AdSense for Video (AFV) is a Google service that allows publishers to monetize their web and app-based video content.
However, AdSense for Video is not currently open to new users. Google says it’s in “maintenance mode”, and there doesn’t seem to be any plans to change that. As such, if you’re looking to use instream video ads, you’ll need to find an alternative.
In this guide, we cover 4 alternatives for video ads, starting with Snigel’s AdStream, our solution for instream and outstream video ads.
Note: If you’re looking to run outstream video ads, you can still do that with your Google AdSense account. However, there are several downsides to using AdSense for video that we discuss below. (For example, the platform is limited to Google’s demand network, which means you may be missing out on higher costs-per-mille (CPMs) that can be earned elsewhere.)
Snigel is a robust alternative to AFV. In addition to maximizing revenue with video ads, Snigel can help you deliver fast page load times and a positive user experience.
To see how we can help grow your ad revenue with both instream and outstream video ads, get in touch.
1. Snigel: An Alternative for Instream and Outstream Video Ads
Snigel is an ad monetization partner that enables publishers to show both display and video ads on their websites and in-app. The platform supports both instream and outstream video ads, so you can maximize your ad revenue.
Unlike AdSense for Video, Snigel’s video solution, AdStream, can support videos hosted by YouTube, as well as your website video content. If you don’t already have video content but want to take advantage of the higher CPMs that often come with instream video ads, Snigel will create syndicated content for you.
Plus, AdStream is connected to all the major supply-side platforms (SSPs), including Google Ad Exchange. So, with Snigel, you can access Google’s ad demand without having to use AdSense for Video itself.
Below, we show you three key features of AdStream:
- Advanced video ad formats
- Custom ad strategy for your site
- Other types of AI-powered ads and ad tech
Advanced Video Ad Formats, Including Instream and Outstream Ads
Snigel’s video ad formats are divided into two main categories: outstream and instream ads.
Instream Ads
Instream ads are ad units inserted within video content that’s already on your site or YouTube channel. Ads can be pre-roll
(i.e. before the video starts), mid-roll (during the video), or post-roll (after the video has finished).
Instream ad units come in two options. In the standard format, the user has to view the entire ad before continuing. Alternatively, ads can be skippable, so that the user can skip the ad after a certain amount of time has elapsed. While standard instream ads often get higher CPMs, skippable ads typically result in a better user experience.
If you don’t already have video, Snigel can provide syndicated content for your website or create videos from your website’s existing content. This way, publishers without video can benefit from video ads — which would be impossible with AdSense or AFV.
Outstream Ads
Unlike instream, outstream video is an advertisement-only format, meaning you don’t have to have any video content on your website in order to benefit.
Snigel’s AdStream provides publishers with a variety of outstream ad formats, including in-content, floating, sticky sidebar, banner, rewarded, and interstitial ads. As part of our custom ad strategy and management service, Snigel’s ad ops specialists will assess which formats are the best fit for your site to maximize revenue and optimize user experience.
In comparison, Google AdSense won’t provide you with any custom strategic support when it comes to choosing ad placement or ad formats. Plus, it only offers three outstream ad types, interstitial ads, banner ads, and rewarded ads. (Jump down to learn more about the pros and cons of using AdSense for native video).
As it’s a service exclusively for instream ads, AFV doesn’t support outstream video ads.
Note: Find out more in our guide to video ads for publishers.
Custom Ad Strategy for Your Site
While AFV and AdSense will connect you with advertisers to monetize your video content, neither will help you optimize your video ad strategy. This is important because in order to optimize their ad setup and maximize revenue, every site and publisher will need a different approach (based on their specific needs, goals, technical requirements, and so on).
To maximize your revenue and optimize your user experience, you’ll need to consider:
- Where your audiences are. For site users in Tier 3 GEOs, for instance, it may not make sense to use video ads, as slow internet speeds can reduce loading times and impact the UX. But for audiences in Tier 1 GEOs, using video ads can improve your revenue by 26%.
- The frequency that video ads appear. Some audiences won’t tolerate too many video ads, either instream or outstream, meaning you may have to limit the number of times they appear in a day. Other audiences may be more tolerant, allowing you to show more ads and further increase revenue.
- The device used to access your site. Given the smaller screen, video ads can have a greater impact on UX on mobile. Meanwhile, audiences may be happier to see more video ads on desktop.
- Many more factors.
If your ad monetization partner, such as AdSense, cannot help you navigate all of these factors and variables, you’ll have to do so yourself. However, it requires technical skills and often years of experience to know which ad setup is optimal for a specific site.
With Snigel, you’ll have a dedicated ad ops specialist who will create, implement, and maintain your ad strategy to optimize your setup. They’ll assess the factors to help you get the most out of your ad inventory while maintaining fast page load times and a great user experience.
Plus, Snigel provides advanced, AI-powered ad tech that can be fully customized to fit any scenario.
Advanced Ad Tech
Alongside instream and outstream video ads, Snigel’s ad stack also includes:
- The option to limit the number of player impressions per user. After a certain number of impressions has been reached, the player will no longer load. This is often essential for maintaining a good user experience.
- AI bidder optimization. Snigel’s AdEngine allocates bidders to client- or server-side header bidding based on where they perform best. It also matches users with the best bidders for their country, device, and browser.
- Dynamic floor pricing. Dynamic floor pricing combats bid shading by automatically adjusting floor prices every hour, so publishers always get the highest CPMs.
- Adblock revenue recovery. This technology automatically switches between higher paying ads and adblock compliant ads based on the user’s settings, so you always show some ads to each user.
- Anti-malvertising, bot detection and blocking, and more. These help protect against malicious software attacks that negatively affect the user experience and compromise the integrity of your website.
- AdConsent. AdConsent is Google-certified and IAB-registered and lets you easily comply with all data privacy regulations including GDPR and CCPA while also earning ad revenue from more of your website’s traffic.
Get in touch for a free assessment.
2. Vidazoo
Vidazoo (a Perion company) offers three main categories of video ads: in-article, outstream, and what they call ‘highlights’.
The in-article video suite includes editorial video playlists, access to their video library, the ability to play your own videos or connect an MRSS feed, AI contextual targeting, and more.
Vidazoo’s outstream offering includes standard formats and a Pre-bid integration.
Finally, Vidazoo offers a tool called ‘Highlights’ that converts existing articles into slideshows.
You’ll also have access to a library of tutorials, demos, and more.
3. Chocolate Platform
Chocolate Platform is an advertising platform that claims to be the first to offer 100% server-side video ad auctions. It’s video only, meaning if you’re looking for other display ad formats alongside video, Chocolate Platform won’t be able to help.
What’s more, it’s best known for supporting video ads for mobile. However, it can also provide instream and outstream ads for websites and CTV as well.
The ad formats that Chocolate Platform offers include fullscreen, rewarded, native, and pre-roll video ads. They offer full control to the user, who can click or skip the ads to improve their experience.
With Chocolate Platform, all OTT advertising is conducted directly between ad servers. That means it has minimal impact on your page load speeds.
4. AdPlayer Pro
AdPlayer.Pro is a video ad network including a white-label video ad server. It specializes in outstream ads for mobile apps. But it also supports desktop and mobile web ads, as well as AMP-specific ads and instream ads.
They support a variety of ad formats, including in-page, in-view, sticky, rewarded, and in-banner video ads. When it comes to instream ads, publishers can benefit from pre-roll, mid-roll, and post-roll placements, just like Snigel.
AdPlayer.Pro is primarily a self-serve option, meaning that you’ll need to have the technical skills to select and optimize the ads yourself. However, it offers proactive account management to provide any support you might need.
AdPlayer.Pro offers volume-based pricing tiers starting at 0–10M impressions per month. They also offer a free trial of their services.
Pros and Cons of Using AdSense for Native Video Ads
If you’re looking to run outstream or native video ads on content such as your blog, you can still do this with AdSense, Google’s programmatic ad network. While AFV is in “maintenance mode”, AdSense is still in full operation.
However, there are a few downsides to using AdSense for video ads.
As you may know, AdSense is an ad network that works by gathering ad inventory from multiple publishers, bundling it together, and selling it to advertisers on behalf of the publishers. That means, if you use AdSense, Google only sells your ads to their ad demand.
That’s different to a header bidding platform such as Snigel. Instead, Snigel connects your ads to many different demand sources, including Google, OpenX, Amazon, Index Exchange, and more. This way, you get access to higher CPMs.
Plus, AdSense ads comes in a limited range of video formats, such as banner ads with a video creative, overlay ads, interstitial video ads, and rewarded video ads. Whereas Snigel has in-content, floating, sticky sidebar, banner, rewarded, and interstitial outstream ads, as well as adaptable instream ads.
On average, publishers see a 57% increase in revenue when switching from AdSense to Snigel. You can compare how much you would earn using our AdSense revenue calculator.
There are some other factors to consider when deciding whether or not AdSense is the right native video ad solution for your website:
- AdSense typically performs better for ad units with a CTR of 2+%. If your ad units have a CTR of less than 2%, you’ll likely be able to earn more revenue with a header bidding partner like Snigel. We can run A/B tests for you to see which technology is the best fit for each ad unit.
- AdSense performs better in most Tier 3 GEOs (meaning higher fill rates and more revenue). If you have traffic from Tier 1 or Tier 2 GEOs, though, you may be able to earn more revenue with an alternative that specializes in those regions.
- AdSense doesn’t provide a tailored strategy. When using AdSense, you’ll have control over some ad settings, such as the number that appears on your website. However, you won’t benefit from a custom strategy that could optimize your ad revenue and UX. On the other hand, Snigel handles the entire strategy and ad stack for you, with ad tech that can be highly customized to fit your exact needs.
- AdSense only connects you to Google’s ad demand. Header bidding partners such as Snigel allow you to connect to multiple ad exchanges, meaning you’ll get access to premium advertisers and a wider range of ad demand. It’s another way to improve your user experience and access higher CPMs.
- AdSense video ads can affect your page load speeds and UX. As AdSense does not provide a custom strategic service and ongoing monitoring of ad performance, its video ads won’t be optimized for UX.
Partner with Snigel for a Advanced Ad Tech
In this guide, we’ve shown you four alternatives to AdSense for Video now that Google’s instream video ad solution is no longer available to new users. If you’re looking for a fully custom service for video ads, Snigel is the top choice.
Our custom approach allows us to provide the specific ad tech that performs best for individual publishers.
When publishers switch to Snigel from AdSense, they see a 57% increase in revenue on average.
Get in touch for a free assessment.
Ira supports our team and publishers by creating awesome guides on the latest AdTech trends. Ira's background is in software development, communications, and media.
