A Publisher’s Market

Last time we talked about the height of the competition between marketplaces and the power that publishers have. A couple of weeks ago the news of AOL’s purchase by Verizon for some $4.4B sparked another level of competition. It is widely reported that this valuation was mainly derived from AOL’s adtech networks and monetization platforms. Digital ad marketplaces are salivating at this valuation (who wouldn’t!?) and they now have more pressure than ever before to grow their publisher base.

Marketplaces need more publishers and need more high quality traffic to grow and stay competitive. This power shift from marketplaces to publishers has been a long time coming.

Other noticeable trends driving the publisher’s market:

  • Supply-Side Platforms: Ad networks are investing in technology for publishers.
  • Premium Traffic: The push toward quality over quantity changes the perception of publishers as a commodity.
  • Native Ads: Advertisers are looking for niche publishers to reach a highly targeted audience.
  • Publisher Consortiums: Publishers are beginning to band together for larger selling power.

In this market dynamic, publishers are looking for more value from the marketplaces they choose to work with to monetize their users and traffic. This value can come in many forms, but it’s necessary for marketplaces to differentiate themselves. Marketplaces need to continue to improve their positioning to be that of a trusted partner, helping publishers meet their business needs.

When we speak with publishers about what they need and want from their monetization marketplace partners, we consistently hear the following themes:

  1. Better yield and thus more revenue
  2. Better tools and customer service
  3. Faster payments and thus cash flow to grow their business

While we can’t help with points 1 or 2, we can help solve the need for faster cash. Payability enables marketplaces to provide faster payments to their publishers – at no cost to our marketplace partners. Contact us today and let’s get your publishers paid faster.

Keith Smith
Keith Smith is the Co-founder and CEO of Payability, a FinTech company that provides financing and payment solutions to eCommerce sellers. Its patented technology utilizes machine learning algorithms to underwrite customers based on sales quality and historical eCommerce performance - rather than simply looking at personal credit scores. Previously, Keith founded and ran multiple startups, including; CyberMortgage, Zango, and BigDoor. Keith lends his time to early-stage startups via Techstars and serves as an adviser, investor, and board member for multiple tech startups.

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