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How to choose the right ad server for your business?

customer relationship As both new and experienced webmasters, bloggers, and commercial online publishers begin to depend more on advertising revenue, their advertising-related decisions become more important. Such decisions can have a major impact on the sites income. Selecting a compatible ad server is one of these important decisions. Finding the most efficient and value added ad server can be stressful. Here are some considerations we can offer to help guide your search:

Evaluate your Advertising Needs

An important first step before selecting your ad server provider will be to first determine your specific and unique short-term and long-term advertising goals. Every website is different. They each have a different targeted demographic. Switching between providers can be a challenging and a time consuming process. Therefore, it is important to take your time to determine the precise features, preferences, and requirements you will need in order to properly and efficiently manage your ads on your web pages. Consider your own individual strengths and weaknesses, including your growth projections for the business, your own level of technical expertise, and of course your financial budget, when searching for the best ad server.

Advertising Management

Each type of ad server will operate differently. Some are very intuitive and simple while others can be very technically challenging. Depending on your level of experience, you will want to choose an option that has the right mix of user-friendliness and ability to get the results you need quickly. Although speed and efficiency are of primary concern, you also want to be sure that the ad server supports multiple types of ad formats and has all the built in features you need to maximize your revenue. Another thing to keep in mind is that the internet is always evolving. For example, the use of video marketing has increased significantly in recent years. Keep this in mind and choose a system that is going to offer the most versatility in the long haul.

Keep the Advertisers and Readers in Mind

The companies that will be advertising on your webpages will want their ads to reach the right people at the right time. Therefore, you not only need to take into account your own individual preferences but also those of your future advertisers and website visitors. Readers will want to read relevant ads, and advertisers want their ads to be read. It is a two-way street. You need to make both parties happy. If you are contemplating the use of ad networks, make sure the solution you are considering can display such ads. Make sure the ad server has no limitations that can hinder your income. If the ad server has a free trial, make full use of it to ensure it contains everything you need to make your advertisers and visitors happy.

Free vs. Paid

Cost is always a valid consideration, especially for online entrepreneurs that are just getting started. Be aware of some of the pitfalls of using a free ad server rather than an affordable paid alternative. In the long term, the free varieties may not prove to be the best option. Very often, these free solutions do not provide customer service or technical support. You will hence find yourself wasting valuable time looking for answers in forums. Also, free ad serving solutions typically do not have some needed features, are not updated as online advertising evolves, and are more prone to security breaches. Focus on getting the best value server, something that has all the features you need, with good support for when you need it, at the right price.
July 17, 2017 (first published October 2014)

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