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When searching on the internet, you’ll certainly come across hundreds of ad networks with different approval procedures, traffic requirements, and payments conditions.

Each of these Ad Networks works slightly differently from one another. So, it would be a good idea to draw a comparison and contrast them with one another.

To make it easy for you, I have gathered 7 of the best Ad networks that are used by blog experts to monetize their blogs so you can understand how they work and the specifications of each one so you’ll be able to choose your best one(s).

How Does an Ad Network Work?

An Ad network is a platform that helps you monetize as a publisher your blog or website. It plays the role of an intermediary between you (the publisher) and your advertisers.

Every blogger or website owner that begins driving some decent amount of traffic can monetize their blogs or websites by displaying ads. Advertisers, on the other hand, will be paying lots of money in order for their businesses to be exposed to large audiences.

And given the fact that Ad Networks don’t own any platforms for traffic, they will be seeking exposure on the publishers’ websites and blogs. Most of the Ad Networks will pay publishers for displaying their ads through a revenue sharing system. These networks are known as affiliate ad networks or Performance ad networks.

There are also other types of Ad Networks like:

• Vertical Ad Networks – This type of Ad Networks is specialized in specific niches, like fashion, women, etc.
• Premium Ad Networks – This type of Ad Networks often offers content suggestion ads from top publishers such as BBC or FOX News.
• Inventory-Specific Ad Networks – This type of Ad Networks specializes in one inventory – It can be Native Ads, Video Ads, or Mobile Ads.

How to Choose Your Best Ads Network

To choose the ad network that works the best for your blog, you’ll have to consider the following factors.

Ad Quality and Relevance

Always make sure the Ad Network you decide to sign up for serves high quality advertisements that will be relevant and interesting to your audience.

While accepting all ads would be tempting for many to help increase revenues, it might affect, however, your overall user experience. In the long run, this would lead to a decrease in your traffic and thus a drop in your revenues.

Always Go for Large Ad Networks

It’s always recommended to go for large Ad networks as they offer a wide variety of ads you can choose from with the possibility of finding ads that are relevant to your website’s content and audiences.

Having some high relevant ads displayed on your website will help improve your CTR. Also, more ads will lead to more competition, leading to high bids, and thus resulting in more ad earnings for you.

Go for Ad Networks with Several Ad Formats

It’s commonly known that people respond to ad formats differently. Therefore, using different Ad formats is the way to go especially when you don’t know what ad format exactly appeals to your audience. Otherwise, you can choose the ad network offering that format your audience loves.

Consider Ad Pricing Models

There are several ad pricing models in the world of ad networks. Every publisher should analyze each of them and choose the ones that work the best for their business goals.

Amongst the most common ad pricing models, we find the following:

• CPC (Cost per Click) – Publishers get paid every time a visitor clicks an ad displayed on their websites. This payment model is recommended for websites and blogs with engaged audiences.

• CPM or Cost Per Mille – under this model, publishers get paid every time a visitor sees an ad that is displayed on their websites – if an ad network’s CPM is $20, the publisher is going to earn $20 for every 1000 views. This payment model is commonly used by businesses wanting to raise consumer awareness about their brands or products rather than persuading visitors to make purchases.

• CPA or Cost Per Acquisition or Action – With this model, publishers get paid for the action their visitors take – An action could be a signup or a product purchase.

Also, make sure to check how often they pay, the payment threshold, and how easy it is to reach that threshold.

The More Control over Ads, The Better

Here we’ll be talking about a very important factor to consider when it comes to the ads that run on your website or blog. It’s your degree of control on them.

An example of control you need to have on your ads is the ability for example to turn ads off on some of your pages. Let’s say that you doing some affiliates offers run on one or three articles on your website that make you earn some decent money thru commissions. Running ads on such pages wouldn’t make sense and you might prefer to turn them off, right?

If you don’t have such a control on your ads, you won’t simply be able to do that.

Go for Ad Networks with the Best Technology

Another factor that you have to consider when choosing your ad network is the technology it embraces.

Before deciding for a determined Ad Network, you have to ask yourself some questions like:

• Will this Ad Network allow me to make ad customization?
• Will it help me detect ad block systems, real-time bidding, filter ads, real-time reporting, analytics, etc…?

For instance, the Ad Network “Ezoic” has recently released a new feature known as “Ezoic Leap” which helps with website speed and still serves ads to websites with ad blockers. 

Besides going for the most up-to-date ad network, try also to make sure its technology is compatible with your web hosting as some networks can impact the load time of your pages, generate code errors etc.

The Best Ad Networks to Go for As a Blogger

Now that we have made knowledge of the most important features and factors to consider when choosing your best Ad network, we’ll pass to reviewing the 13 best ad networks available in the market.

Make sure to select the Ad Network with the features that work your niche the best.

1. Ezoic

One of the best ad networks I personally recommend is “Ezoic”. Among the plenty and wonderful features it offers is the ability for you as a publisher to set your ads placement by selecting placeholders. Also, it uses AI technology to serve the best way ads to your audience.

Also, you can still make money with Ezoic even if you are already using other Ad Networks like “Media.net” or “Google AdSense” thru a system called “Mediation”.

Recently, Ezoic has also made it easier for publishers as it has lifted its previously set restriction of 10,000 Pageviews limit per month to be able to join it. This makes of it the best alternative to major Ad Networks like Adthrive and Mediavine who still require 50 000 visitors at least to join them.

Publishers will still need to provide high quality content to start making money as their sites grow.

Ezoic EPMVs or “Earnings per Thousand Visitors”, however, are only high for US-based audiences. This means that if most of your visitors are coming from the rest of the world, you’ll need a lot of traffic to be able to make some decent income with this Ad Network.

Pros:

• Ezoic is an ad network that is easy to join and to use. Also, it is now a Google Certified Publishing Partner.
• It has an affiliate program that enables you to make up to 3% of the earnings your referrals make
• It’s partnering with more and more advertisers around the globe. This allows it to serve ads appropriately to each region.
• Its minimum payout is limited to only 20$
• It requires no minimum traffic

Cons:

• You need to have US-based traffic to be able to make some good earnings
• Integration with Ezoic, in some cases, would affect your website’s core web vitals

Ezoic Payment Model – CPM

2. Google AdSense

Google AdSense is the most known ad network amongst both publishers and advertisers. Almost, all bloggers and websites owners are using Google AdSense or have once used it to earn money for their ads.

For those still not knowing Google AdSense, we can define it as an Ad Network that is run by Google and which allows publishers to place advertisements on their websites or blogs and earn money for each click they receive. Google AdSense will keep 32% of the click value and the rest (68%) goes to the publishers.

Joining the AdSense program is very easy. After signing up, you’ll get an AdSense code to copy paste on your WordPress website. Your website will be then reviewed by Google AdSense team.

You have to make sure, however, that your website is in compliance with the program’s requirements and policies before sending it for review to increase your chances of approval.

Once you get approved to the AdSense program, you can go for either Auto Ads or manual Ads.

Auto Ads is an ad configuration where you let Google AdSense take care of placing ads on your website on your behalf. Ads will be run automatically on your website or blog without any intervention from you as a publisher. As for Manual ads, you’ll have to configure your ads placement manually.

AdSense also offers the possibility for you as a publisher to switch off ads on pages you don’t want ads to be shown on.

The only downside you may find using AdSense is that you’ll need a considerable amount of traffic to start making a decent income.

Pros:

• Google AdSense is free to join.
• It offers a wide range of customization options.
• Its Auto Ads option makes it easy for beginners to use it.
• There’s no minimum traffic required to be approved to the program.

Cons:

• The payment threshold is set at 100$.
• Publishers will need significant traffic to start making some good earnings.

AdSense Payment Model – CPC

3. Mediavine

Mediavine is another interesting Ad network.

To join Mediavine Ad Network, you need as a website owner or blogger to have 50.000 impressions per month at least.

Once accepted to the program, you’ll get some of the highest RPMs, you will enjoy an easy-to-use interface, and you’ll be working with some of the top advertisers.

Many publishers have seen a significant increase in their earnings when they joined Mediavine network compared to others like AdSense or Ezoic.

Mediavine Ad Network also uses a revenue-sharing system similar to AdSense but a little bit more advantageous as the publishers will get 75% of ads earnings at least which make it one of the highest paying Ad Networks you’ll come across.

Pros:

• Mediavine offers increased earnings.
• It offers high-quality ads along with a better user experience for users.
• It offers high transparency in analytics and reporting to help you take data-driven decisions.
• Its payment model is CPM, a better model compared to PPC
• It offers a minimum payout of $25

Cons:

• Starters will need to satisfy the “50,000 per month impressions” requirement to be able to join this Ad Network which is quite challenging.

Payment Model – CPM

4. Amazon Associates

Amazon Associates is an affiliate program run by Amazon that allows publishers to earn a commission whenever a visitor makes a purchase through product links they place on their articles. To start benefiting from this program, you’ll have to first sign up for this Ad Network.

Unlike Ezoic or AdSense, where you can get paid for impressions or clicks, under the Amazon Associates program, you’ll get paid only when a visitor buys a product.

It doesn’t matter, however, whether the visitor buys that specific product subject to the link on your article or another one, you will still get a commission as long as it’s your link that’s been initially used to get to that product.

While you may not earn as much as you would do using another Ad Network, it remains an excellent option to monetize “affiliate websites”.

Pros:

• Amazon Associates program is easy to join and to use. Just sign up and try to get at least 3 sales within 180 days
• Its minimum payout is limited to only $10
• You are guaranteed a commission regardless of the product your visitor buys
• No minimum traffic is required to join it.

Cons:

• you’ll get paid only when a visitor buys a product

Payment Model – CPA

5. AdThrive

AdThrive is one of the best Ad Networks that most publishers would want to join.

Its traffic requirement, however, remains hard to achieve. To join this Network, publishers need to have as much as 100,000 pageviews at least. That’s 50,000 pageviews more than what is required to join Mediavine.

But once you fulfill this requirement, you will start enjoying some important earnings from this Network especially if your traffic is mainly US-based.

Websites in food, parenting, travel, and DIY niches have proved to do well with the Network, but other niches can be accepted too.

Pros:

• You can enjoy high payouts especially if traffic is US-based
• They have a very helpful support staff
• You will get high-quality ads that comply with Google’s publishing policies
• Minimum payout $25

Cons:

• Traffic requirement fixed at 100,000 page views per month is relatively hard to achieve

Payment Model – CPC

6. PropellerAds

PropellerAds is another interesting Ad Network that goes beyond offering just display ads as we have seen with all the Ad Networks so far.

For publishers looking for different ways to serve ads on their websites, PropellerAds network can be the solution.

Joining PropellerAds will allow you to serve ads in more ways to your audience which will result in more clicks and impressions. This will translate to more earnings for you as a publisher and for the advertisers.

As for the payment models, PropellerAds can pay either thru, CPM, CPC, CPI, and CPL

PropellerAds allows showing ads in the following ways:

• Push Notifications
• PopUnder
• Interstitial
• Native Ads

The downside with using PropellerAds, however, is that publishers may not always get high-quality ads as the Network isn’t very restrictive with its advertisers. But it remains a good AdSense alternative for especially small publishers.

Pros:

• An easy Ad Network to join and use
• It offers a low payment threshold that starts at $5
• No minimum traffic required

Cons:

• It serves, arguably, lower quality ads

Payment Model – CPM, CPC, CPA, CPI, CPL

7. Infolinks

Infolinks is an in-text ad network that can be a good alternative to Google AdSense especially for small publishers.

Infolinks is now offering various other ad types such as:

• InFrame
• InFold
• InArticle
• InScreen
• InTag

The downside with this ad network, however, is that it does not have a good ROI like Ezoic or AdSense. But it remains a good option especially for those who can’t get approval for them.

Also, it’s easy to set up, its approval process doesn’t take so long and can be used along with other ad networks such as AdSense on the same website without any problem.

Pros:

• Infolinks is beginner-friendly
• It offers a wide range of ad platforms to choose from
• Its ads are responsive on all types of devices
• Can be used alongside other ad networks such as AdSense without any possible conflicts.
• Minimum payout limited to $50
• No minimum traffic is required to join it

Cons:

• It doesn’t offer high earning potential
• Its ads can get messy which would affect your user experience

Payment Model – CPC

Websites Advertising Networks

This is it. We have reached the end of this guide on the best ad networks for publishers.

As long as you’re blogging about something interesting and have a high quality content published, you’ll definitely end up joining at least one of these advertising networks and start earning your first dollars with them.

Google AdSense or Ezoic are where most publishers start, but there will be no harm trying out other ad networks to discover how they earn too.