As a publisher monetization company, our Publisher Acquisition team is committed to ensuring a smooth on-boarding process as well as manage all of our publisher relationships. For this edition of Friday Fives we’re featuring Lauren Hollinger, Director of Publisher Acquisition. Read more to learn about Lauren’s take on the Facebook/Google Duopoly, challenges for publishers, and of course the most fun she’s had recently.
What are the top three things that publishers are looking for in 2018?
With regards to brand safety, publishers are looking for accountability from buyers. They're also looking to expand and improve their video monetization strategy, and to also remove ad clutter while increasing revenue.
How do you think publishers will monetize in the future with the Google/Facebook Duopoly?
Since it takes away their control, a lot of publishers I have spoken with about the duopoly are frustrated. They also feel that they have no choice when it comes to working with Google and Facebook because of the substantial revenue the platforms generate. In 2018, I see publishers decreasing the number of partners they work with in order to streamline their monetization strategy; and monitor fraud and domain spoofing more closely.
What are some of the challenges publishers face when providing brands with transparency?
Deciding which 3rd party verification partners to work with can be stressful for publishers. It’s not uncommon for buyers to trust one partner over another since these partners report invalid traffic and viewability metrics differently. Buyers also want to know that their ad not only reached the correct audience but that it was actually viewed. Recently, I’ve had conversations with publishers around time-in-view and believe that is the next metric that buyers will be monitoring.
How can technology providers better serve publishers with their monetization efforts?
Technology providers have the opportunity to take a consultative approach with publishers regarding their tech stack. Publishers can leverage technology providers as an extension of their own internal resources. Whether the technology provider is offering verification, monetization, or high impact ad formats like 33Across; they all have the ability to support publishers in earning more revenue.
What’s the most fun you had in the past 6 months?
Over the Thanksgiving holiday, my husband and I went to Rome and Venice. We had a phenomenal time touring the Colosseum and the Sistine Chapel. Exploring the canals of Venice in a gondola was amazing. We absolutely loved eating and drinking our way through the cities!
