Inspired by our Publishers Empowered Summit topic on "How to build the perfect monetisation team?", this article gives beginning publishers the keys to start their programmatic activity in the ideal context. Gathering insights from some major players in the publishing industry based in the UK, France and Italy, this article details the tools, strategic hires and ideal processes for publishers looking to make sure their programmatic journey starts off on the right foot.
Beginning your journey into monetisation is not a straightforward endeavor. The path can be very different based on the size and structure of your publishing operation. Smaller publishers might operate with just a few individuals, while larger ones may have dedicated teams. Yet, the level of programmatic maturity is not solely determined by the team's size but by a range of individual contextual factors.
It is important to recognise that monetisation in the digital realm is fundamentally a numbers-driven business. Establishing core metrics and achieving consensus on them across the organisation is crucial. These metrics will serve as the foundation for managing programmatic activities and aiding managers in making strategic decisions.
After settling on these metrics, the next step is to consider investments tailored to your publisher's unique needs. A recommended starting point is the recruitment of a skilled Operations professional. The best-performing publishers tend to be those who effectively leverage their ad servers, emphasising the significance of having these adept individuals on board to outperform others.
While assessing monetisation performance, it's easy to get bogged down in a multitude of metrics. However, it's essential to keep the focus on those key metrics that truly matter and define trends. These are the indicators that provide valuable insights for evaluating overall performance.
After getting a collective green light on your key metrics, having a proactive approach to your analytics is needed. The monetisation team should begin by monitoring every facet of their advertising stack. With an expert Ops profile in place, troubleshooting and investigation become efficient processes. Establishing an alerting system can further enhance the team's ability to respond swiftly to any revenue fluctuations.
The digital advertising industry is in a constant state of evolution, with an array of technologies to manage. To stay ahead and avoid becoming overwhelmed, publishers can take the following steps:
Establishing roles and responsibilities within the team is the initial step in organising your monetisation efforts. The allocation of responsibilities depends on the technologies implemented by your organisation. However, remember that automated tools and processes can significantly improve efficiency, allowing the team to focus on strategic matters. It's essential for publishers to explore and evaluate what works best for their specific context once the foundational organisational structure is in place.
While revenue metrics are crucial, they shouldn't be the sole focus of your analysis. Bid metrics, when used in combination, provide invaluable insights into ad stack health and performance. Publishers should also consider indicators such as auction density, timeout rates, and Revenue Per Thousand Impressions (RPM) by combining page metrics with revenue metrics. These broader insights are more informative than just tracking revenue and will help publishers get a unbiased and detailed snapshot of their ad stack’s performance.
Some of the most common pitfalls for novice publishers include:
In summary, publishers should prioritise quality over quantity.
Based on our interactions with numerous publishers, our recommendation for the composition of a beginning monetisation team would be as follows:
While the ad tech industry evolves rapidly, publishers should embrace these changes as opportunities. Key takeaways include focusing on core metrics, avoiding unnecessary tool complexity, and considering all-in-one solutions like Ad Management platforms to streamline programmatic activities.
If you're interested in exploring how Ad Management platforms can simplify your programmatic activities without the technical complexity, please feel free to reach out to us.
To expand on the previously mentioned topic of analytics and measuring everything within your advertising stack, we encourage you to take a look at our article on the 3 reasons why Ad Revenue Reporting is making you lose money.
However if you'd like to watch one of the webinars that inspired this article, feel free to watch our PES Replays (localised versions available for this topic in English, French & Italian).
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