Yes, it is soaring every year! Video ad spending is predicted to reach $84.6 billion in 2024. It will grow at an annual rate of 7.45% from 2024 to 2028.
The only reason for these big numbers is that video ads perform well and have high ROI.
Implementing effective video ads requires much work, from using video players and essential technologies to reporting and connecting with the best-demand partners. Publishers can streamline these efforts easily if they connect with good video ad networks.
Since there are many choices, this blog provides a crisp list of the best video ad networks. Let’s start exploring and find a suitable one for you!
Table of Contents
What Are Video Ad Networks? Why Do You Need One?
Video ad networks connect publishers and advertisers to sell and buy video ad impressions on a larger scale. If you are implementing video ads on your website, you would need to connect with a video ad network for the following reasons:
- The first reason is to get demands from video advertisers every day throughout the year.
- You must build the technology to run, report, and optimize video ad campaigns.
- Third, they will help (both technology and expertise) in fighting against fraudsters and spoofers.
Ideally, you should pick the network which offers all three.
Outstream Vs. Instream Video Ads: Which Suits You Best?
Okay, now that you know what a video advertising network is, it’s time to know what kind of video ads for websites you should go with.
In-stream and out-stream video ads are the most popular video ad formats. Some argue that in-stream video ads are effective, as they deliver ads when the user clicks the play button to watch the video content. Regardless of the ad placement (pre-roll, mid-roll, and post-roll), the user views the ads along with the actual video content.
Yes, it is effective, but there are some downsides, too. Users may consider the compulsory non-skippable ads as intrusive and end up activating a blocker.
Besides, out-stream video ads are proven to perform better than in-stream.
Source: Teads.TV
Out-stream video ads managed to garner higher visible duration too. This makes sense. On in-stream ads, you happen to see the video ad and then skip it to see the content. On the out-stream, the video will stay (in the muted form) on the page as long as you’re there.
That being said, outstream video ads are vulnerable to ad fraud.
So, you cannot say which one performs well for you without experimenting. We advise you to start with out-stream video ads, and if your readers are willing to stay longer, add in-stream video ads for your in-stream video content.
It is better to be consistent in conducting experiments and optimizing. This helps you find what works best for you by considering the ad performance and revenue-generating capabilities.
Best Video Ad Networks for Publishers
Now, it’s time to see the top performing video ad networks you should try. We’ve compiled the best list with every details you want to know.
1. Verizon Media (Formerly known as Oath)
Verizon Media, in fact, is an ambitious project initiated by combining the adtech assets of Yahoo and AOL. So, whether you hear Yahoo or AOL or Oath, it’s all the same. Verizon Media offers a self-servable platform for publishers to run video ads.
Similar to other ad networks, you can run out-stream video ads on your site by placing a JavaScript. The platform could yield higher CPMs and has the ability to leverage your first-party data.
It comes with brand safety tools too.
Highlights:
- Works with mid-sized and premium publishers.
- Have access to more than 50+ demand-side partners.
- Has a video content syndication service to help non-video publishers.
- Higher CPMs as you could use your first-party data.
- Supports video header bidding and offers CTV advertising with emerging ad formats.
2. Select Media
Select Media is an Asia-focused advertising network offering a variety of video ad formats, including in-content, slider playlist, overlay, and bottom sticky.
They work predominantly with Asian publishers and run out-stream video ads.
Highlights:
- It can be a great add-on for Asian publishers who want to run outstream ads.
- It can yield lower to medium CPMs (as the auction happens on open exchanges, and there is no option for you to utilize first-party data so that CPMs wouldn’t be as high as Verizon Media).
- Suitable for publishers who have a higher percentage of traffic from Asia and the EU region.
- Offers yield optimization tools for publishers to enhance ad revenue.
3. Adsterra
Adsterra is one of the best advertising networks globally. It supports desktop and mobile monetization and offers a variety of ad formats, including in-stream and out-stream video ads.
They offer two in-house solutions: ad fraud protection and anti-ad block solutions for publishers and advertisers. This helps marketers minimize revenue losses to ad blockers and bot traffic.
Highlights:
- It is a global ad network. There is no minimum traffic for publishers to enter.
- You can run ads on almost any video player.
- It operates across almost any verticals.
- Publishers get a revenue share of what the ads with Adsterra ad tags get. The network collects money from advertisers based on CPM, CPC, and CPA.
4. SpotX
SpotX provides vertical video ads for mobile inventories but specializes in OTT demand. It can run both in-stream and outstream video ads.
As it doesn’t have the video content syndication service, you are required to have a lot of video content to show in-stream ads.
Outstream ad formats such as in-content sticky and in-content can be played.
Highlights:
- Works if you have a lot of video content or own your video library.
- No syndication is available.
- Offers custom targeting and campaign optimization tools for publishers.
- Have more than 50+ demand-side partners.
- Provides brand safety and ad inventory assurance.
- Offers various video ad formats for OTT and CTV advertising.
5. Facebook Audience Network
Facebook offers in-stream video ads for publishers who have their own video content. As Facebook is more of a mobile company, you’ll find a lot of demand for your mobile video ad inventory.
You can either run pre-roll or mid-roll ads with Facebook Audience Network. No post-roll demands are available on the Facebook video network.
Highlights:
- CPMs highly depends on the geo of your readers and bid density at the time.
- Requires you to configure ad server or supply-side platforms (SSPs) to deliver ads.
- Suitable for mid-sizes and premium publishers.
6. Undertone
Undertone, a Perion company, tends to work with publishers with video libraries. It offers a limited number of video ad formats, including full-screen takeover ads.
When it comes to ads, you can only run pre-roll video ads. No mid-roll or post-roll ads can be delivered with Undertone.
Highlights:
- Limited demand, but higher CPMs.
- Lower fill rate.
- Highly custom ad formats.
- Suitable for premium publishers.
7. Chocolate platform
Chocolate is one of the emerging ad networks serving mobile publishers and developers. It offers video ads to your mobile sites and mobile apps.
So, if you’re looking for a dedicated partner to monetize your mobile content, the Chocolate platform can help.
That being said, the platform says that 90 percent of the demand bids on mobile apps, remaining 10% bids on the mobile web.
Highlights:
- Has decent demand connections and brand partnerships.
- It can be used as a supplementary network rather than a single monetization partner.
8. AdMedia
AdMedia offers access to third-party videos and helps publishers to monetize them.
Unlike other ad networks*, ads are from the advertisers using the Admedia ad platform. This means the platform has to continually attract demand partners to deliver ads and maintain higher CPMs.
*Generally, ad networks connect to ad exchanges to sell impressions from the publishers (except Google AdSense). Admedia seems to sell impressions only to advertisers who connect to its platform.
The video content from its partners can be picked (as per the niche you’re in), but the video relevancy is still in question (contextual relevance may fail to match the content and the readers).
Highlights:
- Ad relevancy is the same as the video content relevancy because of contextual-based targeting.
- Decent CPMs, suitable for niche publisher who doesn’t have any video content.
9. Video Intelligence
It’s completely a contextual video platform providing a video syndication service and video monetization. It curates videos from content creators and places them on your website to run ads.
Brand safety, viewability, fraud prevention tools are also included in the package.
Highlights:
- Connects to several demand partners and so can yield you decent CPMs.
- Provides relevant and topical video content sourced from premium publishers.
10. Exponential
Exponential is a publisher network that offers complete website monetization. Unlike other ad networks, it has tiered pricing plans to help long-tail publishers monetize.
It doesn’t provide any videos and can’t run any instream video ads.
Highlights:
- It requires you to have at least 500,000 unique users per month.
- Decent CPMs based on your audience geo and other factors including ad viewability, Video completion rate, etc.
- Rich media ads can also be delivered.
11. SpringServe
SpringServe connects your video ad inventory to its demand partners to fill your ad impressions. It claims to offer unique demand from its direct partners, advertisers, and agencies.
The solution can be used with the existing solution provider (ad network or SSP). However, CPM depends on the audience and available demand.
Highlights:
- Easy to set up because of the simple tag management system.
- Robust demand partners.
- Can be used as a supplementary monetization partner.
Factors to consider while choosing video ad networks
Authenticity – Are they authentic and do what they say?
Brand safety – Does the network partner with any brand safety solution provider or have its own tool to ensure only relevant and safe content is shown to the readers?
Ad fraud prevention – How are they preventing ad frauds (eg: domain spoofing)?
Expertise – Do they have a responsive support team and sound technical knowledge to assist you whenever needed?
Technology – Ad networks usually claim to get you a 100% fill rate and the highest eCPM with their technology. But do they even have the right technology in place?
Moving Ahead
Thus far, we have seen the 11 best video ad networks suitable for publishers of all scales. You can choose the one that fits you depending on your needs and budget. You will be connected with good demand partners and receive reporting and technical support assistance.
However, connecting with only one ad network is insufficient to achieve high CPMs and ad revenue.
Implementing video header bidding is the base for connecting with multiple ad networks and one of the best monetization strategies. However, you would need the expertise to set it up and manage the ad inventory with all ad networks.
If not, the whole process will become complex. So, make the process smooth and effective by connecting with a good video monetization partner. If you find it difficult to find the trusted one, contact us to find the right partner who best fits you in all verticles.
