As a blogger and online business owner, you get to call all the shots regarding the content you create. However, that also means you have to mess with ad revenues, CPM monetization, audience research, and other hellish concepts. On top of that, the amount of competition can quickly become disheartening.
A trustworthy ad network is a remedy for all marketing misfortunes. The technology platform allows you to increase your cash flow while giving your content more exposure.
It’s an absolute must for all creators and online businesses, regardless of their tenure. So, would you like to know what the best display ad networks for bloggers are?
Best Display Ad Networks
1. Ezoic
Ezoic is the perfect choice for bloggers who cultivate a significant following outside of the United States. The ad network is a Google Certified Publishing Partner covering a wide range of geographical areas.
If the traffic on your website is more global, Ezoic will adjust the ads accordingly. That means the content will adhere to various cultural sensitivities. The goal is to create advertisements that are equally engaging to audiences from all over the world.
Moreover, if you're a first-time blogger or just starting your online business, you'll benefit from the user-friendly dashboard and efficient customer support. Ezoic has a great staff that’s always ready to answer your questions.
Pros
- Earn at least 30% more than other platforms
- Great analytics
- Excellent customer support
- Globally oriented advertisers
Cons
- A 10k page requirement per month
2. Media.net
Starting off our list is one of the go-to ad networks for media giants such as Forbes and CNN. Media.net is a Yahoo and Bing-operated platform with an impressive library of contextual ads powered by local and regional advertisers. It also has one of the best RPM (Revenue Per Thousand Impressions) rates there is.
Apart from content monetization, contextual ads are essential for boosting your pageview count as well. With Media.net, you’ll gain significant exposure on all Bing and Yahoo search markets. In other words, the organic traffic on your blog will increase significantly.
However, the website limits the number of places where you can get traffic to only clicks and pageviews from the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. You do need to have consistent traffic on your website to succeed here.
Media.net provides a wide range of advertising strategies for solidifying your online presence. The platform offers both in-content native advertising and desktop interstitials.
Furthermore, you don’t have to worry about ads interfering with the user interface on the website. All ads are high quality, including the mobile versions.
Pros
- Excellent dashboard
- It’s completely free
- The RPM rates are high
Cons
- The traffic is limited to Canada, the United States, and the U.K.
3. AdSense
With millions of customers worldwide, AdSense is one of the best display ad networks for bloggers and online businesses. The platform supports all website types and has a selection of advanced tools for content monetization.
Google AdSense is a trustworthy choice for providing consumers with complete access to their advertisers. You’re free to choose the advertisements based on your requirements and adjust them to your liking.
The innovative features enable you to determine which ads are most profitable for your particular niche. Also, the sign-up method is intuitive and straightforward.
AdSense has but one major flaw – it's not suitable for fresh-faced bloggers. To make any serious revenue, you need to have consistent traffic on your website. The reason is the high payout threshold with a $100 minimum. Unless you have enough following to reach that number, it’s best to pursue other options.
Pros
- Easy setup
- Over 2 million advertisers
- Free
- User-friendly customization tools
Cons
- Not that great for new bloggers or newly established online businesses
4. MediaVine
Continuing our list is another well-established ad network for bloggers. MediaVine is a favorite among lifestyle content creators in niches such as travel, food, home decorations, etc.
The company pays content producers a whopping 75% of their ad sales while retaining only the leftover percentage. That means, compared to other platforms, you’ll be able to earn much more.
Signing up is relatively easy, although there are some criteria you have to meet to be admitted. Essentially, your content has to be engaging to a broad audience. Also, there's a minimum requirement of 50,000 sessions in 30 days.
The only downside is that MediaVine doesn’t allow you to add multiple ad networks to your website. However, given the high cut of revenue, you may not need other subscriptions.
Pros
- High earnings
- Full transparency
- A CPM revenue model
Cons
- Doesn’t allow multiple networks
5. Infolinks
Infolinks offers a wide range of display ads and lets you customize them according to your needs. It’s suitable for both veteran bloggers and first-time content creators.
Signing up requires your email address and website URL. With a standard Infolinks package, you can fully control the ad placements within your website.
The platform relies heavily on your content to generate revenue. Rather than creating new material, it simply matches advertisements with keywords already present on your website. Anyone will then be able to see the ad when clicking over a highlighted keyword.
However, not all ad formats function seamlessly. For example, sticky ads can appear intrusive, especially if you access the blog via a mobile phone.
The unique placement within the text serves as a click-through performance booster. Infolinks uses an algorithm to determine the perfect moment to display an ad. It also keeps the website layout intact.
Pros
- Quick sign-up
- High-quality ads
- Increased click-through revenue
Cons
- Intrusive ad formats
6. AdThrive
Here’s another ad network popular with lifestyle creators. If you blog about travel, food, DIY, and similar niches, this is an excellent pick for you. Of course, AdThrive isn’t limited to these subjects – the advertisers just work best in combination with them.
One of the significant upsides of choosing AdThrive is the payouts warranty. Even if an advertiser bails, the platform will make sure you still get paid. It’s thanks to the company policy that puts their creators first.
However, there are some restrictions you should keep in mind. The platform is best suited for local or national traffic. If you have more viewers from outside the U.S., AdThrive might not be a good fit. Also, not everyone can sign up and get immediately have access. First, you have to install Google Analytics and average at least 100,000 page views per month.
Pros
- Payouts are guaranteed
- Great for lifestyle blogs
- A “creator first” company policy
Cons
- Traffic is limited to the U.S.
- A 100,000-page view requirement.
7. Sovrn (Formerly VigLink)
If it’s your first time setting foot into the world of blogging, Sovrn is the right choice for you. The network acts as an excellent promotional platform for novice creators with limited or no following. It offers a solid package of ad formats for beginners, including headers, banners, and OnScroll ads.
You can rely on advanced monetization tools to increase the demand for your content. The network encourages competition among different advertisers and allows you to pick the one best suited for your needs.
Sovrn is also commended for its transparency. The website gives you a detailed overview of what ads earn you the most profit. That means you don’t have to worry about tracking revenue since the network does it for you.
There are also two different payment methods to choose from: the CPC or the CPM model. Whenever someone buys a product by clicking on an ad, you also get a profit share.
However, the company doesn't allow creators to join unless they pass an audit. If your blog meets the minimum requirements, you'll get an invitation. The evaluation can last for a few days, so be prepared to wait.
Pros
- Automatized revenue tracking
- Both CPC and CPM models
- Wide range of ad formats
Cons
- Invite-only
8. Monumetric
The website, formerly known as “The Blogger Network,” is excellent for increasing your blog’s productivity. Rather than weeding out unnecessary traffic, Monumetric focuses primarily on shaking things up within the content itself.
Monumetric offers a wide selection of high-quality ad formats. This includes both desktop and mobile-friendly ads, in-image ads, native ads, and more.
As far as payment goes, the ad network implements the CPM model. If you're an established blogger, that'll work to your benefit. A CPM-based payment plan will reward websites that have a large amount of traffic.
However, smaller bloggers shouldn't be discouraged. The ad network's CPM rates are so reasonable you’re sure to profit. For a decent monthly income, your website should have a minimum of 10k views on advertisers.
There are some additional fees you should know about before you subscribe. For example, Monumetric charges bloggers for setting up their accounts. Some creators would prefer a network that offers free sign-up. It depends on how much you're willing to spend at the very start.
Pros
- Wide selection of ad formats
- High CPM rates
- Potential for high income
Cons
- Setup fees
- Traffic requirements
9. PopAds
PopAds is widely known for its efficiency. The sign-up process is quick and straightforward and doesn't come with any prerequisites. There are also several notable brands affiliated with the platform, so it's pretty dependable.
The website uses the so-called “pop-unders” to optimize content monetization. By strategically displaying ads in crucial places, it helps generate higher revenue. You are also free to determine the amount of money you’ll invest in each ad. PopAds uses a bidding system to allow creators to make decisions based on their individual budgets.
Probably the most significant upside is the amount of global coverage you can get. With PopAds, you’ll be able to access advertisers from more than 50 countries; if you primarily get your traffic from outside the U.S., this may be the right display ad network for you.
Both CPM and CPC payment models are available. The website also allows you to change the monetization strategy if you so wish. This can come in handy for smaller bloggers who usually start with the CPC method. As your traffic increases, it’s better to switch to CPM.
Pros
- Easy sign-up
- Easy-to-use bidding system
- Global exposure
Cons
- Popunder is the only available format
10. PropellerAds
If you’re a small creator that dreams of a big following, Propeller Ads can help you get there. The website can compete with AdSense and other large ad networks for the sheer amount of ad formats.
As a beginner, you’ll find PropellerAds extremely user-friendly. The sign-up process is super simple and requires no setup fees. Once you create an account, you can access a diverse selection of tools such as push notifications, sponsored links, headers, and banners.
The network will walk you through your ad performance by using detailed graphs. If that seems overwhelming, the website has a built-in tool that optimizes ad placements automatically. Using an AI for ad integrations means you don’t have to customize them manually to generate a steady income.
Pros
- No minimum requirements for traffic
- Detailed reports on ad efficiency
- User-friendly dashboard
Cons
- Doesn’t support header bidding
11. Kadam
Kadam is the leading advertising network, offering maximum profitability for both publishers and advertisers. It covers all GEOs with over 10 billion impressions per day and millions of quality conversions across multiple verticals.
The platform includes a range of features such as built-in analytics tools, advanced targeting options, effective fraud prevention measures, and integration with leading affiliate networks. Payment Models include CPM and CPC. You can select from these models and fund your account using any convenient method, including cryptocurrency.
Kadam offers personalized service with a dedicated personal manager and a responsive support team. The team responds to queries within 10 minutes and provides both self-service and full management options for clients. Assistance is available for creative design, optimization, and other aspects of advertising.
Pros
- Effective budget management
- Advanced targeting and retargeting tools
- Analytics and statistics
- System improvements and enhancements
Cons
- The platform is of an old design, in the process of being redesigned
Ad Networks FAQ
How Much Money Can I Make From Google AdSense?
Right off the bat, it's difficult to predict how much money your online business can make by using AdSense. The average income is affected by a variety of factors. You have to consider the amount of traffic you get, your content’s reach, where your page views come from, and other similar elements.
For a rough estimate, try using the sales generator on the AdSense website. The built-in tool measures your potential annual sales based on the content you create (e.g., lifestyle blogs) and your target audience. However, keep in mind this is just an approximation.
What happens when you establish a steady cash flow? Google deposits the money directly into your account. Sometimes you get a check. This only happens if you meet the minimum payout of $100 per month.
Can I Use Multiple Ad Networks?
Yes and no. Usually, there's no limit to the number of ad networks you can include in your blog. However, some websites expressly demand exclusivity. For example, MediaVine won’t allow you to integrate ads that don’t come from their platform.
In most cases, you’re free to use multiple ad networks without interfering with your site’s performance. There are also several ways you can do it.
Waterfall Method
The waterfall system ranks ad networks based on their results (i.e., CPM, CPC, or RPM rates). If your primary ad network is underperforming, all the revenue is transferred to the secondary network. You can pretty much lather-rinse-repeat this method until you run out of ad networks.
Header Bidding
Header bidding means you can sell your ads at the best possible CPM prices by binding to several partners simultaneously.
The technology allows you to sell your ad revenue based on real-time market demand. It basically pushes bidders to compete for the ads, resulting in the highest possible revenue. It’s a step beyond the waterfall method.
Daisy Chain
The trick to pulling this off is to adjust the minimum CPM to whatever your network’s current rate is. That way, the new network can only produce ads if the CPM is greater than what you're earning at the moment.
However, you shouldn't daisy chain more than three consecutive times; it creates a loading lag between your website and the ads, lowering the average fill rate.
Is MediaVine Better Than AdSense?
When it comes to blogging and running an online business website, everybody’s journey begins with Google AdSense. The tool serves as a solid introduction to the world of ad networks. Google will automatically detect advertisements relevant to your website, so you hardly have to lift a finger.
Mediavine, on the other hand, encourages a more hands-on approach. It lets you have more control over what kind of ads will be integrated into your website. Whereas AdSense is sporting an “advertise in bulk” framework, Mediavine provides better quality (and higher-paying) ads to a growing range of websites.
All in all, both are some of the best display ad networks on the market. However, advertising on Mediavine will pay off quicker since the RPM is much higher.
What Niches Have the Highest CPM?
Since not all advertisements pay equally, it’s best to be strategic when customizing your online business website. The same goes for picking a preferred niche. If your ad placements can increase the website traffic in a high-paying niche, you’re basically striking gold. That’s where CPM comes into play.
CPM is an abbreviation for “cost per thousand” impressions. Advertisers who run CPM ads can set their desired price per 1,000 ads served, choose the ad placements, and profit each time their ad appears.
What does that mean income-wise? Basically, any time a CPM ad is opened on your website, money is added to your account. That’s why it doesn’t hurt to do some digging and find out what the most well-paid niches are.
Ecommerce and real estate are by far the best-paid niches in the United States when it comes to CPM rates. Some other lucrative niches include:
- Insurance
- Technology
- Marketing
- Finances
- Fitness and health
- Beauty and skincare
Best Ad Networks for New Bloggers & Online Businesses
If you’re determined to make it as a blogger or you are looking for a way to monetize your online business, you need a beginner-friendly ad network. Try looking for websites with no minimum traffic requirement, favorable payment method, and easy access.
Google AdSense is probably the gateway ad network for most creators. It’s free, accessible, trustworthy, and comprehensive.
Our Top Picks for the Best Display Ad Networks
Finally, we've come to the end of our guide to advertising networks. With so many accessible websites to choose from, it's hard to pick favorites. However, these three platforms stand out as the best display ad networks for bloggers and online businesses.
Ezoic
Why we like it: It’s worldwide and it pays the most
If you wish to reach beyond U.S. borders, Ezoic is the perfect ad network to connect you to your global audience. The website keeps track of the ad placement performance and informs you via comprehensive graphs. Unfortunately, it does have a 10k page views per month requirement, but it’s not unachievable.
Media.net
Why we like it: It’s the most lucrative
Media.net holds the current record for the highest RPM rate, allowing both experienced and new bloggers to gain profit quickly. The sign-up is free and seamless – there are no additional fees or prerequisites. You won’t be able to use multiple networks, but you’ll hardly need to.
Google AdSense
Why we like it: It’s the OG ad network
Apart from having one of the largest platforms with over 2 million advertisers, AdSense is also completely free. Since Google basically pioneered the technology, you can quickly pick up the basics of advertising. It comes with a few shortcomings, especially in the manual customization department, but overall – it’s one of the best.
The Final Addition
That’s a wrap for our best display ad networks for bloggers list. As you can see, many websites are available that can boost your content monetization for your online business.
You could opt for any of our top three picks and rise above the competition. However, the ad network that takes the cake is Ezoic .
It picks up where AdSense left off and doubles down on it. With Ezoic, you get to decide what kind of ads to include and where. It’s the ultimate ad customization tool with a smashing RPM rate that guarantees you’ll start making money fast and more revenue than on Adsense.
