While blogging can be a hobby, most of us start a blog to make money. One of the best ways to make money with your blog is with “display ads” from an ad network. Interested in giving ads a try? You need to find out what are the best ad networks for bloggers to partner with first. So let’s get into it.
Display ads FAQ
What is an ad network?
An ad network is a company that sells ads to big companies. They then partner with bloggers (like you) to place those ads on your blog. Then, based on your blog niche, they show relevant ads from their partners and pay you for your blog traffic.
Like anything else, not all ad networks are the same. That’s why I’ve made things simple by highlighting the top 10 best ad networks for bloggers. But before we dive in, let’s dig a little deeper into how ad networks actually benefit bloggers.
How do I make money with an ad network?
Like a newspaper or magazine, you’re essentially selling them space on your website to advertise their goods or services. Some of these advertisers intentionally target very niche audiences, which is why a blog like your own is the perfect place.
For example, if you blog about hair care, big-name brands like Pantene or Herbal Essences might just want to advertise to your readers.
The appeal of ad networks is they do much of the heavy lifting. Not only will they match you with advertisers offering the highest bids, but they’ll also manage your ads for you, so they’re seen by the right set of readers.
How do ad networks work?
Ads are the easiest way to monetize your blog, far easier than affiliate marketing or selling your own products.
You simply place a bit of code on your site, and the ad network does the rest, placing ads strategically throughout your website.
Shortly after your ads start running, you should begin generating revenue. This generally works in two ways.
- Pay Per Click Ads (PPC)
An ad generates revenue when a reader clicks on its link.
- Pay Per View or Pay Per Impression (PPV)
Revenue is based on how many readers view an ad on your website.
Either way, with an ad network, you can make money blogging without having to sell a thing!
Now that I’ve covered how ad networks work let me break down the 10 best ad networks for bloggers.
Best ad networks for blogs
Google Adsense – Best ad network for beginners
At the top of my list is the gold standard in display advertising, Google Adsense. If you’re new to monetizing your blog with ads, Adsense is a good place to start. While you won’t make a killing with this ad network, it will show you the process of how ads work.
Placing their ads on your blog is easy enough with their Auto Ads feature. With it, you add a bit of code on your blog, which strategically places ads on your site for you. This way, you don’t have to edit any of your blog theme’s source files to insert the ad code.
Mediavine – Best ad network for bloggers
Mediavine is one of the preferred ad networks of lifestyle content creators. That includes blog niches such as travel, food, fashion, or fitness bloggers.
Mediavine prides itself on a “creator first” approach and enables users to earn big for their original content. As a result, users receive a 75% share of their ad revenue profits, while Mediavine only keeps 25%. Compared to other ad networks, this is a pretty generous figure.
Besides the obvious appeal of making maximum revenue, creators also enjoy Mediavine for its support services. They’re known to have a vast, helpful community to support their users in achieving success. The minimum traffic requirement to join Mediavine is 50,000 visits per month.
While it may take several months to a year to get this much blog traffic, the barrier for entry to Mediavine is much less than some others on this list.
AdThrive – Best ad network for premium publishers
AdThrive is similar to Mediavine in many ways and is another excellent choice for lifestyle bloggers specifically. They boast a wide network of advertising partners and will guarantee their users get paid even if they never see a cent from the advertiser.
Like Mediavine, AdThrive offers a community of support to assist users with helpful tips and tricks. However, the most obvious difference between AdThrive and other advertising networks is their selectivity. AdThrive can be particular about who they let join their platform, and a minimum of 100,000 monthly page views is required to even apply.
But don’t get discouraged! If your application happens to get declined, you can contact AdThrive’s team for a more detailed explanation. They’ll even offer suggestions for how to improve your chances of getting approved the next time around.
Media.net
In terms of advertising, Google is the Mecca for marketers. Search engines like Yahoo! and Bing often go unnoticed, but that doesn’t mean they don’t present a wealth of opportunity for advertisers to cash in.
Media.net is powered by these search engines, making it perfect for gaining exclusive access to their platforms and advertising options. In addition, thanks to their flexible, easy-to-navigate ad design tools, Media.net is one of the most user-friendly ad networks out there.
Ads can be easily optimized for mobile or desktop viewing. And with no minimum traffic requirement to join, you can get signed up right away to start generating revenue. One downside of Media.net is their $100 minimum payout, but for bloggers just beginning to dabble with ad networks, it’s a great place to start.
Monumetric
Formerly known as The Blogger Network, Monumetric has established itself as one of the best ad networks for bloggers. Monumetric’s objective is quality-driven, meaning they won’t traffic pointless ads but rather will deliver dynamic display ads targeted to your unique niche.
To sign up with Monumetric, you will need to prove at least 10,000 page views in 30 days. And unless you have at least 80,000 monthly page views, you’ll also have to pay a one-time setup fee.
While probably not the best option for first-time ad network users, you can achieve that number of views in no time with some patience and perseverance. Once established with Monumetric, your earning potential is endless. The key to earning with Monumetric is to focus on impressions. Engage your reader so that they remain active on your site for longer, which in turn will boost your potential payout.
Propeller Ads
Propeller Ads is a popular choice for publishers, as it offers a wide range of options for advertising. Boost your blog income using typical display ads, banners, push notifications, or smart links. The variety of ways to monetize content allows users to decide how aggressively they want to advertise with their platform.
Moreover, you don’t have to get a ton of blog traffic before signing up with Propeller Ads. You can get started right away and begin seeing a profit almost immediately. Not to mention, with just a $5 minimum payout, you don’t have to wait for ages to cash in on your earnings.
Infolinks
What sets Infolinks apart from some of the other ad networks on this list emphasizes in-text ads that target specific keywords. Unlike your average outbound link, visitors can view the actual ad simply by hovering over the highlighted text.
There is no need to generate new copy; Infolinks will crawl your content to match ads with existing keywords. Besides their in-text ads, Infolinks also offers a notification bar, vertical, and interstitial ads. These ads can be automatically placed by the platform itself, leaving you the time to focus on creating awesome blog content for your audience.
The minimum payout for Infolinks is $50, which is fairly reasonable compared to similar options.
Ezoic
Ezoic is a unique option that is particularly desirable to content creators who receive much of their traffic from outside the United States. Thanks to an advertising network that spans a wider demographic and is generally more diverse, Ezoic can target relevant ads to readers in many countries worldwide.
Ezoic’s user-friendly ad platform includes a drag-and-drop option for testing ad placements. As a result, joining Ezoic is rather easy, with the barrier for entry is just 10,000 page views per month. Additionally, the minimum payout is a cool $20, so you’ll see your efforts turn to earnings right away.
PopAds
PopAds derives its marketing dollars through the use of pop-under ads. While the sound of such an ad might scare prospects away, it’s important to note that pop-under ads in no way affect the user experience. In fact, the use of pop-under ads is a fairly common marketing approach.
Like Ezoic, PopAds enables users to extend their ad audience beyond just the United States. With advertisers in over 50 different countries, you’re certain to find something that fits neatly within your niche.
Sovrn
Sovrn, formerly known as VigLink, is an ad network that works very similarly to Infolinks. They’ll crawl your content and find existing keywords where they can plug their advertisements.
Sovrn allows you to gain insight into your relationship with each advertiser, tracking your progress and performance so you know exactly where you excel and what could use improvement.
Sovrn’s platform also gives you the option to fully automate the process, placing the ads for you, so you don’t have to decide. With a minimum payout of just $10, Sovrn is an excellent option if you’re just dipping your toes into display advertising.
Wrapping it up
If you’ve been thinking of joining an ad network and simply didn’t know where to start, I hope this post offered some helpful insight. While any of the ad networks on this list will certainly earn you some money, you want to pick the one that best fits your blog and target audience.
And if your blog content has yet to garner enough viewers, don’t get too discouraged. Instead, start small with an ad network where you can learn the ropes and work your way up as your blog traffic grows.
Until next time,
Edwin, DoSixFigures.com
