Understand Direct and Programmatic Ad Revenue - Google News Initiative
Skip to main content
menu
close
Resources
expand_more
EXPLORE BY GOAL
Develop audiences
Build audiences
Increase traffic
Engage visitors
Digital journalism
Digital reporting
Storytelling formats
Fight misinformation
Grow revenue
Create revenue models
Reader revenue
Digital ad revenue
EXPLORE BY RESOURCE TYPE
Products
Trainings
Case Studies
View all resources
Latest Resources
Lesson
Google Alerts: Stay in the know.
Lesson
Google Scholar: Access court cases, academic papers and sources.
Lesson
Advanced Search: Researching with precision.
About
expand_more
Our purpose
Impact report
help
search
search
close
expand_more
English (GB)
English
العربيّة
Français
Français (Canada)
Deutsch
हिंदी
Bahasa Indonesia
Italiano
한국어
日本語
Polski
Português
Português (Brazil)
Español (LatAm)
Español
ภาษาไทย
Türkçe
繁體中文
Tiếng việt
My Account
Sign In
Resources
keyboard_arrow_right
About
keyboard_arrow_right
keyboard_arrow_left
Resources
View Resources
EXPLORE BY GOAL
Develop audiences
keyboard_arrow_down
Develop audiences
Build audiences
Increase traffic
Engage visitors
Digital journalism
keyboard_arrow_down
Digital journalism
Digital reporting
Storytelling formats
Fight misinformation
Grow revenue
keyboard_arrow_down
Grow revenue
Create revenue models
Reader revenue
Digital ad revenue
EXPLORE BY RESOURCE TYPE
Products
Trainings
Case Studies
View all resources
keyboard_arrow_left
About
View About
Our purpose
Impact report
My Account
Sign In
expand_more
English (GB)
English
العربيّة
Français
Français (Canada)
Deutsch
हिंदी
Bahasa Indonesia
Italiano
한국어
日本語
Polski
Português
Português (Brazil)
Español (LatAm)
Español
ภาษาไทย
Türkçe
繁體中文
Tiếng việt
Go to dashboard
info
info
Get started
Not sure where to start? Take a short quiz to get personalized recommendations.
close
1
2
What's your goal today
your can select more than one
Reach a large audience
Reach a large audience
Grow Revenue
Others
Please select your focus area 2
your can select more than one
Reporter
Publisher
Previous
Continue
close
I'm looking for resources in
Select your country
Afghanistan
Åland Islands
Albania
Algeria
American Samoa
Andorra
Angola
Anguilla
Antarctica
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Asia Pacific - Regional/Crossborder
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia (Plurinational State of)
Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Bouvet Island
Brazil
British Indian Ocean Territory
Brunei Darussalam
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cabo Verde
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Cayman Islands
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
China
Christmas Island
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Colombia
Comoros
Congo
Congo (the Democratic Republic of the)
Cook Islands
Costa Rica
Côte d'Ivoire
Croatia
Cuba
Curaçao
Cyprus
Czechia
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Eswatini
Ethiopia
Europe - Regional/Crossborder
Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
Faroe Islands
Fiji
Finland
France
French Guiana
French Polynesia
French Southern Territories
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Gibraltar
Greece
Greenland
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guatemala
Guernsey
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Holy See
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran (Islamic Republic of)
Iraq
Ireland
Isle of Man
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jersey
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
Korea (the Democratic People's Republic of)
Korea (the Republic of)
Kosovo
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Lao People's Democratic Republic
Latin America - Regional/Crossborder
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macao
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Martinique
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mayotte
Mexico
Micronesia (Federated States of)
Middle East, Africa, Turkey - Regional/Crossborder
Moldova (the Republic of)
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Montserrat
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
Netherlands
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Niue
Norfolk Island
North America - Regional/Crossborder
North Macedonia
Northern Mariana Islands
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palau
Palestine
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Pitcairn
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Réunion
Romania
Russian Federation
Rwanda
Saint Barthélemy
Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Martin (French part)
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Samoa
San Marino
Sao Tome and Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Sint Maarten (Dutch part)
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
South Sudan
Spain
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Suriname
Svalbard and Jan Mayen
Sweden
Switzerland
Syrian Arab Republic
Taiwan (Province of China)
Tajikistan
Tanzania, the United Republic of
Thailand
Timor-Leste
Togo
Tokelau
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Türkiye
Turkmenistan
Turks and Caicos Islands
Tuvalu
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United States Minor Outlying Islands
United States of America
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
Viet Nam
Virgin Islands (British)
Virgin Islands (U.S.)
Wallis and Futuna
Western Sahara
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Go
1
2
3
What’s your goal today?
You can select more than one.
Strengthen digital journalism
Develop your audience
Grow your revenue
What are you interested in accomplishing?
You can select more than one.
Which country are you in?
Improve your experience by providing the country you’re in
Select a country
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Bangladesh
Belgium
Bhutan
Bolivia (Plurinational State of)
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Brunei Darussalam
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cabo Verde
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Chile
Colombia
Congo
Congo (the Democratic Republic of the)
Costa Rica
Croatia
Cyprus
Czechia
Côte d'Ivoire
Denmark
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Estonia
Ethiopia
Fiji
Finland
France
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Guatemala
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Japan
Jordan
Kenya
Korea (the Republic of)
Kosovo
Latvia
Lebanon
Liberia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Mexico
Middle East, Africa, Turkey - Regional/Crossborder
Mongolia
Montenegro
Morocco
Myanmar
Namibia
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
North Macedonia
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palestine
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Rwanda
Samoa
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
South Africa
Spain
Sri Lanka
Sweden
Switzerland
Syrian Arab Republic
Taiwan (Province of China)
Thailand
Timor-Leste
Togo
Tonga
Tunisia
Türkiye
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United States of America
Uruguay
Vanuatu
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
Viet Nam
Zimbabwe
Other
Submit
Loading...
Continue
XXXX Lessons
XXXX Minutes
Back
We have recommended resources for you
Save results and track your progress
Sign in
Go to dashboard
open_in_new
TITLE
LABEL1
LABEL2
DESCRIPTION
arrow_outward
bookmark
bookmark_border
Remove from your account
Save to your account
open_in_new
TITLE
LABEL1
LABEL2
DESCRIPTION
arrow_outward
bookmark
bookmark_border
Remove from your account
Save to your account
open_in_new
TITLE
LABEL1
LABEL2
DESCRIPTION
arrow_outward
bookmark
bookmark_border
Remove from your account
Save to your account
open_in_new
TITLE
LABEL1
LABEL2
DESCRIPTION
arrow_outward
bookmark
bookmark_border
Remove from your account
Save to your account
open_in_new
TITLE
LABEL1
LABEL2
DESCRIPTION
arrow_outward
bookmark
bookmark_border
Remove from your account
Save to your account
open_in_new
TITLE
LABEL1
LABEL2
DESCRIPTION
arrow_outward
bookmark
bookmark_border
Remove from your account
Save to your account
open_in_new
TITLE
LABEL1
LABEL2
DESCRIPTION
arrow_outward
bookmark
bookmark_border
Remove from your account
Save to your account
open_in_new
TITLE
LABEL1
LABEL2
DESCRIPTION
arrow_outward
bookmark
bookmark_border
Remove from your account
Save to your account
open_in_new
TITLE
LABEL1
LABEL2
DESCRIPTION
arrow_outward
bookmark
bookmark_border
Remove from your account
Save to your account
open_in_new
TITLE
LABEL1
LABEL2
DESCRIPTION
arrow_outward
bookmark
bookmark_border
Remove from your account
Save to your account
open_in_new
TITLE
LABEL1
LABEL2
DESCRIPTION
arrow_outward
bookmark
bookmark_border
Remove from your account
Save to your account
open_in_new
TITLE
LABEL1
LABEL2
DESCRIPTION
arrow_outward
bookmark
bookmark_border
Remove from your account
Save to your account
open_in_new
TITLE
LABEL1
LABEL2
DESCRIPTION
arrow_outward
bookmark
bookmark_border
Remove from your account
Save to your account
open_in_new
TITLE
LABEL1
LABEL2
DESCRIPTION
arrow_outward
bookmark
bookmark_border
Remove from your account
Save to your account
open_in_new
TITLE
LABEL1
LABEL2
DESCRIPTION
arrow_outward
bookmark
bookmark_border
Remove from your account
Save to your account
open_in_new
TITLE
LABEL1
LABEL2
DESCRIPTION
arrow_outward
bookmark
bookmark_border
Remove from your account
Save to your account
Want to see more?
View Resources
close
close
Welcome to the Google News Initiative
The Google News Initiative works with publishers and journalists to fight misinformation, share resources, and build a diverse and innovative news ecosystem.
Learn more
Our most popular resources
1
Lesson
Verification: Google Image Search
2
Lesson
Google Historical Imagery: Google Earth Pro, Maps and Timelapse
3
Lesson
Google News Archive: Access the past.
No Results Found
We couldn't find what you are looking for
Load More
chevron_left
Grow digital ad revenue
Lesson 4 of
9
Understand Direct and Programmatic Ad Revenue
close
Grow digital ad revenue
check_box
check_box_outline_blank
Grow your revenue with Google's ads products
(10:00)
check_box
check_box_outline_blank
Learn more about ad blockers
(4:34)
check_box
check_box_outline_blank
Estimate Ad Revenue
(8:34)
check_box
square
Understand Direct and Programmatic Ad Revenue
(9:32)
check_box
check_box_outline_blank
Understand Ad Sizes and Formats
(6:29)
check_box
check_box_outline_blank
Grow Digital Ad Revenue with AdSense
(5:53)
check_box
check_box_outline_blank
Grow Digital Ad Revenue with Google Ad Manager
(10:10)
check_box
check_box_outline_blank
Grow digital ad revenue with affiliate marketing
(6:23)
check_box
check_box_outline_blank
Prepare for third-party cookie deprecation
Course
0% complete
Video
Images
close
5 minutes to complete
Understand Direct and Programmatic Ad Revenue
Ways to sell ads, set prices, pitch advertisers and communicate results
How do I sell my ads?
Most publishers sell ads directly and programmatically.
In direct, you sell, manage, and fulfill campaigns with advertisers, without a third party. Direct selling gives you:
Direct control of the ads displayed on your site
Closer relationships with advertisers
Higher prices for your ad inventory on average
In programmatic, you sell ads through automated technology that sells, manages, and fulfills campaigns for you. Programmatic gives you:
Automated sales based on data, demographics, content, reader behavior, etc.
The ability to display the most relevant ads to your audience, which can increase engagement and click-through rate (CTR)
Access to to thousands of advertisers in real-time, and across multiple platforms, to get you the highest auction price
💡 Best practice: Select ad types, sizes, and placements recommended by the Better Ads Standards, which identifies ads consumers prefer most.
How do I select which ads to sell via direct or programmatic?
On average, direct ads sell for two to four times higher than programmatic ads. Direct ads average $10-20 CPMs (cost per thousand impressions), while programmatic ads average $1-5 CPMs.
💡Best practice: Earn higher revenues by selling as much inventory as you can directly (increasing your direct sell-through rate), and selling remaining inventory via programmatic.
Here’s how inventory might be prioritized:
Direct sales
Programmatic preferred and guaranteed deals
Programmatic private auction
Programmatic open auction
Publishers that use AdSense benefit from dynamic allocation by default, which can give you the highest price for your ads by allowing advertisers to compete in real time with your guaranteed advertisers.
💡 Best practice: Use ad type prices to prioritize whether to sell ads directly or programmatically.
Set your prices
How do I determine my direct rates?
In direct, list prices on your rate card. A rate card lists your ad inventory and pricing.
💡 Best practices:
Conduct market research, like seeing what another local publication’s rate card includes
Adjust rates based on your audience’s size, reach, and brand
Set higher prices for specific audience segments engaging ad types, like video
How do I determine my programmatic rates?
In programmatic, a target cost per thousand impressions (CPM) is the average price you want an ad to sell for. You can also set a floor price, which is the lowest CPM an ad can be sold for.
Manage pricing across all indirect sources of demand from a single place with unified pricing rules, which are conditions you can set across floor prices, target CPMs, ad types, and more.
In Google Ad Manager, go to Inventory > Pricing rules.
Select New unified pricing rule and enter a name.
In Targeting, select your ad units.
In Pricing, select prices for specific items, or set the same price for advertisers, brands, sizes, creative types, etc. You can also set floor prices, target CPMs, or let Google optimize prices.
Click Save.
💡 Best practices:
Set a target CPM instead of a floor price, which can earn more revenue
Set up pricing rules to set different prices for sizes, creative types, video options, and more
Specify pricing for specific advertisers, brands, or sizes
Pitch advertisers with a media kit
What is a media kit?
A media kit is a collateral you can use to pitch to direct advertisers.
💡 Best practices to create a media kit:
Start by telling the advertiser why they might want to work with you, and how working with you will help them reach their goals
Introduce your organization and audience
Add statistics, numbers, and demographics to give them a sense of your news site’s engagement and social presence, You can include:
Audience size, including paid subscribers if you have them
Geographic coverage
Topic coverage
Monthly pageviews
Viewability
Pages per visit or visit length
Visits per month
Share some ideas on how they could advertise on your site, such as providing mockups of placements. Having some ideas gives you and the advertiser a starting point for your discussions.
Add your rate card and contact information
Run a successful ad campaign
Set up client billing, campaign dates, creative assets, ad tags, and tracking
Share a report weekly or monthly about impressions, clicks, and click-through rates
Submit a final invoice and report detailing ad inventory (types, sizes, and placements), impressions delivered, CPMs, and total costs
💡 Best practices:
Set up tracking to include in campaign reports
Test pages on multiple devices so you see how the ads appear
Report on how the campaign is tracking towards your advertisers’ goals each week or month
Tag pages with Google Publisher Tag
Invest in long-term relationships with advertisers
Now that you’ve run your first ad campaign, turn your one-time advertisers into recurring advertisers.
Building a long-term relationship with an advertiser can help you:
Increase CPMs
Increase sell-through rates, or give you more predictability
Get more flexibility to fulfill ads, especially if your coverage includes breaking news
Earn ad revenue more reliably and with less unpredictability
💡 Best practices:
Present a final report of the campaign with advertisers that highlights your advertiser’s goals
Act as a thought partner, and share how they could accomplish their advertising goals by working with you
Share opportunities for audience extension
Offer multi-year deals
Offer programmatic direct, so they can purchase your ads programmatically at a preferred rate
Reach out proactively and periodically
Have up-to-date ad inventory availability ready by using features like an inventory forecast feature
close
How would you rate this lesson?
Your feedback will help us continuously improve our lessons!
Submit
ANSWER THIS QUESTION TO COMPLETE THE LESSON.
Which metric is least likely to appear in a media kit?
Audience size
close
check
Geographic coverage
close
check
Monthly pageviews
close
check
Pages served by HTTPS
close
check
Submit
Quiz Complete
Congratulations! You've just finished
Understand Direct and Programmatic Ad Revenue
Review the Lesson and Try Again
Retake the Quiz
in progress
Recommended for you
open_in_new
Increase traffic with social sharing
Lesson
Tap into social networks to reach new audiences
arrow_outward
Start
bookmark
bookmark_border
Remove from your account
Save to your account
None
open_in_new
Build news products
Lesson
Design, prototype, and test your news product
arrow_outward
Start
bookmark
bookmark_border
Remove from your account
Save to your account
None
play_circle
open_in_new
News Consumer Insights
Product
Get data-driven recommendations for your site
arrow_outward
Learn more
Start
bookmark
bookmark_border
Remove from your account
Save to your account
None
make sure you have visited all the steps before moving forward
close
mail
Sign up for the newsletter to get updates from the Google News Initiative
Get the newsletter
Contact us
Copy the url and share
Copy
Copied
close
Privacy
Terms
help
Help
Cookies management controls test
English (GB)
English
العربيّة
Français
Français (Canada)
Deutsch
हिंदी
Bahasa Indonesia
Italiano
한국어
日本語
Polski
Português
Português (Brazil)
Español (LatAm)
Español
ภาษาไทย
Türkçe
繁體中文
Tiếng việt
close
close
Leave and lose progress?
By leaving this page you will lose all progress on your current lesson. Are you sure you want to continue and lose your progress?
Yes, Leave
Go Back