Explore the list of 11 Best ad networks for small publishers thoroughly researched to perfectly align with their revenue goals and audience.

So, you’ve got a website or a blog that is driving traffic, and now you are wondering, how can you make the most out of it? Being a small publisher in the big, wide world of ad tech can be intimidating. 

Here, ad networks come to the rescue, acting like matchmakers for publishers and advertisers. Partnering with an ad network is one of the best ways to monetize your ad spaces. As a small publisher, it is quite difficult to find and partner with individual advertisers as it takes a lot of time and effort. The ad network acts as an intermediary that connects both publishers and advertisers.

In this blog, we will explore what an ad network is, how is it beneficial, and the most popular ad networks for small publishers out there. 

What are Ad networks?

Displaying ads on the website can help publishers earn extra income. However, manually finding advertisers that align with a specific niche and audience can be challenging.

An ad network’s main job is to make sure that ads (from advertisers) get placed in the right space (websites) for the right audience.

How Does an Ad Network Work?

In simple terms, on one side, we have advertisers who want to display their ads, and on the other side, there are publishers with ad spaces. 

Now, advertisers upload the ads on the ad platform they’re using and set up targeted campaigns based on demographics, interests, and budgets. On the other hand, publishers have to install a simple code provided by the ad networks. This allows publishers to provide ad spaces for the advertisers. 

Finally, the ad network is able to find a website that matches certain criteria set by advertisers and shows the relevant ad to the right audience. When someone visits your website, and an ad shows up, you (publishers)  make money on every impression! Win-win right?

11 Best Ad Networks for Small Publishers

We’ve been researching which ad networks are best for smaller publishers based on the following criteria:

• Low entry requirement
• High inventory utilization
• Reliable payouts

The networks that best fit these criteria are:

1. Google AdSense

Google AdSense is one of the best ad networks for small publishers. A brand that everyone is familiar with, Google offers a near 100% fill rate with high-quality ads and decent overall performance in terms of revenue.

Contextually, they will choose ads most relevant to your page’s content, making it one of the best ad networks for small bloggers and publishers.

Benefits of using Google Adsense:

• Reliable ad inventory: Like most popular ad networks, Adsense offers a wide range of ad formats that allow three ads per page. 
• No traffic requirement: Anyone from small to big publishers can get started with Adsense, no matter the traffic size on your website.
• Payout Methods: They offer Net 30 payments with a minimum threshold of $100.

2. Adpushup  

Adpushup connects you with 50+ premium advertising exchanges through ad-serving technology and hands-on ad operations expertise. We offer an ad revenue optimization platform for content creators of every niche all across the globe. 

With 40% average revenue lift, you can maximize your revenue with every ad impression on your website using Adpushup.

Benefits of using Adpushup:

• Innovative Ad formats: We provide high-impact ad formats that can help you to increase viewability and better user experience.

• No Minimum Traffic Requirement: Your website should generate a minimum of $3000 monthly revenue to work with Adpushup.

• Payment Summary: We offer payment terms at NET 45, with a minimum threshold of $50 via direct deposit, wire transfer and PayPal.

Got a minute? Take a look at how we delivered a 534% ad revenue uplift in 6 Months for CCNA7. If you want to learn how our technology can do the same for you, go ahead and request a demo.

3.  Media.net

Media.net runs contextual ads and is fueled by the Yahoo! Bing Network. Media.net states a 100% fill rate across all verticals. Several ad types are offered, too, from rich media and interstitial ads to images and in-content ads.

 Robust targeting, dynamic optimization, and innovative ad units make Media.net a very attractive choice for publishers. Moreover, the ad network is slowly becoming AdSense’s biggest threat in the industry.

Benefits of using Media.net:

• High-quality ad inventory: The network boasts high-quality advertisers with millions of sponsored ads. 
• Traffic requirement: With no minimum traffic requirement, Media.net offers all types of CPC
• Payment Methods: Payments are sent via PayPal and wire transfer in terms of NET 30 ($100 threshold).

4. Ezoic

Another one of the best ad networks for small publishers is Ezoic, which uses AI and machine learning to help publishers optimize ad placement and boost revenue while offering a great user experience. 

They offer solutions that are suitable for publishers at all levels, ranging from those earning $0 to $2499 annually to publishers making over $1 million, making Ezoic the best ad network for small publishers.

Benefits of using Ezoic:

• A/B testing: They allow small publishers to perform A/b testing for different ad placements. It helps optimize revenue without negatively affecting site performance.

• High-Quality Ads: They enhance ad variety by offering a large pool of high-quality ads that can help publishers increase their revenue.

• Reliable Payment Options: They provide multiple payment methods as per publisher preferences.

5. PropellerAds

PropellerAds gives a safe space to publishers to monetize their content while growing their website, making it a win-win for the budding publishers in the industry.

They have a dedicated solution – Adblock Bypass that works toward reducing revenue loss by replacing blocked ads with less intrusive native ads. By doing this, publishers can monetize the AdBlock users, increasing their revenue.

Benefits of using PropellerAds:

• NoTraffic Requirements: PropellerAds offers solutions for all types of publishers. It is perfect for small publishers who want to monetize their traffic.

• Wide range of Ad formats: From standard banner ads to rich media ads, they offer a wide range of formats for publishers.

• Different Payment Options: Publishers can choose from different payment methods. 

 6. Raptive (Formerly known as Adthrive)

Raptive, formerly Adthrive and Cafemedia, is an ad network specially designed for publishers and lifestyle content creators. Raptive provides a holistic approach to ad monetization by offering additional solutions like SEO tools and A/B testing.

They offer you the chance to explore alternative revenue streams while claiming an impressive 137% average RMP (Revenue per mile) while switching from other providers. 

Benefits of Using Raptive:

• Minimum Traffic Requirements: To qualify for this ad network, publishers need at least 100,000 page views monthly.
• Custom Ad Placements: They provide custom ad placement to match the look and feel of your website content. It enhances the user experience and user engagement.
• Variety of Payment Methods: They offer the following payment methods: 

1.   Direct Deposit (US)
2. ECheck/Local Bank Transfer
3. PayPal
4. Paper Check
5. Wire Transfer (US & Non-US)

7. Monumetric

Monumetric is a great ad network platform for you if you are a small or medium-sized publisher; it focuses on balancing user experience and revenue optimization, making it a solid choice for publishers looking to monetize their websites.

They offer two plans. If you choose the basic plan, i.e., the “Propel” plan, you will get display and video ads, while the “Äpolo” Plan comes with custom ads for both mobile and desktop, making them one of the best ad networks for small bloggers/ publishers.

Benefits of using Monumetric:

• Traffic Requirement: The “Propel” plan publisher needs at least 10,000 monthly page views, while the “Apollo” plan requires 10 million page views per month. 
• Payouts and pricing model: They offer a 70/30 revenue share, where you keep 70% of revenue, plus they charge $99 setup fees.

8. SHE Media

SHE Media is a GCPP and TAG Partner, working to “build, scale, and grow” thousands of independent publishers. 

Beyond commonly used ads, they help publishers with contextual Ad placement, first-party audience data, and real-time insights. Using this information, publishers can retarget ads, optimize their performance, and improve their strategies.

Benefits of using SHE Media:

• Measured Traffic growth: The minimum traffic requirement for this platform is 20,000 or more page views per month, along with a one-year-long contract. 

• Payout methods: As long as your balance is $20 or more, U.S.-based publishers get the payments through direct payments or checks, whereas international partners are paid through PayPal.

• Reliable Ad formats: SHE Media offers reliable ad formats ranging from native to high-impact ads, giving a high inventory utilization to the publisher’s website.

9. Infolinks

Infolinks is best in business when it comes to unique ad formats. They go beyond traditional advertising with their creative ways to earn revenue for your website.

They offer five innovative ad types – InFold, InScreen, InText, InTag, and InFrame. These formats help publishers to intensify their engagement and earnings, making them a perfect choice among all the ad networks.

Benefits of using Infolinks:

• No minimum traffic requirement: With Infolinks, you can start monetizing your website immediately without worrying about the size of your audience.

• Scope of Non-Intrusive ads: As mentioned above, there are different ad formats like native advertising that match the flow of your content without harming user engagement.

• Payment Options: They offer flexible payment options, with a minimum threshold of $50 for PayPal and Payoneer and $100 for bank transfers.

10. Revcontent

Revcontent offers a sweet spot for both advertisers and publishers. For Publishers, they claim to monetize traffic rates at 20% higher than other ad networks. 

They give publishers full control over the content on their sites. Unlike many ad networks, Revcontent uses a First-Party demand system, which makes it perfect for a cookieless world ahead. 

Benefits of using Revcontent:

• Traffic Requirement: There is no minimum traffic requirement, making it a perfect choice for small publishers who are looking forward to starting to monetize their websites.

• Flexible Payment Methods: They offer multiple payment options, including PayPal and bank transfers. Low entry barriers make them an easy ad network to work with.

11. Sovrn 

Formerly known as VigLink, Sovrn is an ideal ad network for content-driven websites looking to monetize without the need for traditional ad spaces. They facilitate affiliate marketers and bloggers by turning outbound links into affiliate links.

Publishers using header bidding offer a dedicated account manager to handle ad demand. 

Benefits of using Sovrn:

• Different ad formats: They support different ad formats and sizes, allowing publishers to test and see which ad format works best for them.

• Payment Threshold: Sovrn has a minimum payment threshold of $25.

• Traffic Measurement: There is no minimum traffic requirement if you look forward to working with this ad network platform.

Why Should Small Publishers Use These Ad Networks?

Trying to grow ad revenue on any platform is not an easy task. It takes a lot of effort, and especially a good ad network, to monetize your content. 

For any small publisher, working with a top ad network is a game-changer. Most popular ad networks offer quick approvals, diverse ad formats, and a smooth user experience. Other benefits include:

1. Fast approval process

Premium ad networks often have a long approval process for publishers, and every day, being stuck in “pending approval”  means lost revenue. It is not a big deal for big publishers to wait for the approval process, but as a small publisher, it can be annoying. 

That is why small publishers need to find a good ad network that has a fast approval process. The quicker you get the approval, the faster you’ll start monetizing your traffic and ad spaces. 

2. Accessible minimum traffic requirements

Every publisher wants to turn their website’s potential into profit; that’s where ad networks with low or no minimum traffic requirements can be useful for small publishers. 

Through these ad networks, publishers can start earning as soon as they sign up, even if the traffic is on a small scale. 

3. Diverse ad inventory

Before partnering with any ad network, publishers should look for an ad network with a vast pool of advertisers. Why? Because larger the pool, the bigger the chance to showcase high-quality ads on your website

Low-quality ads are a big problem, especially for small publishers, as they can scare away your website traffic. So, to keep your revenue running,  catch one of the best ad networks for small publishers that can boost your revenue and keep your audience happy.

4. User-friendly UI and UX

After faster approvals and high-quality ads, the next thing you should consider on your quest is finding a user-friendly UI and UX that is easy to navigate. Quality ad networks should offer a smooth experience without any sneaky hidden features.

Many ad networks provide guides and resources to help you understand their platform.

5. Payment options and frequency 

When our ultimate goal is to earn from a resource, then it is very important to clarify all the processes involved. Asking questions like, ‘What are the schedules around the payment?’ and ‘Are preferred payment methods available?’ helps to understand the threshold of ad networks.

In short, look out for an ad network that suits your pace and preferences. Best publishers for small publishers provide flexible payment options and work with the frequency that suits the publisher.

Traffic Considerations and Website Niche

A quick note about most (if not all) of the ad networks on this list:

• Fraudulent traffic will not be tolerated and will cause your account to be terminated.
• Certain niches, such as gambling, will be against the terms of service of the company.
• All publishers, despite traffic requirements, may have their websites rejected from each network.

Many of the networks for smaller publishers will pay less. We’ve done our best to put the highest paying networks at the top of this list, but revenue will be dependent on your traffic and niche.

Final Words

So, which ad network should you choose? It depends on two things: first, your audience, and second, your strategy. Before selecting any of the ads mentioned above, ad networks should consider what type of ad will suit your content and engage your audience.

 To wrap up, having a small website or a blog doesn’t mean you can’t monetize your content. In the ad networks list above, we have some of the best ad networks for small publishers that can help you monetize your content, reach more people, and boost your revenue.

Grow your ad revenue by up to 40% with a Google Certified Publishing Partner. Sign up here for the free website monetization consulting.

Frequently Asked Questions

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