Before diving into the differences between Google AdSense and Google Ad Exchange (AdX), let's first discuss the basics of Google's monetization products for publishers. There are three main products: AdSense (ad network), AdX (ad exchange platform), and Ad Manager (ad server). To access AdX, you must sign up for Ad Manager and set it up properly. But don't worry; we will guide you through the process and provide useful resources.
Thanks to the growth of the advertising technology industry, publishers have access to a large network of media buyers worldwide, and they can use programmatic advertising at scale. Although Google AdSense is a great option for publishers to monetize their ad listings, it is not the only option. Like all platforms, it has its pros and cons. AdSense is reliable, but has limitations, such as limited language and query source support, lack of transparency, higher cost, and limited ad formats.
This is where AdX comes in. Consider it the next step in your financial journey. But first, let's explore the differences between AdSense and AdX.
What is Ad exchange?
Simply put, ad exchange is a programmatic marketplace between publishers and advertisers. This helps them to buy and sell advertising through real intermediaries like supply side and demand side. So, what is Google Ad Exchange (AdX)?
Like other ad exchanges, Google AdX is a marketplace that provides consumers with a collection of ad ads through real-time delivery. However, unlike AdSense, this is a platform that cannot simply be installed on a website.
Publishers must have access to Google's ad placement platform, Google Ad Manager (Google DFP), and meet other eligibility criteria to participate in AdX. Now, you may be wondering why publishers bother using Google ad placements, and how publishers use Google's Ad Exchange through those placements. We will explain the answers to these questions in the following pages, but first let's see why AdX is better than AdSense.
Why is Google Ad Exchange better than AdSense? While AdSense and AdX do the same thing for publishers - helping them connect with millions of advertisers and monetize their ad inventory - Google Ad Exchange also offers other benefits. The method is below.
With Google AdSense, publishers can only display ads from the Google Display Network (GDN) and the Google Certified Advertising Network (GCAN). In contrast, Google Ad Exchange allows publishers to access non-Google authorized ad networks (demand parties). Therefore, it is more desirable.
Google Ad Exchange is very transparent to publishers and advertisers. This allows publishers to identify their books as branded, semi-branded, anonymous, or a combination of the two. Publishers can hide their information (website URL or publisher ID) from other applicants. Google AdX works with leading technology providers such as Integral Ad Science, ComScore and others so that publishers can ensure brand safety and a better user experience. In addition, with Google's ad servers, publishers have access to filtering and blocking options.
With Google Ads Manager and AdX, you can show revenue listings to multiple advertisers and earn higher ad rates (PMP and Programmatic Guaranteed). AdSense does not allow publishers to set a minimum CPM (cost base), but Google AdX does.
Google AdX offers advanced reporting capabilities that allow publishers to monitor the performance of ad exchanges and other application partners. One of the advantages of AdSense is that AdSense payment processing time is 21 days. However, with AdX, publishers are paid after the end of the following month*. For example, if you earn $5,000 in August, you will be paid on September 30th.
*For both cases - AdSense and Ad Exchange, Google starts payments once the publisher reaches the payment threshold.
Now that you know why AdSense is not enough for publishers and millions of views, it's time to set it up on your site. As mentioned above, not all publishers have access to a Google AdX account. So before you start using Ad Exchange, you need to know if you are eligible.
What are the qualifications for a Google Ad Exchange account?
To get a Google Ad Exchange account, publishers must meet the following eligibility criteria.
Traffic Requirements - Publishers must have tens of millions of monthly page views on their websites. We don't have a specific number here, but we hear it takes over 10 million page views to prove it.
Type of Content - The content of the website should not revolve around sensitive topics such as adult content, gambling, guns, etc., or promote illegal activities in any way.
Supported languages - Google does not support all languages for AdX links.
Want to learn more about joining AdX? See our detailed article here. If you're frustrated because your site doesn't meet the minimum marketing standards and requirements for a Google Ad Exchange account, don't worry - there's a solution for everything.
Can I join Google Ad Exchange if I have less than 5 million page views?
Yes you can.
Your website doesn't have to get 5 million page views per month to get Ad Exchange funding through Google's MCM partner. Once you join AdX, you can add it to your AdSense account and add it as a main account in Google Ad Manager (DoubleClick for Publishers).
This allows you to accept requests from ad networks and ad exchanges. Note that you must link AdSense and AdX to your Google Ads Manager account to post ads to your site.
So, the next question is - how to connect these two accounts to Ad Manager. Since we have covered how to add AdSense to Google Ad Manager in this article, we will focus on Google Ad Exchange in this article.
How do I connect Google Ad Exchange to my Display Manager (DFP) account? Once you sign up for Google Ad Manager and access AdX, you can connect the two and use them to send ads to the rest of your list. Follow the steps below to connect your Ad Exchange account to Google's ad servers.
Open Google Ads Manager and log in.
Then click Manage > Account Linking. From here, click Ad Exchange > New Exchange Links.
Enter the publisher ID associated with your Ad Exchange account. Then enter the display name you'll use to create the Ad Exchange line item. Also add the email address you use to sign up for Ad Exchange.
Now you'll need to fill in additional account verification information, such as a zip code or the last 5 digits of the phone number associated with your Ad Exchange account.
Finally, save it.
Now that you've added your Ad Exchange account to Google Ad Manager and AdSense, your site is just a few steps away from serving ads from multiple application partners (internet, ad networks, etc.). Create and define a list type (Ad Exchange) in Google Ad Manager to start sending ads. If you don't know how to do it, follow these steps -
Sign in to your Google Ads Manager account.
Go to Shipping > Orders > Create New Order.
Then, add a new line item and select a transition type. Here select the Ad Exchange account associated with your Google Ad Manager account. You can also select the target of the listings.
Click "Save".
What is the difference between Google AdSense and Google AdSense? Google marketing costs? Although Ad Exchange and AdSense ads can compete with other application partners, they do not compete with each other. Instead, Google decides whether to post ads to the publisher's remaining inventory using Google AdX or AdSense, selecting the highest paying ads to maximize revenue. So the question is not AdSense or AdX, but AdSense or AdX. Assuming you have a Google AdSense account, by having Google Ad Manager and an AdX account you can use both accounts without having to choose between them. You can replace Google AdSense tags on your site with GPT (tags from Google Ad Manager).
Final Words
As a global platform, Google Ad Exchange generates the best revenue for your ad spend.
Publishers can use Google's AdX solution to optimize and monetize each ad feature by showing ad listings to multiple advertisers. Therefore, if your website is large or growing, we recommend contacting a Google Account Manager or Google MCM partner. Are we missing something? Let's find out in the comments.