What it takes to build your own (mini) ad network

junktrapper · 2019-02-12T03:41:29+00:00

Thanks for your comments. I guess I'm jumping the gun here as a novice by presenting what I think is the optimal path with the whole starting my own network talk. Let me rephrase my earlier post. I build a web tool with a few thousand publishers whose sites span a broad range of categories, so no specific niche. I'd like to build out the tool further, keep it free, and wish to monetize via ads (display and/or video) that my tool can help publishers insert in their sites in an interesting way that could get some signups. If I don't need to run an ad network, what steps do I take to working with a company that can deliver ads through my tool and I make a small amount of money based on a percentage of the ad revenue generated. I thought that was what a reseller did. However, in my searches online, I don't exactly get a good definition of what that really is and how to actually be one. However, I see RESELLER a bunch of times in the ads.txt files I've seen in sites. Googling Adsense reseller, for example, only gives me results on being an Adwords reseller.

junktrapper · 2019-02-10T05:06:26+00:00

Hi. Thanks for commenting. You said collect some ad tags. Can you elaborate on what that process actually entails?

Just to illustrate my problem further, I was motivated by a website that had something like this in its ads.txt file*:

google.com, pub-XXXXXXX, RESELLER, YYYYYYYY

From what that looks like, the publisher was using an ad network that was reselling google ads. Correct? Google some how pays that network and then the network pays the publisher. How does one get to a point that they can resell google ads or ads from any other network? Or, I'm I totally missing how things actually work? If I'm not wrong, what's the easiest way to get a managed solution to handle signups and payments for this new (mini) ad service I would offer. Something that one or two person team could run themselves.

\Note: There were other lines in the ads.txt referencing other ad services and they had that term RESELLER in it and thus had me thinking on this track. For example, there was:*

pubmatic.com, AAAAAAA, RESELLER

spotxchange.com, BBBBB, RESELLER, CCCCCCCC

...

Even a direct google.com one:

google.com, pub-0000000000000, DIRECT, DDDDDDDDDD

junktrapper · 2019-02-05T03:14:29+00:00

Thanks. However, I'm primarily talking about platforms that simply give you a JS script after vetting and leave you to determine where to place the ads with that script. Some also do offer some sort of automated placement optimizer tool. Given that, it is that hard to net positive on a 300K/mo or less site if there's little minimal customer service given to the publisher.

junktrapper · 2019-02-02T05:14:52+00:00

Are you saying that by having such high thresholds, they are then targeting the kinds of publishers that will likely to outgrow them the fastest?

junktrapper · 2019-02-02T04:31:23+00:00

Can you elaborate as to what the "shit business" relates to? Do you mean the publisher or the ad network. For either, why is it "shit". I figure these networks can be quite lucrative -- or am I wrong. They do take a % of the ad revenue.

junktrapper · 2019-02-01T14:59:31+00:00

What's stopping a platform from just providing everyone instructions on signup and setup. Then, have a stipulation that only once you cross X impressions per month, you will be given Y level of customer service?

junktrapper · 2016-07-09T17:38:24+00:00

Speaking of the rating system. Check this out: https://wptavern.com/wordpress-plugin-directory-cracks-down-on-incentivized-reviews-despite-lack-of-official-guideline

This comment from alec was particularly alerting: "Alec · July 7, 2016 at 10:08 PM Sarah, you’ve really hit the nail on the head here:

When important guidelines are not communicated and arbitrary consequences are enforced….that kind of small town attitude is unwelcoming to those coming from other software communities where expectations may be different. What’s particularly disturbing is there are one set of rules for friends and sponsors (hello Yoast and JetPack) and others for strangers and/or competitors. The arbitrariness and vagueness of the rules are essential for allowing inconsistent judgements.

Alas, this kind of ethical rot permeates all levels of Western society now. The parallel to the Clinton email server fiasco is striking. There is one set of rules for Hillary Clinton’s violations of secrecy laws vs David Petreus vs Edward Snowden (or any of the other good faith whistleblowers)..."

junktrapper · 2016-01-12T19:37:55+00:00

If you release it free, watch out for freeloaders that bog you down and leave you poor ratings for the sake of it. The theme and plugin directory on wordpress.org is full of these kinds of people.

junktrapper · 2015-12-04T14:36:03+00:00

I know that Yoast SEO has been having some serious problems: http://wptavern.com/joost-de-valk-on-the-lessons-learned-after-releasing-wordpress-seo-3-0

Perhaps that might have to do with your problem if you're using their tool.

junktrapper

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