Ad Exchanges are digital marketplaces that bring together publishers, advertisers and ad tech agencies to sell and buy ad inventory. This large inventory, which includes display, video, mobile and in-app impressions, is offered to buyers such as DSPs, advertisers and even ad networks. Publishers hope to increase profits from their inventory by accessing global demand through Ad Exchanges while having complete control over the inventory, including setting floor prices, adding or blocking demand, targeting criteria and more.
Publishers can contact the Ad Exchanges directly, but the high traffic and revenue requirements make it difficult for small and mid-sized publishers to participate. In such cases, SSPs and ad networks help access the Ad Exchanges. Ad Exchanges play an important role in the digital advertising landscape, providing an efficient solution for publishers and advertisers to buy and sell ad inventory. However, despite their widespread use, there is still a lot of confusion about Ad Exchanges and how they work.
The three types of Ads Exchange
Ad exchanges provide a platform for advertisers to purchase advertising on multiple websites in a streamlined and efficient manner. Instead of negotiating directly with individual publishers, ad exchanges offer a centralized marketplace for buying and selling ad inventory. There are three main types of ad exchanges:
Open Ad Exchange
This type of ad exchange is a publicly accessible marketplace with a wide range of inventory from multiple publishers. All buyers are able to access the inventory available in an open ad exchange.
Preferred Deal
This option is for publishers who want to sell their digital ad inventory at a fixed price that has been pre-negotiated with preferred advertisers.
Private Marketplace (PMP)
A private marketplace, also known as a private ad exchange, is a closed platform that allows publishers to have more control over who can bid, under what conditions, and at what price. This type of ad exchange offers a more exclusive and selective environment for buying and selling ad inventory.
Top 11 Ads Exchanges for Publishers
If you’re considering using an ad exchange, here is a list of the major exchanges and their key benefits:
Google AdX
Google AdX, as part of Google Ad Manager, provides a platform for buying and selling ads for partners in the Google Display Network. It uses open auctions and private auction models for seamless exchange of inventory.
Designed for premium publishers and advertisers, small and medium publishers can access these services through Google network partners such as AdPushup.
Key features for publishers
Publishers can use account-level filtering to exclude unwanted demand and ads. They can set various parameters such as geography, ad sizes, layouts, ATF and BTF ad units for revenue reporting and inventory analysis. AdX takes care of all aspects of ad delivery and payment once the publisher has registered.
AudienceRun
AudienceRun is a monetization solution for publishers that helps them maximize their ad revenue. It uses a unique script that activates multiple formats and demand sources, including direct demand, programmatic, partnerships and CPM affiliation to achieve the highest eCPM per page. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, AudienceRun‘s team of online advertising experts offers both innovative and traditional ad formats to improve publisher revenue. AudienceRun allows publishers to focus on their core business, content and audience, simplifying the process of monetizing a website through advertising.
Key features for publishers
AudienceRun‘s unique script optimizes fill rates and maximizes revenue through advertising. The experienced team of online advertising experts from ad serving, account management, programmatic and sales ensures that publishers get the best possible results. AudienceRun offers both innovative and traditional advertising formats, providing a wide range of opportunities to reach target audiences. User experience is AudienceRun‘s top priority. This ensures that ads are delivered without negatively impacting the user experience.
PubMatic
Pubmatic is an ad tech company focused on publishers, delivering over 64 billion ad impressions daily to 800 million unique users worldwide. The technology is designed for web, mobile and app publishers, with companies such as Dictionary.com, Livingly Media and Times Internet making money through Pubmatic.
Key features for publishers
Pubmatic‘s OpenWrap, an open-source header bidding wrapper, offers client-side, server-side and hybrid header bidding solutions. Real-time bidding technology with a huge pool of bidders increases bidding pressure, resulting in increased earning potential for publishers. The platform uses filters to detect and eliminate invalid traffic, ensuring a safe advertising environment.
AppNexus
AppNexus is a leading advertising marketplace that offers both sell-side and buy-side solutions. On the sell-side, AppNexus offers an ad server, SSP, and advanced features to maximize monetization and optimize inventory. On the buy-side, it offers a programmatic platform for running customized campaigns.
In collaboration with Rubicon Project, AppNexus also developed Prebid.js, an open source header bidding wrapper. Publishers such as Fandom, Wayfair and Ranker monetize their inventory through AppNexus.
Key features for publishers
Provides a dedicated ad server for programmatic and direct deals. Features a SSP, which supports display, video, mobile, native and audio ads. Allows publishers to bundle and sell a portion of their inventory to advertisers looking for specific audiences through Audience Extension. Provides advanced analytics to monitor and benchmark inventory performance and help publishers avoid under-selling.
Smatoo
Smaato is a leading app-based ad exchange platform that processes over 150 billion ad requests per month. The platform offers simple and efficient ad delivery, resulting in higher eCPMs for publishers. Smaato works with well-known developers such as Liftoff, Gameloft and Outfit7.
Key features for publishers
Integrates Realtime Ad Exchange to access dynamic demand from over 450 sources worldwide. Offers private marketplace, direct deals, RTB, and third-party referral options for app publishers. Uses technologies such as The Media Trust and GeoEdge to ensure ad quality, brand safety, and user protection.
MoPub
MoPub is a monetization platform for app publishers and developers, now owned by Twitter. It offers mobile ad exchange services and gives publishers access to direct deals, ad network services, and multiple DSPs through its unified auction feature. Through its partnerships with over 49,000 app publishers worldwide, including Zynga, Voodoo, Ubisoft and Trucaller, MoPub reaches 1.5 billion users across all devices.
Key features for publishers
Real-time impression tracking for in-app monetization. Expertise in mobile mediation and real-time bidding for access to top demand sources. Impression-level revenue display to give publishers a better view of the value of their inventory.
SmartyAds
SmartyAds is a one-stop ad tech solution for publishers, advertisers and agencies, offering an independent ad exchange platform with a premium marketplace. With over 25,000 premium publishers, the company delivers more than 2 billion impressions daily, ensuring unbiased trading and quality exchange while maximizing profits for all parties involved.
Key features for publishers
SmartyAds provides precise targeting to deliver the right ads to the right audience. Real-time analytics provide detailed performance analysis of inventory by ad format (banner, native, video) and device (desktop and mobile). A transparent, brand-safe environment that allows publishers to customize their layout while maintaining ad standards.
OpenX
OpenX offers a robust programmatic marketplace for publishers, providing valuable insights into their audiences through its OpenAudience offering. The company also has yield analysts to help publishers realise the full potential of their inventory and has rigorous measures in place to combat ad fraud. Well-known publishers using OpenX include CarGurus, Philly.com and Graphiq.
Key features for publishers
OpenX Bidder, a header bidding solution that connects publishers to a premium marketplace for demand partners. Predictive Audience Volume to improve monetization, with Real-time Guaranteed feature to improve seller-buyer relationships for more profitable deals. A mobile-optimised ad exchange that matches publishers with buyers specifically interested in mobile inventory, saving time and effort.
Rubicon Project
Rubicon Project is a global advertising technology leader focused on buying and selling advertising inventory, processing over 1 billion transactions each month. Publishers that trust Rubicon Project include the Wall Street Journal, GAMELOFT and eBay.
The company provides comprehensive demand and campaign management solutions for both buyers and sellers. Rubicon Project was also a key player in the development of Prebid (in partnership with AppNexus), cementing its position as one of the top players in the header bidding market.
Key features for publishers
It is user-friendly and provides on-demand manual support for non-technical publishers. Provides a single platform for publishers to access global demand, eliminating the need for multiple channels or services. Offers a range of header bidding solutions, including client-side, server-side, and hybrid solutions, for enhanced monetization.
Index Exchange
Index Exchange has created a platform where leading digital media companies exchange inventory. The company offers full control over inventory and pricing, as well as access to premium demand. Business Insider, The Economist and The Telegraph are among the premium publishers working with Index Exchange.
Key features for publishers
Certification through TAG and membership in the Coalition for Better Ads, demonstrating the company’s commitment to delivering premium ads. Internal integration and management of inventory for optimized results in buying and selling processes. Visibility into bid-level auction data and revenue, and quality of demand sources.
Verizon Media
Verizon Media, formerly known as Oath, is a leading media and technology company that connects 800 million people (including publishers, advertisers and users) around the world every day. The company has an extensive network of publishers, advertisers and advertising partners to meet everyone’s needs.
Verizon Media offers simplified monetization solutions for various ad formats across multiple devices and has proprietary technology that supports major publishers such as TechCrunch, Engadget and HuffPost, which are among the company’s customers.
Key features for publishers
Ensures high-quality ads while emphasizing user privacy through compliance with data protection regulations such as the GDPR. Provides comprehensive inventory management that allows publishers to track revenue from multiple channels such as header bidding, programmatic, and direct deals. Has a broad demand pool that includes its own marketplace and key demand sources in the market, including Facebook and Amazon.
Ad Exchanges have a bright future ahead as the shift to digital advertising continues to gain momentum. With the increasing popularity of programmatic advertising, these virtual marketplaces are expected to become the preferred destination for buyers and sellers in the advertising industry. If you’re a publisher looking to monetize your website in the easiest way possible, then look no further… AudienceRun gives you access to multiple demand sources, optimizes load rates, offers innovative and traditional formats, and places a high priority on ease of use. Don’t waste any more time and money, sign up today.
