Google Ad Exchange (or Google AdX) is used by 71% of the market. This means 70% of ad inventory buyers and sellers are on Google AdX.
Naturally, every publisher would want to use Google AdX. It is one of the best AdSense alternatives, has the best (high-paying) advertisers/brands, high competition, and advanced features, leading to more revenue for publishers.
Fast-growing publishers choose Google Ad Exchange because they get:
- To sell inventory based on impressions, clicks, and other user actions, whereas AdSense also allows clicks-based revenue.
- Access to a bigger demand pool (and option to invite their preferred advertisers) and not just rely on Google Ads advertisers with AdSense
- Ability to run private auctions, programmatic deals, and private marketplace campaigns on their inventory - all of which are not allowed with AdSense.
Most Publishers Can’t Access Google AdX Directly
Google AdX has strict eligibility criteria, which makes it difficult for many publishers to access the platform directly.
You need:
- Google Ad Manager account
- Minimum 5 million pageviews/month (even more for some geographies)
- Updated ads.txt file
- High-quality content
- No malvertising practices
- Consistently growing AdSense revenue (yes, you must have previously used AdSense)
- Traffic from tier 1 countries
- And a lot more.
Even after all these, Google might reject your proposal to access AdX without giving you a proper reason.
Why Is It Tough To Access Google AdX
AdX is a premium ad exchange compared to AdSense (a plug-and-play ad network). You need AdOps expertise to run campaigns on AdX.
To maintain the quality of the platform, Google only allows specific companies (publishers and ad platforms). Because of this, publishers get the best CPMs, and advertisers get quality impressions.
How Can Publishers Access Google AdX?
Publishers can access Google AdX by partnering with an AdX Reseller.
Singel, for instance, is an AdX Reseller (Google MCM* Partner, to be specific). This means Google trusts us to help publishers access Google Ad Exchange.
*Google phased out SPM (Scaled Partner Management) in July 2021. And it is now replaced by Google MCM (Multiple Customer Management). This was done to ensure better management and transparency between Google partners and publishers.
Who Are AdX Resellers, Exactly?
AdX Resellers are trusted partners who invite publishers’ websites to use Google AdX via the resellers’ own platforms.
Ad platforms (like Snigel) partner up with Google through the MCM program. These ad platforms are then called Google Publishing Partners.
These ad platforms are also called ‘Google AdX Resellers” or “Google AdX Partners” within the ad tech industry.
Their teams are trained to use Google ad products such as Google Ad Manager, Google Ad Exchange, Google AdMob, and others.
In short, Google AdX resellers are third-party companies with their own Google AdX account that can invite publisher websites to access AdX via their dashboard.
Most AdX Resellers are not just limited to Google AdX. They also help you access other ad exchanges (such as OpenX or Index Exchange) without having to go through their eligibility checks.
Why’s It Easier To Access Google AdX Via A Reseller?
Publishers can apply to get their own Google AdX. But it’s not that easy.
Keeping the high eligibility criteria aside, you need to do the following to access Google AdX:
- Have an AdSense and Google Ad Manager account (find out more about the differences between Google Ad Manager vs AdSense).
- Reach out to your Google Account Manager and request AdX access. Most AdSense publishers don’t have Google Account Managers. You need to reach out to Google and ask for one.
- Wait for them to approve your request (which can take months - ultimately leading to a waste of time trying to access AdX on your own).
- And after all this waiting, if you get access to AdX, you might not know what to do with that. The tech is quite complex for a beginner to understand, use, and scale.
- You will have to build your own ad ops team (which will cost time and money).
Avoid spending so much time, money, and resources on acquiring your own Google AdX. It’s easier to get it via an AdX Reseller. All you need to do is:
- Sign-up with an AdX reseller like Snigel.
- Get on a call and share your exact requirements.
- Get invited by an AdX Reseller to use AdX.
- Further use their tech to optimize ad revenue.
- And get help from the reseller’s ops team to make the best out of your inventory.
What Else Can Your AdX Resellers Do?
What Else Can Your AdX Resellers Do?
Besides getting you access to Google Ad Exchange, your AdX reseller also helps you increase your ad revenue. For that, they will:
Pick The Best-Performing Ad Formats
Your AdX resellers will test multiple ad formats and ad types for your inventory to pick the best one. These tests would be conducted based on your content, page, audience, and many other factors.
Since ad tech is an ever-changing and -evolving industry, these tests are often conducted regularly. So, publishers never miss an opportunity to grow.
Enable Revenue-Boosting Features
To help you increase your revenue, the AdX reseller will enable ad refresh. It is a technique to refresh ads based on triggers such as fixed time, user interactions (like clicks), etc. This allows publishers to have multiple impressions on placement from a single visitor.
Similarly, you can expect floor price optimization - wherein the bid price of your inventory would change based on bids received from advertisers. If advertisers bid more money, the floor price will increase - you will make more money. If advertisers bid less, the floor price will decrease to avoid delivering unfilled impressions.
Get More Demand Partners (buyers)
The AdX resellers work with other ad exchanges (such as OpenX or Index Exchange) to further increase the bid pressure on buyers. The more demand you have for your inventory, the better revenue you will generate. Increasing your demand pool also helps avoid the case of unfilled impressions.
Most AdX resellers partner up with other ad networks and ad exchanges to deliver the best results to publishers.
Ensure Best Practices Are Applied
AdX resellers also monitor the quality of the traffic and content. This is to avoid getting penalized by Google. They use internal technology to alert you about any malpractice so that you fix the problem before Google notices and takes action.
Likewise, you can get privacy and consent compliance when delivering ads to specific geo with specific privacy laws.
How To Find The Right AdX Reseller?
Start by making a list of Google Network Partners (like Snigel). Google trusts them to offer the best products and services. Our article on how to find the best AdX partner can help you find the right fit for your website, or watch the below video to find the best AdX reseller.
Here is the summary:
No lock-in Clause
Some adx resellers might want to bind you in a contract to stop you from choosing other partners for a specific time frame.
If you try switching resellers due to lousy service, you will be penalized and have to pay for breaching the contract.
Online Reviews
Apart from looking at the testimonial they share, look at the online reviews. Platforms (such as TrustPilot) can tell what real customers have to say about their services.
Furthermore, if you notice any bad reviews, you can directly talk to the partner about it and understand their side of the story. However, too many bad reviews are your sign to skip the reseller altogether.
Customer Support
Not getting timely or wrong replies in time of need is the worst. Make sure your partner has a history of great customer service.
Next, some adx resellers would charge you for quick response time. This amount can sometimes be huge. Talk about any additional charges before you sign the contract.
Payment Terms
Discuss the payment cycle, date, minimum payout, and additional charges. Go for the terms that fit your requirements.
You might find resellers offering Net-90, Net-60, Net-45, and Net-30 payment cycles. We advise you to go for Net-30. Doing that guarantees your payout within the first month and makes it easy to switch resellers if you are unsatisfied with their service.
What’s Next?
It’pretty clear that Google AdX has the best advertisers and highest payout for publishers. Moreover, it’s a place for publishers to finally leverage everything ad tech has to offer to increase their ad revenue.
While accessing the platform on your own can be tricky - you can always rely on an AdX reseller - especially publishers who are moving up from AdSense. Just make sure they are a trusted Google Partner.
If you wish to access Google AdX via Snigel (yes, we are an AdX reseller), get in touch. Our team will be happy to talk about your exact requirements and answer your questions.
Ira is Snigel's Head Of Marketing. She supports our team and publishers by creating awesome guides on the latest adtech trends. Ira's background is in software development, communications, and media.
