5 Best Ad Monetization Platforms for Websites, Mobile, and OTT/CTV

ad monetization platforms

In the past decade or so, digital content has become a valuable source of revenue for publishers, be it through subscriptions, advertisements, or individual purchases. If you’re looking to monetize your app or website through ads, you should start looking into ad monetization platforms.

These platforms enable publishers to access ad demand and sell their inventory seamlessly. But not every ad platform is the same — choosing the right one might turn out to be crucial for the growth of your business. So today, we’re here to tell you more about what ad monetization platforms are, how they work, and which features to look for in one. And if you’d like to skip straight to our top 5 list, you can do so from the table of contents below.

What Is an Ad Monetization Platform?

An ad monetization platform is a software solution that allows publishers to monetize their content through advertisements. It acts as an intermediary between these publishers and brands interested in web or in-app advertising

Features to Look for in an Ad Monetization Platform

All ad monetization platforms have the same main purpose — to help publishers generate revenue by selling ad inventory. However, the services they provide can vary greatly. So if you’re in the market for such a solution, it is important to know exactly what to look for.

Variety of Ad Units

A wide variety of ad units is important for maximizing potential ad revenue. Ideally, publishers should incorporate both display ads and various video ad formats, as both of these options engage different users in different ways based on their preferred medium. In other words, by diversifying ad types, publishers can ensure higher revenue.

Ad Demand

A good ad platform needs to provide publishers with lots of high-quality ad demand. This will increase the chances of higher ad fill rates, as more demand sources will bid on each impression. It will also allow publishers to set higher floor prices thanks to the fiercer competition.

Ad Demand
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Cross-Device Monetization

The ad platform you choose should support an array of devices, depending on your needs. For example, if you have a connected TV app that you would like to monetize through CTV advertising, you should look for a CTV advertising platform. Similarly, if you’re running an OTT streaming service, an OTT advertising platform is the way to go. 

Ideally, however, your ad platform of choice should be compatible with everything from websites to mobile apps. This way, you can keep relying on it even as you scale and expand your business.

In-House Ad Server

An ad server is a piece of adtech used for serving advertisements. Ideally, the platform you choose should come with an in-house server. Otherwise, you will have to integrate a third-party ad serving vendor, which will come at extra cost and less control.

Extensive Video Header Bidding Support

Programmatic advertising offers a faster, easier, and cheaper alternative to traditional ad trading. Good programmatic ad platforms have extensive header bidding support. The more bidding partners a platform has, the better. Some of the biggest names to look for in your platform’s portfolio include Amazon, Google ADX, and Prebid.

For instance, TargetVideo’s online video platform comes with a video header bidding service that is easy to set up and even easier to use. It integrates with all four of the above bidding partners. In other words, our publishers get access to high-quality ad demand from these ad exchanges from a single dashboard.

Prebid.js
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Easy-to-Set-Up Video Header Bidding
· Prebid.js
· Google ADX
· Amazon Publisher Services

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Ad and Header Bidding Analytics

Knowing how well an ad is performing is key to optimizing ad yield and getting the most out of every impression. Your platform of choice should offer actionable, real-time data that you can use to tweak and optimize parameters such as floor prices or video ad duration. 

On the other hand, header bidding analytics will tell you how your auctions are performing. With this tool, you can track and optimize bidder latency and frequency, CPMs, timeouts, SSP win rates, ad fill rates, and more.

Top 5 Ad Monetization Platforms for Publishers in 2023

Now that we’ve covered the most important features an ad monetization platform should have, let’s take a look at some of the best options for publishers right now.

1. TargetVideo (Display & Video)

TargetVideo tech by Brid.TV logo
Ad UnitsAd DemandAd ServerSupported Devices
Instream Video Ad Units
Outstream Video Ad Units
Display Ad Units
YesYesWeb
Desktop Apps
Mobile Apps
OTT
CTV

TargetVideo is a comprehensive online video platform that allows publishers to host, manage, distribute, and monetize content, all from a single video CMS. It comes with a lightweight HTML5 player, a robust CDN, unlimited enterprise video hosting, live streaming and VOD support, and more.

targetvideo home page screenshot

Monetization Overview

One of the biggest perks of using TargetVideo is that it offers both a solution for serving and managing video ads, as well as premium ad demand through its proprietary Premium Demand.

TargetVideo Premium Demand provides publishers with ad demand for both video and display advertising from an array of high-quality advertisers.  

TargetVideo can help publishers deliver, manage, and monetize content across all devices, both on the web and in applications. The same applies to various OTT devices, including CTVs.

The platform supports a wide range of video ad formats, including instream and outstream video ads, and it is VAST and VPAID compatible. It also leverages an array of advanced functionalities for publishers who want to maximize video ad revenue

First, there is video header bidding, enabled through partnerships with Amazon, Google Open Bidding, and Prebid, which comes with detailed header bidding analytics. Secondly, the platform’s sticky ad unit boosts ad viewability and, consequently, brings higher revenue. The platform also has ad podding capabilities. 

TargetVideo’s team can help publishers configure and optimize their player and ad setup. In addition, publishers who sign up for TargetVideo Premium Demand get a dedicated ad ops team that will work on optimizing campaigns and maximizing ad revenue. 

Key Features:

  • Fully-fledged online video platform
  • Proprietary Premium Demand
  • Integrations with Google ADX, Amazon, and more
  • Wide range of video ad formats available
  • Cross-device ad support
  • Video header bidding with analytics
  • Ad performance analytics
  • Dedicated ad ops team
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Pricing Overview

TargetVideo’s video monetization platform comes with a free trial for all new publishers. If they decide to stay with TargetVideo, publishers can count on a fully customized plan tailored to fit their needs — and budget — perfectly.

2. Playwire (Display & Video)

playwire logo
Ad UnitsAd DemandAd ServerSupported Devices
Video Ads
Display Ads
Native Ads
Interstitial Ads
Rewarded Ads
YesYesWeb
Desktop Apps
Mobile Apps

Playwire is a web and app monetization platform that initially focused on publishers in the gaming industry. Today, however, it uses artificial intelligence to help publishers from all niches monetize their desktop and mobile content through ads.

playwire homepage

Monetization Overview

Playwire’s monetization platform (RAMP) uses a proprietary algorithm to increase publishers’ ad yield. The algorithm leverages data collected through its DMP to create audience segments, evaluate ad creatives and inventory, and identify patterns and opportunities for maximizing ad revenue for each of its publishers.

The platform’s header bidding solution integrates with some major ad exchanges, such as Google Open Bidding and Amazon TAM. Playwire’s publishers have access to demand from dozens of SSPs, but they can also access premium demand through direct deals.

Lastly, Playwire boasts some innovative ad units. For example, there is the App Open unit, which pops up only once, when a user opens the publisher’s app, and takes up the whole screen. Another interesting unit is the Site Takeover ad unit, which acts as a background on the publisher’s VOD website.

Key Features:

  • Supports web, desktop, and mobile monetization
  • AI-powered ad-based monetization
  • Over 30 SSPs available
  • Google Open Bidding and Amazon TAM partner
  • Real-time bidding and direct sales

Pricing Overview

Playwire doesn’t have set pricing plans. Instead, the platform operates on a revenue share model, meaning that they take a percentage of what their publishers make.

3. Aniview (Video)

Aniview logo
Ad UnitsAd DemandAd ServerSupported Devices
Outstream Ads
Instream Ads
Rich Media Ads
YesYesWeb
OTT
CTV
Mobile

Aniview is a video advertising platform founded in 2013. It allows publishers to manage and monetize their video libraries through a single CMS and features its own HTML5 player.

aniview home

Monetization Overview

Through its Marketplace, Aniview provides publishers with access to video ad demand from thoroughly vetted, high-quality sources. More importantly, thanks to its in-house proprietary ad server, Aniview makes monetization possible independently of Google’s ecosystem, which is particularly handy for publishers who have been banned by Google. 

The platform also provides real-time data with user-friendly tools for optimizing creatives, floor prices, and more. On top of this, publishers can filter the types of video ads they want to serve, block sensitive or inappropriate content, and prioritize ads relevant to their viewer base.

Key Features:

  • High-quality video ad demand
  • Server-side ad insertion
  • Cross-device ad monetization support
  • Real-time data and analytics
  • Extensive inventory management tools

Pricing Overview

Much like Playwire, Aniview uses the revenue share model for its publishers.

4. Primis (Video)

primis logo
Ad UnitsAd DemandAd ServerSupported Devices
Instream Video Ads
Outstream Video Ads
Native Video Ads
YesYesWeb
Desktop Apps
Mobile Apps

Primis is not a typical ad monetization provider. It primarily serves as an online video platform that offers some ad-based monetization features. It has great user engagement and video discovery features.

primis home

Monetization Overview

Primis integrates with some of the largest ad exchanges on the internet, including Google ADX, OpenX, and Magnite. It supports open market auctions, private marketplace deals, and preferred deals. The platform also comes with all the key tools for revenue maximization, such as real-time analytics, contextual targeting, and yield management.

A great perk of using Primis is its video library, which provides video content to publishers who don’t have their own. Through partnerships with various content creators, such as Reuters and Bloomberg, the platform keeps expanding its library with high-quality content from various niches and industries. Using this library, publishers with no video content can still generate video ad revenue.

Key Features:

  • Online video platform with management tools
  • Cross-device ad support
  • Major ad exchange integrations
  • Dedicated publisher success managers
  • Contextual targeting

Pricing Overview

Primis has not made its pricing model publicly available, so it is unclear whether publishers need to pay to use the platform or have to give up a percentage of their ad revenue. If you would like to know more about how Primis charges for its services, you will need to contact their sales team.

5. Connatix (Video)

connatix logo
Ad UnitsAd DemandAd ServerSupported Devices
Native Video Ads
Instream Video Ads
Outstream Video Ads
YesYesWeb
Desktop Apps
Mobile Apps

Connatix is a full-stack online video platform that focuses on digital video advertising. It comes with a video player with adaptive bitrate streaming support, VOD streaming and live streaming capabilities, audience engagement features, video editing tools, and extensive analytics, all in a single CMS. 

connatix home

Monetization Overview

Connatix relies on real-time bidding and Prebid.js integration to serve video ads on publishers’ websites and apps, but it also supports PMPs and direct deals. It leverages contextual video advertising to ensure the best performance of each ad.

Connatix comes with some handy perks, such as bot traffic detection and filtering, which prevents invalid traffic from affecting performance data and CPMs. It also features a content generation tool, which allows publishers to create new videos from their existing video content, images, and articles.

Key Features:

  • Fully-fledged OVP
  • Real-time bidding, PMPs, direct deals
  • Bot traffic detection and filtering
  • Contextual targeting
  • Ad analytics

Pricing Overview

Connatix relies on the revenue share pricing model, which makes using the platform free for publishers. Direct deals, however, come at an additional ad-serving fee. It is also possible for publishers to create a customized paid plan in collaboration with the Connatix sales team.

Start Monetizing With TargetVideo Premium Demand

We understand that choosing the right advertising platform is no easy task. If you’re still not sure which option to go for, we suggest exploring what TargetVideo Premium Demand has to offer. With our robust OVP and comprehensive ad-based video monetization model, you will be able to easily navigate the world of video advertising from a single, easy-to-use CMS.

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