Is Anyone Better Than Adsense?

[Pjman]

I have been focusing on membership type sites for a long time and lost focus on the advertising game.

Now I find myself looking to create several ad supported web sites. As far as ad networks go, is anyone better than adsense? Price wise. Am I going to get max. revenue with them?

In the past I used Casale Media, Burst, and Value click. They were OK, but I can't remember their rates.

Any input is much appreciated.

[primitive]

Each website is different, so without knowing your content niche, user geography, traffic stats, etc it is difficult to tell how you'll get the best eCPM.

I tend tend to have AdSense as my base rate, and whilst their fill-rate is excellent, as the majority of their campaigns are CPC and people are increasingly becoming blind to AdSense ads (meaning lower CTR) the eCPMs are not as good as they once were.

Google have just bought AdMeld, however, which helps publishers more efficiently sell their ad space on a per impression basis. So if Google will offer you the highest eCPM at that moment then you'll show an AdSense ad, if not then you'll show another ad. Rubicon Project and PubMatic do similar things.

Casale Media, ValueCick Media, and Burst media are all still top tier general networks as is Tribal Fusion, but you may also find better eCPMs with a vertical network such as IndieClick for music sites - most verticals have such representation these days.

[edited by: tedster at 1:00 am (utc) on Jun 19, 2011]

[nomis5]

If you are in the UK then Vibrant Media may well suit. For me it doesn't match Adsense but it's an extremely good second. And the thing is, it works well in conjunction with Adsense so that any Vibrant Media income is additional without detriment to Adsense earnings and vice versa.

As well, never, ever stop searching for independent affiliates, they can earn lots of money when you find the right one(s).