Even a small change in eCPM can be a meaningful difference for publishers, assuming they have a large number of ad impressions each day. Given that increasingly eCPM slightly can lead to significantly improved ad monetization, below are several ways that publishers can improve their results highlighted by Smaato:
Provide more data to advertisers, where privacy-safe: Advertisers will always pay a premium for valuable data about the audience. For example, providing location data, gender, age, or other demographic data to advertisers ensures that their campaigns are targeting the people, which can ultimately lead to higher eCPMs. Note: this is safer to do in aggregate than individually or at device-level, and can only be done with user knowledge and permission.
Improve ad viewability: Advertisers also want to ensure that their ads are actually being seen. In other words, they want to achieve a high viewability rate. Improving user engagement in your app, for example, generally means that they are more likely to sit through more ads. In turn that increases your profitability.
Try different ad formats: Another way to increase eCPMs is to experiment with different ad formats. One major trend is that video ads are much more lucrative for publishers, so adding this ad format can be an effective monetization strategy. Another good option: rewarded ad units that require attention for a reward to be given.
Use an ad monetization platform: Finally, having the right tools in place to attribute and analyze an app’s ad monetization is essential to increasing eCPMs over time.
In short, with the right tools to experiment and analyze new ad monetization strategies, publishers are able to make the most from their ad inventory.