Smaller self serve networks
- Thread starter Partyhat
- Start date
gold..
Someone here on WF recently said DA's posts are gold..and heres another one that is great..
but dont forget guys, beyond the above mentioned,
make SURE your framework is setup properly for a media buy. After you do all your work, get the landers set, campaign hyper tweaked for the media space, if you cant HANDLE the traffic and shit goes down (which it often does) you are fucked.
Smax did a great job a while back breaking down how to do media buys, with regards to setting up your server, load etc. Your server better be setup to get an ass kicking burst of traffic, otherwise you can drop $$$$$ and have a bag o shit in your hands.
Someone here on WF recently said DA's posts are gold..and heres another one that is great..
but dont forget guys, beyond the above mentioned,
make SURE your framework is setup properly for a media buy. After you do all your work, get the landers set, campaign hyper tweaked for the media space, if you cant HANDLE the traffic and shit goes down (which it often does) you are fucked.
Smax did a great job a while back breaking down how to do media buys, with regards to setting up your server, load etc. Your server better be setup to get an ass kicking burst of traffic, otherwise you can drop $$$$$ and have a bag o shit in your hands.
Jon and Dickarmy are dropping knowledgle like bombs. I think I'm gonna have to get an sms alert everytime DA posts lol seriously man your posts are always gold.
garret - yea I do alot of research with adplanner and quantcast planner. One thing I do have a question on with direct buys is this. Since, as said in this thread, even in the first 3k of a network buy, chances of profitability are slim. aren't my chances of profit extremely low and difficult then on a direct buy where it might cost me 1 or 2 k for the whole month?
garret - yea I do alot of research with adplanner and quantcast planner. One thing I do have a question on with direct buys is this. Since, as said in this thread, even in the first 3k of a network buy, chances of profitability are slim. aren't my chances of profit extremely low and difficult then on a direct buy where it might cost me 1 or 2 k for the whole month?
Well, at the networks, I think for a starter test they are going to push you to do run-of-network. Am I right on this DickArmy? I'm not nearly at that level, but I do have some solid experience with banner ads.
I think it would be hard to make a really good ad that will fit with more than 1 site (run of network). The reason I say that is because banner ads should blend in and look like content (people CLICK on content, not ads), and that's easy on a site to site basis. You just look at where you're banner would be, and run a text heavy ad that blends in with the content around it. If your ad looks like an ad, CPM is going to kill you (unless you hit a homerun somehow with an ad that sticks out) because people don't click on ads ya' know? You need something compelling.
Look at the PlentyofFish banner. Not exactly blending in, but they got alot of text in that space. I think they did a killer job with that. Your number 1 goal is to GET THE CLICK
Sorry if I sound like I'm rambling and not making any sense. I'm sweatin my balls off so I'm typing fast.
Edit: 1-2K is a pretty reasonable test IMO. The rewards could be huge.
Some networks will stick you on ron, but if you get a good rep they can tell you what areas are converting for others with the same sort of offers. You'll generally start there, and if all goes well, start pushing out into RON to find other good source. Of course some buys will do this backwards. stick you on all source, if they don't have enough exp... Run your ad all over and trim the fat...
I would say its more of making your banner stand out when doing RON. 1-2k isn't enough to test anything. Generally test with 20k-40k over a week or so. I prefer to spend as fast as possible though, that way im not wasting too much time BSing with a network trying to make things work. I like to get the most data I can in a short amount of time and anazlyise it.
People who are new to Display should strongly consider staying away from the networks.
RON is the worst traffic you can buy. It's the highest risk traffic. Never, ever sign a RON IO without a 24 Hour out clause, max.
Learn to do proper Media Plans and Research. First create a network of your own with highly targeted traffic that is most likely to convert based on your demographics and do direct buys. Do benefit profiles of your offers. Make sure those are reflected in your ads and landing page.
Learn how to use RFP's to get publishers to compete over your budget so you can get better deals right off the bat.
Once your offer is perfected and you've made some cash on they buy, then go to the networks and buy guaranteed, targeted traffic.
RON is the worst traffic you can buy. It's the highest risk traffic. Never, ever sign a RON IO without a 24 Hour out clause, max.
Learn to do proper Media Plans and Research. First create a network of your own with highly targeted traffic that is most likely to convert based on your demographics and do direct buys. Do benefit profiles of your offers. Make sure those are reflected in your ads and landing page.
Learn how to use RFP's to get publishers to compete over your budget so you can get better deals right off the bat.
Once your offer is perfected and you've made some cash on they buy, then go to the networks and buy guaranteed, targeted traffic.
I have the same outlook. RON is risky, but that's what the big media buy companies want you to do. So, what do you do? You go small first (direct to sites), then big (RON) to find more sources of converting traffic.
Thanks Dickarmy and Will! You guys are the fucking man! Here's some boob specially Googled for you guys.
see what i mean about Dickarmy? please never leave these forums. If you do please adopt me as a 27 year old son like madonna would do 
I agree, because there is no possible way you could blend 1 ad with all the different publisher layouts and colors and such. Either you want to blend in or stick out. Anything in the middle and you're just a dumbass advertisement that nobody will ever click on.
I have tested this on my own sites in the sidebar. When you know the traffic, blending in or sticking out. I prefer blending in personally. But its impossible when you're doing RON.
re: Adbuyer & media buying
Since this is a great thread, thought I'd add a few clarifications:
1) Our stats are delayed by 2 hours, not 24 hours.
2) We don't prebuy and resell inventory. We take a fixed margin and bid directly on your behalf into the exchanges (real-time auction). Unlike an ad network, we don't try to maximize the "spread" between your bid and what we pay, and we take a smaller margin than typical ad networks. We're completely aligned with the buyer.
3) In terms of available inventory, there's a ton. We buy on the Right Media exchange via API, and for larger advertisers on the AppNexus and OpenX exchanges. We're launching with DoubleClick AdX in August.
The advice on media buying has been great in this thread, and it's worth re-reading Jon and DickArmy's posts. You can lose a lot of money quickly, particularly through exchanges that have lots of inventory.
We're launching a tool called Audience Finder in approx 4 weeks that will help to reduce the amount of testing required and make it easier to get better results in a few key categories(dating, health & careers). If you're interested, sign up for an account and/or shoot us a note and we'll keep you up to date.
Since this is a great thread, thought I'd add a few clarifications:
1) Our stats are delayed by 2 hours, not 24 hours.
2) We don't prebuy and resell inventory. We take a fixed margin and bid directly on your behalf into the exchanges (real-time auction). Unlike an ad network, we don't try to maximize the "spread" between your bid and what we pay, and we take a smaller margin than typical ad networks. We're completely aligned with the buyer.
3) In terms of available inventory, there's a ton. We buy on the Right Media exchange via API, and for larger advertisers on the AppNexus and OpenX exchanges. We're launching with DoubleClick AdX in August.
The advice on media buying has been great in this thread, and it's worth re-reading Jon and DickArmy's posts. You can lose a lot of money quickly, particularly through exchanges that have lots of inventory.
We're launching a tool called Audience Finder in approx 4 weeks that will help to reduce the amount of testing required and make it easier to get better results in a few key categories(dating, health & careers). If you're interested, sign up for an account and/or shoot us a note and we'll keep you up to date.
Never thought about RFP's. Makes so much sense. I do that all the time in my construction business.
+rep again.
I have no right to say anything about this, but one site you may want to consider (I think its still in closed Beta), is iSocket. They recently won the contract to do all of TechCrunch's ad serving, as well as several other huge properties.
They have a reverse auction feature (in reference to the RFP suggestion previous), so you can actually let publishers bid for your dollars with their ad inventory.
Hope this helps someone. This was definitely an interesting read though.
They have a reverse auction feature (in reference to the RFP suggestion previous), so you can actually let publishers bid for your dollars with their ad inventory.
Hope this helps someone. This was definitely an interesting read though.
