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Are Ad Networks 'Dancing With The Ones Who Brung Us'?
Posted by Michael Seiman on May 17, 2009 at 09:41 PM PDT
It always interests me to see how much time some ad networks spend focusing on advertiser relations, optimization and other internal processes as compared to the little time and resources they spend on the relationships they have with their publishers. I find it surprising because, without publishers, there wouldn't really be any Internet at all…let alone Internet advertising. These publishers are the owners of the very inventory that ad networks exist to monetize. In treating the publishers' inventory like a commodity, ad networks miss the delicate balance between the needs of both sides of the online advertising equation. It truly is, after all, the willingness of publishers to make their money through advertising that keeps the Internet a mostly free platform.
Obviously I’m not suggesting ignoring clients' needs nor turning away from the importance of enhancing efficiency. Paying attention to both of these corner stones is critical to the long-term success of all ad networks, but publishers must not feel like a silent partner in the process. By forging solid relationships with publishers ad networks can ensure that they are getting the best possible inventory to put into the system and that quality and prices of inventory remain constant.
At the end of the day, publishers want to know that they are working with an ad network that understands the real value of their inventory and that has their best interests at heart. Whether they have 20,000 uniques a month or 20 million, their user base is both their own life's blood and the life's blood of Internet advertising, as a whole.
I suggest we start paying more attention to our publishers. We should educate them on what advertisers want and we should understand what they need to operate their businesses. If we treat our publishers with the respect they deserve, it will make the industry a better place for all those that play in this proverbial sandbox.
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