Everyone who has developed a great website or app and wants to monetize it with ads, starts looking at ad networks, but management of such complex digital systems is a whole new business that requires a lot of expertise, professional attention and time, and thus, is quite difficult to succeed in. In such cases, a strong, success-oriented business manager may come to a solution called an ad mediation platform.

Such digital platforms allow you to work with multiple ad networks by integrating only one software development kit. Moreover, ad mediation platforms help you increase eCPMs* and maximize your ad revenue.

*NOTE: eCPM, short for “effective cost per mille,” is how much an advertiser pays for an ad space per unit of 1,000 ad impressions (mille is Latin for thousand). eCPM is one of the most important KPIs in digital advertising, as it shows how lucrative certain ad spaces, apps, websites, and other dimensions are.

To give you some examples, I have put together a list of a few most notable mediation platform owners and a few mobile ad mediation platforms for apps and games that champion in the market these days. Let us see what they are doing to become successful and generate great benefits of ad mediation.

Well, of course, Google Ad Manager is one of the largest and most widely used mediation platforms in the industry. It provides publishers with robust ad serving, inventory management, and monetization solutions. Google’s extensive network of demand partners and advanced optimization algorithms have helped publishers maximize their ad revenue and generate significant profits. Besides Google Ad Manager (formerly DoubleClick for Publishers – DFP), some of the well-known ad mediation platforms are MoPub, Facebook Audience Network, IronSource, Unity Ads, AppLovin MAX, Fyber, Smaato, and Chartboost.

It is difficult to say how many ad mediation platforms are there in the world today due to the constantly evolving nature of the AdTech industry and the proliferation of new platforms. It is also worth noting that the AdTech landscape is populated by a diverse array of mediation platforms, ranging from global industry giants to niche players serving specific market segments; Some platforms may specialize in specific regions, industries, or types of advertising inventory, further complicating efforts to quantify their total number.

And this is not surprising because an ad mediation platform has the role of a mediator between the publisher (website or app developer) and ad networks. When it gets ad requests from your app, it passes it on to multiple ad networks. That makes them compete for the ad slot and the highest bidder wins. What’s interesting is that the whole process is automated and happens in milliseconds.

Many publishers work with multiple ad networks. If you’re one of them, you know what a challenge it is to manage a dozen, or more individual ad networks manually: it is hardly possible to track the performance of each one. You end up wasting a lot of time and effort, but you’re also not maximizing your ad revenue.

That’s where ad mediation comes in. It allows you to access and control all your ad networks on one centralized platform. In addition, ad mediation platforms offer insight into important metrics and detailed reports. That makes the app monetization process so much easier and effective for developers. Plus, it frees up a lot of time to do other things.

This is what the most widely known platforms offer to their customers:

1. MoPub: MoPub, owned by Twitter, is a leading mobile ad monetization platform that offers mediation services along with ad serving and programmatic advertising solutions. MoPub’s platform enables publishers to manage multiple ad networks and demand sources, optimize ad inventory, and maximize revenue through real-time bidding (RTB) and header bidding integrations.
2. Facebook Audience Network: Facebook Audience Network is a mediation platform that allows publishers to monetize their mobile apps and websites with targeted ads from Facebook advertisers. Leveraging Facebook’s extensive user data and advertising reach, the Audience Network helps publishers maximize their ad revenue by delivering personalized and relevant ads to their audiences.
3. IronSource: this is a comprehensive ad mediation and monetization platform for mobile apps and games. It offers a range of mediation services, including ad network optimization, in-app bidding, and user segmentation tools. IronSource’s mediation platform has helped app developers maximize their ad revenue and achieve significant profits through effective ad monetization strategies.
4. Unity Ads: Unity Ads is a mediation platform specifically designed for mobile game developers using the Unity game engine. It enables developers to monetize their games with high-quality video and interstitial ads from a wide range of demand partners. Unity Ads’ mediation capabilities help developers optimize their ad revenue and increase profitability from their games.

These are just a few examples of mediation platforms that have proven to be highly efficient and profitable for their owners. Each platform offers unique features, integrations, and optimization capabilities to help publishers maximize their ad revenue and achieve their monetization goals.

A Mediation Platform can serve as a great profit-making tool for a smart owner. As we could see from the examples above, the most successful AdTech companies use various revenue streams and monetization strategies. Here are several ways a Mediation Platform can generate profits:

Revenue Share or Transaction Fees: Mediation platforms typically charge publishers a percentage of the revenue generated from ad impressions served through the platform. This revenue share model allows the platform to earn a portion of the advertising revenue generated by publishers.

Subscription or Licensing Fees: Some mediation platforms offer subscription-based or licensing models, where publishers pay a recurring fee for access to the platform’s services and features. This subscription revenue can provide a steady stream of income for the platform owner.

Premium Features or Upgrades: Mediation platforms may offer premium features or upgrades to publishers for an additional fee. These could include advanced targeting options, analytics dashboards, priority support, or custom integrations. By offering value-added services, the platform can generate additional revenue from willing customers.

Ad Network Partnerships: Mediation platforms often have partnerships with various ad networks, demand-side platforms (DSPs), and advertisers. These partnerships may involve revenue-sharing agreements or referral fees for driving ad spend or ad inventory to partner networks.

Data Monetization: Mediation platforms can monetize data collected from publishers, such as user demographics, behavior, and engagement metrics. This data can be anonymized and aggregated to provide valuable insights to advertisers, marketers, and other third parties willing to pay for access to audience data.

Consulting Services: Some mediation platforms offer consulting or managed services to help publishers optimize their ad monetization strategies. These services may include ad inventory analysis, yield optimization, ad layout design, and performance tracking. Consulting fees can contribute to the platform’s overall revenue.

Premium Advertisers or Brands: Mediation platforms may prioritize premium advertisers or brands willing to pay higher CPMs (cost per thousand impressions) for ad inventory. By attracting premium advertisers, the platform can increase overall ad revenue and profitability.

In-App Purchases or Transactions: If the mediation platform operates within a mobile app or gaming ecosystem, it may facilitate in-app purchases or transactions for premium features, virtual goods, or other digital content. A percentage of the revenue generated from in-app purchases can be retained by the platform owner.

Overall, a Mediation Platform can generate profit through a combination of revenue streams, including-

• transaction fees,
• subscription fees,
• partnerships,
• data monetization,
• consulting services, and
• in-app purchases.

By providing value-added services and facilitating efficient ad monetization for publishers, the platform can attract customers and drive significant revenue growth over time.

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If you are planning to set up a digital advertising system for your business and have questions about the process, you are welcome to contact me for more information.