protection, ensuring that ads displayed on publishers’ platforms align with their desired standards and values.

Having brand safety measures within the SSP’s technology stack empowers them to provide a safe and trusted environment for advertisers while optimizing their ad placements for better engagement and performance. 

9. Cost

Last but not least – costs. Ensure you understand the pricing structure and revenue share model the platform offers. This will help ensure a fair and profitable partnership in the long run. Evaluate if there are any additional fees like setup fees, ad serving fees, or additional charges that may be applicable. It is important to have a clear understanding of these costs upfront to assess the overall profitability of the partnership accurately. Compare the revenue share percentage offered by the SSPs. This refers to the portion of the ad revenue that the publisher will receive for their inventory. 

Time to choose the right SSP

Choosing the right Supply Side Platform necessitates a thorough assessment of your unique requirements, preferences, and financial considerations. It is crucial to invest time in researching and comparing various platforms, and it may be beneficial to conduct trials or pilot programs to test their suitability before making a long-term commitment. By approaching the decision-making process with diligence and thoroughness, you can ensure that the chosen SSP aligns effectively with your objectives and yields optimal results for your business.

If you need further assistance, contact us, and our team will be happy to allay any doubts.

LET’S GET IN TOUCH!

Bartłomiej Oprządek
Regional Growth Director
publishers@yieldbird.com

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The post How to Choose the Right Supply Side Platform (SSP) for Your Stack? first appeared on Yieldbird - Research Hub.

This article aims to shed light on the role and significance of SSPs in the programmatic advertising ecosystem. Moreover, we’ll uncover how SSPs work and discover their benefits.

What is Supply Side Platform?

A supply-side platform (SSP) is an advertising technology platform that helps publishers manage, sell, and optimize their available advertising inventory. Using a single platform, it allows publishers to send bid requests to multiple demand partners, such as ad networks, exchanges, and demand-side platforms (DSPs). 

By working with SSPs, publishers can diversify their revenue channels and increase their chances of achieving better fill rates and overall yield. SSPs also assist in analyzing and sharing audience insights, such as demographics and interests, making the inventory more valuable to advertisers. In the programmatic ecosystem, SSPs are crucial in facilitating automatic auctions for ad inventory and connecting publishers with multiple ad exchanges and demand partners. Their primary goal is to optimize yield for publishers and provide timely reporting and analytics for effective ad inventory management.

How do Supply Side Platforms work?

Supply Side Platforms (SSPs) facilitate selling a publisher’s advertising inventory through programmatic advertising solutions. Here’s a breakdown of how SSPs work:

1. Publisher Availability: Publishers make their inventory available through the SSPs they choose to work with. This includes details about their ad space, audience, and targeting options.
2. User Visit: An ad request is triggered when a user lands on a publisher’s website.
3. Ad Request: The publisher’s SSP sends the ad request to multiple ad exchanges and Demand Side Platforms (DSPs) connected to the SSP. The request includes information about the available ad space and a Deal ID, if applicable.
4. Buyer Matching: The SSP analyzes the ad request and looks for relevant buyers or deals that match the publisher’s inventory. This involves considering factors such as audience requirements, targeting options, and bid prices.
5. Auction: In the open auction, DSPs bid on the publisher’s ad unit by submitting their bid price and creative to be delivered. The SSP evaluates the bids based on various factors, including the advertiser’s audience requirements and the highest bid price.
6. Winner Selection: The ad server determines the winning bid based on predefined rules and selects the highest bidder.
7. Ad Display: The winning ad creative is sent back to the publisher’s website, displaying it to the user in the designated ad space.

By leveraging programmatic advertising and connecting publishers with ad exchanges and DSPs, SSPs enable publishers to maximize their revenue potential by reaching a wider range of potential buyers and earning competitive rates for their ad inventory.

Benefits of Supply Side Platforms for publishers

However, what specific reasons make Supply Side Platforms (SSPs) a valuable tool for publishers? There are multiple advantages to consider.

1. Optimized yield management

By utilizing SSPs, publishers can streamline the process of selling their ad inventory, eliminating the need for manual negotiations and individual ad placements. This automation saves valuable time and conserves resources that can be better utilized in creating high-quality content and improving the overall user experience. SSPs handle the complexities of ad serving and optimization, allowing publishers to focus on their core competencies while still maximizing their revenue potential. 

2. Automated monetization

With automated monetization through SSPs, publishers can efficiently manage their ad inventory and generate revenue without the hassle of manual processes, ultimately enhancing their productivity and profitability.

By leveraging SSPs, publishers can bid farewell to manual work and embrace a streamlined selling process. Gone are the days of tedious negotiations and manual placements. SSPs empower publishers to sell their ad space to advertisers across various platforms effortlessly, be it desktop or mobile, regardless of the ad format—display, native, video, or otherwise. With SSPs, publishers experience heightened efficiency as they configure their preferences and connect to the programmatic ecosystem.

3. Aggregation of multiple networks

Often, relying on a single ad network or exchange can limit the number of bids and decrease inventory value. SSPs address this issue by connecting publishers to multiple networks, ad exchanges, and demand-side platforms (DSPs). This broad network of connections enables more buyers to participate in real-time bidding, fostering increased competition and ultimately leading to a higher yield for publishers. Instead of committing to a single source, they can mix and match their inventory between auctions on ad exchanges, preferred deals, or private marketplaces. 

This flexibility enables publishers to maximize their yield by leveraging different monetization sources based on their inventory’s specific needs. By tapping into a larger pool of demand partners, SSPs enhance the competition for publishers’ ad inventory, driving up prices and increasing overall revenue. The integration of SSPs with multiple ad exchanges and demand partners further expands the reach of publishers’ inventory, increasing the chances of filling available ad space with relevant and high-paying ads.

4. Brand Safety

SSPs recognize the risks of online advertising and go the extra mile to ensure brand safety. They have dedicated teams and tools in place and even establish partnerships with third parties to protect publishers from potential threats. With SSPs, publishers have the ability to selectively offer their inventory to specific buyers or through trusted channels, enabling better control over the ads displayed on their websites. SSPs incorporate brand safety measures that uphold certain standards, verifying ad content and filtering out inappropriate or malicious ads. SSPs create a secure user environment by prioritizing brand safety, safeguarding publishers’ reputations and enhancing overall trust in the digital advertising ecosystem.

5. Reporting

SSPs are not just about selling ad inventory; they also offer robust reporting capabilities that benefit publishers in multiple ways. With SSPs, publishers gain access to detailed information about the bidding process, including the identity of the advertisers, the prices they pay for the inventory, and the frequency at which their ad space gets filled. This valuable data provides publishers with insights into the value of their inventory for specific advertisers, allowing them to make informed decisions about their monetization strategy. 

Additionally, SSPs offer granular reporting on audience performance and ad placements, enabling publishers to understand the effectiveness of their inventory and make data-driven optimizations. By leveraging SSP reporting tools, publishers can uncover valuable information about their users, identify their most valuable customers, and comprehensively understand their inventory’s performance metrics. 

6. Price floors management

SSPs provide publishers with a powerful tool for price floor management, offering greater control over pricing and revenue optimization. Publishers can establish minimum prices for their ad inventory, ensuring that it is not sold below a specific threshold. This feature enables publishers to protect the value of their inventory and avoid underselling. 

Additionally, some SSPs offer the flexibility to set both hard and soft price floors, allowing publishers to fine-tune their pricing strategy based on specific advertisers or inventory segments. This functionality, combined with the ability to leverage both first-price and second-price auctions, empowers publishers to maximize their ad revenue from each auction, ultimately driving higher overall revenue and ensuring optimal monetization of their valuable ad inventory.

So what about these SSPs?

As you’ve noticed, Supply Side Platforms (SSPs) play a vital role in the programmatic advertising landscape by enabling publishers to efficiently manage, sell, and optimize their ad inventory. By leveraging SSPs, publishers can diversify their revenue channels, automate monetization, and maximize their yield through streamlined processes. 

To unlock the full potential of programmatic advertising and enhance your publishing strategy, it’s crucial to partner with a reliable and experienced team. Contact us today to explore how we can help you achieve your goals in the ever-evolving world of digital advertising.

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Bartłomiej Oprządek
Senior Business Development Manager & Team Lead
publishers@yieldbird.com

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The post What Is Supply Side Platform (SSP)? first appeared on Yieldbird - Research Hub.

Amidst this backdrop, one of the strategies has emerged as a captivating solution: ad refreshing. But what exactly is ad refreshing? How does it work? And can it truly deliver the desired results in an increasingly complex digital advertising environment? 

You’ll find the answers in this article. Let’s read!

What is ad refreshing?

Ad refreshing, also known as ad rotation or ad reloading, involves dynamically refreshing or replacing ads within a web page or mobile app to optimize their visibility, relevance, and overall performance. Ad refreshing can be based on predefined time intervals, user actions, events happening on the webpage, or other factors. 

There are different types of ad refreshing, each with its own triggers and implementation methods.

How does ad refreshing work?

1. Displaying initial ads: When a web page or mobile app loads, the initial set of ads is shown to the user. These ads are typically served based on targeting parameters such as user demographics, browsing behavior, and contextual relevance.

2. Setting a refresh interval: A predefined time interval is established during which the ads will be refreshed. As per Google policy, unless the user is active on the website, at least 30 seconds must pass before the ad is refreshed. 

3. Refreshing ads: Once the refresh interval is reached, the existing ads are replaced with new ads. This process can involve fetching ads from the ad server or ad exchange based on real-time bidding or programmatic advertising algorithms.

4. Ad targeting and relevance: During the ad refreshing process, publishers can leverage user data, browsing behavior, or contextual information to serve more relevant ads. This ensures that the refreshed ads align with the user’s interests, increasing the chances of engagement and conversions.

5. Monitoring and optimization: Publishers closely monitor the performance of the refreshed ads, analyzing metrics such as click-through rates, viewability, and conversions. This data helps optimize the ad refreshing strategy by adjusting the refresh interval, targeting parameters, or ad formats to maximize revenue and user experience.

Benefits of using an ad refreshing strategy

Ad refreshing has many benefits for digital publishers but should be used cautiously. Why? Because if ad refresh is misused, it can not only drive the users or readers away due to excessive and flashing advertisements but can even lead to account bans from Google Ad Manager or other demand providers. Thus, it is crucial to obey the existing regulations of each demand provider to ensure smooth cooperation on both ends. 

Assuming that the refresh is set up correctly, here are the benefits of using refresh that the publisher might expect:

1. Extending Ad Inventory and Increasing Revenue Potential

Ad refreshing enables digital publishers to extend their available ad inventory, allowing them to display more ads to their audience. By refreshing ads at regular intervals, publishers can present a variety of advertisements to users, increasing the chances of engagement and click-through rates. The expanded ad inventory opens up additional revenue opportunities by accommodating more advertisers and driving up demand, ultimately maximizing overall ad revenue.

2. Enhancing User Experience and Engagement

While maintaining an optimal user experience is crucial for digital publishers, balancing user experience and revenue generation is equally important. Ad refreshing can contribute to this delicate balance by ensuring users are presented with fresh and relevant ads without overwhelming them. By refreshing ads intelligently and considering factors like session duration or user behavior, publishers can prevent ad fatigue and maintain a seamless browsing experience, leading to increased user engagement and prolonged session durations.

3. Improving Ad Relevance and Targeting

In the rapidly evolving world of programmatic advertising, relevance and targeting are key to driving ad performance. Ad refreshing allows publishers to leverage real-time data and user behavior insights to serve more personalized and targeted ads. By dynamically refreshing ads based on user preferences, browsing patterns, or demographic data, publishers can present more relevant ads to their audience. This results in higher click-through rates, conversions, and better monetization outcomes.

4. Optimizing Viewability and Ad Fill Rates

Ad refreshing can significantly impact ad viewability and fill rates, two critical metrics for digital publishers. By refreshing ads within a page or app that an active user sees, publishers can combat ad blindness, banner fatigue, and other challenges that can reduce ad viewability. Additionally, ad refreshing can help fill empty ad slots, ensuring optimal ad inventory utilization and maximizing the chances of generating revenue from every impression. It is important to refresh the ads in the user’s viewport, not to decrease the overall inventory quality, thus hurting monetization in the long run. 

Importance of using the right refresh provider

While choosing the right refresh provider, it is crucial to understand the refresh tool’s capabilities. It’s crucial to ask yourself some questions: 

• Is it allowing for control over what is being refreshed? 
• Does it work based on a time interval, or does it consider the user’s actions? 
• Does it give the power to configure how much of the ad should be in view before the refresh happens?

While creating Yieldbird’s Refresher, we focused on a sustainable, long-term monetization strategy. The 3 main pillars of our refresh strategy are control, monitoring user behavior, and viewability. With Yieldbird’s Refresher, publishers can control what is being refreshed by using targeting rules that enable them to exclude certain campaigns or advertisers from refreshing, thus ensuring that direct deals are protected. Furthermore, publishers can enable user engagement tracking only to refresh when the user is active on the page, thus increasing engagement and potentially click-through rates. Finally, Refresher only acts if the ad is viewable, ensuring that the publisher’s inventory quality is protected and even increases with using Refresher. 

Conclusion

Ad refreshing is a vital part of ad monetization strategy for digital publishers. By extending ad inventory, enhancing user experience, improving ad relevance, and optimizing viewability and ad fill rates, publishers can unlock significant revenue potential while maintaining a positive user experience. 

Embrace ad refreshing as a part of your monetization strategy to stay competitive. Drive sustainable revenue growth, and continue delivering valuable content to your audiences. Contact us to start a free 30-day trial of Refresher and see how optimized ad refreshing can drive your programmatic ads with better results and higher revenues. 

LET’S GET IN TOUCH!

Zuzanna Zarębińska
Product Analyst
publishers@yieldbird.com

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The post Why Is Ad Refreshing Vital for Digital Publishers? first appeared on Yieldbird - Research Hub.

What is ad fraud?

Ad fraud is the practice of deliberately delivering ad impressions that the real person cannot see. Most ad fraud is generated by bots, software designed to perform automated, repetitive tasks online. However, not all bots are bad. Search engines, for example, use bots to explore millions of pages and apps every day in order to understand what content they are offering. They use this information, so as to perform better in searches.

Some examples of how fraud is carried out:

There are many ad scam tactics – here are just a couple of examples:

1. Bots are quietly installed on consumers’ PCs and provoke impressions the user does not see.
2. A compromised computer network (“botnet”) creates fake consumer traffic. Virtual machines that mimic consumer computers generate thousands of views.
3. Videos that automatically play but are either too few or even invisible on the page.
4. Software that emulates many clicks every time a consumer makes a real click.

How common is ad fraud?

Extensive research conducted by ad fraud experts reveals that a considerable chunk of web traffic is compromised by fraudulent activities. Through meticulous studies, AppsFlyer has unveiled the alarming reality that bots contribute to more than 70% of fraud across various regions. The State of Fake Traffic report for 2022 exposes the prevalence of falsified web activity, indicating that 11.2% of total web traffic was deemed fake. Shockingly, 1 in 10 website visitors were identified as inauthentic, leading to a wastage of $35.7 billion in ad spend. Furthermore, eMarketer projects a global digital advertising fraud forecast of $100 billion by 2023. These findings underscore the pressing need for robust measures to combat ad fraud and safeguard advertising investments.

Ad fraud warning signs

Thankfully, there are ways to detect ad fraud and cut it off before it makes too big of an impact on your bottom line. Knowledge is half the battle, so be sure to keep an eye out for the following:

• Low Viewability: Viewability determines whether your ad had the chance to be seen by an actual human. And while 100% viewability isn’t feasible, yours should be around 40-60%. If it is lower, that means there’s a chance your traffic, visits, and clicks are coming from fraudulent sources since the ads couldn’t be seen by actual people. 
• High Click Through Rates: While not always an indication of ad fraud, it could be a piece of the puzzle. Be sure to keep an eye on the time between clicks and conversion; if it’s unusually quick, it could be a cause for suspicion (to be able to see this, you’ll need log-level data). 
• Strange Traffic Sources: Good news: you’re getting a lot of traffic from your latest campaign. Bad news: it’s from outdated browsers and unpopular devices. Traffic from unusual sources such as these can be indicative of fraud; also keep an eye out for repeated visits from the same IP addresses, as well as random countries outside of your targeting parameters.
• Straying Too Far From Your Benchmarks: You know your performance benchmarks (or at least, you should know them), and if your campaign performance starts to stray too far from those there’s a chance you’re dealing with fraud. Be sure you have established benchmarks for clicks, CTR, page views, and conversions to be able to know when things look off.
• A Lot of Visits, But Little Added Revenue:  If you’re seeing a big spike in visits but no movement on revenue-driving conversions, you could be getting fraudulent traffic. 

With these warning signs, you have a good chance of safeguarding your campaigns. But always remember to get proactive with protecting your performance.

10 ways to prevent ad fraud

1. Know Your Traffic Source

Before you really do anything to fight affiliate fraud, you need to know where your ads are running. In that regard, conduct your research and make sure to screen and pick the right ad network that you can trust (and also know the difference between ad network vs ad exchange). The lack of transparency opens up the door for fraud, so it’s paramount to set your sights on a transparent and strict platform that can detect and prevent it.

2. Keep An Eye On Data

Watch out for changes in traffic that don’t match the performance you’re used to. For instance, sudden spikes in traffic for no real reason or an abnormally high CTR (higher than the industry standard) without any relevance to your offer. In addition, keep a watchful eye on different geos. If traffic is targeting US customers and it’s coming from Southeast Asia (one of the usual suspects), that could very well indicate fraud, particularly if conversions or other important metrics are nowhere or barely to be found.

3. Use Ads.txt

This buying method confirms that each webpage uploads a file to its root domain detailing which SSP (Sell Side Platform – a tool that manages the programmatic advertising of a website) offers its inventory, its Placement ID and its relationship with that SSP. In this way, it is ensured that the information passed from SSP and the publisher ID is accurate. The Publishers publicly indicate who is actually authorized to market their advertising space, thereby eliminating inventory fraud.

4. Target High-quality Traffic

Low-quality websites are, more often than not, breeding grounds for click fraud. Affiliates see a chance to score some cheap traffic and risk having bots clicking on their ad to boost the other side’s PPC revenue. It’s not a bad idea to limit your exposure by targeting a few specific high-value websites instead of placing your ads on just about any website relevant to your keywords.

5. Target Specific Countries

We’ve mentioned this earlier – some countries and regions are labelled as click fraud zones. Some areas are more prone to having bots, people, or even click farms whose sole purpose is clicking on advertisements. These are real people, a fact that makes it that harder to spot fraud without a close look into their activity. That doesn’t mean you should blindly stick to a US market as the best of the bunch. Rather, you should be more refined regarding the geos you advertise to and avoid those with a high risk of fraud.

6. Have a Sensible CPC

Another move you can employ for click fraud prevention is to have a reasonable cost per click. We hate to say it but a low CPC usually gets low traffic quality, which, in turn, is far more susceptible to click fraud. Spend your money where it makes the most sense for you, even if it’s not the cheapest option. There’s still good traffic to be found on a low CPC but keep in mind that you can’t expect big results on a small budget.

7. Keep an Eye on Your Competitors

It pays to know who your competitors are for various reasons, and click fraud is one of them. It’s not unheard of that affiliates competing on the same keywords click on each other’s ads to drive their own business. You can use tools such as Adplexity, AdWatcher, and WhatRunsWhere to either filter them out of your affiliate campaigns or report their fraudulent activities.

8. Work with Your Traffic Source

Maintaining a close relationship with your traffic vendor is key to understanding the type of traffic that is coming in. Look at it this way: a company’s in-house fraud detection and prevention system is not only for learning and keeping up with the ongoing click fraud trends, but it can also allow you to analyze and understand the traffic originating from their network. Not every network will be that open or user-friendly, so once again, much of this depends on your initial decision to partner up with a respectable and proven company.

9. Be Informed

It is strongly recommended that you look to be in the loop when it comes to new trends in affiliate fraud. That way, you will ensure you’re up to date with the latest news on fraudsters, fraudulent affiliates, affiliate sites, activities, locations, and so on. Online forums like Warrior Forum, Affilorama, DigitalPoint are great resources for gleaning information while also communicating with your peers and exchanging different tactics and experiences.

10. Use Affiliate Fraud Tools

Affiliate fraud is a serious issue as well as a large business, so you’re not alone in this fight. While built-in anti-fraud tools and features in ad and affiliate networks are often enough, beefing more on third-party presence will never hurt. There are plenty of standalone tools, such as BrandVerity, CPA Detective, Fraudlogix, Improvely, and Scrubkit that can aid you in keeping your affiliate campaigns fraud-free.

Summary

Ad fraud is a major problem that affects Advertisers in all industries, and it doesn’t appear to be going away any time soon. As such, you simply can’t afford to ignore the issue. The question isn’t whether you’ve been affected by ad fraud. It’s a matter of how much you’ve been affected by ad fraud. That is why it is so important to invest in ad fraud prevention.

The post The Prevention of Ad Fraud first appeared on Yieldbird - Research Hub.