When you start a blog, your first thought for making money is usually a popular ad service. It is easy to set up and works for almost any website. However, as your traffic grows, you might wonder if there are better options available.
Choosing between a standard ad service and other ad networks depends on your traffic, your niche, and how much control you want over your site.
The Case for the Standard Choice
For most beginners, the standard service is the best starting point.
- No Minimum Traffic: You can apply even if your blog is brand new.
- Global Reach: It works well for visitors from all over the world.
- Simplicity: You just copy and paste a code, and the ads appear automatically.
The downside is that the pay can be lower compared to premium networks. You also have limited support if something goes wrong with your account.
Why Explore Other Ad Networks?
Once your blog reaches a certain number of monthly visitors (usually 10,000 to 50,000), other networks often become more profitable. These are often called “premium” or “managed” ad networks.
1. Higher Earnings
Premium networks like Mediavine or Raptive often pay more for every thousand views. They work with high-end brands that are willing to pay a premium to reach specific audiences.
2. Better Ad Quality
Many alternative networks focus on “lifestyle” content like food, travel, or fashion. Because they specialize, the ads often look better and feel more relevant to your readers.
3. Personal Support
Unlike the standard service, where you mostly deal with automated systems, premium networks often give you a dedicated account manager. They help you place ads in the best spots to make the most money without ruining the user experience.
Popular Alternatives to Consider
- Ezoic: Great for mid-sized blogs (around 10,000 visits). It uses AI to test different ad layouts to see which ones perform best.
- Mediavine: Known for excellent support and high pay for lifestyle bloggers. You usually need at least 50,000 sessions per month to join.
- Media.net: A strong choice if your traffic comes from search engines like Bing or Yahoo. It focuses on contextual ads that match your article topics.
- Infolinks: This is a good option if you don’t want big banner ads. It places ads within your text or at the bottom of the screen.
Which One Should You Choose?
If you are just starting, stay with the standard service. It helps you learn the basics of website monetization.
Once you hit 10,000 monthly visitors, it is time to look at Ezoic or similar platforms. If you grow even larger, moving to a managed network like Mediavine or Raptive can significantly boost your income, often doubling what you were making before.
The goal is to find a balance where you earn a good income while keeping your website fast and easy to read for your visitors.
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