Why You Need to Be Smart About Accepting Paid Advertisement Spots

Did Twitter Just Lose the News Industry to Bluesky?

With its recent surge in popularity and unique approach to content distribution, the platform is attracting major news outlets and reshaping how media organizations connect with their audiences.

There will likely come a point in your newsroom’s lifespan where it will have to accept advertisements. Opening up spots for advertising on your website can be a great source of additional revenue not only for the business you are running the ads for, but for yours as well. These spots are called display ads, which is defined by Amazon Ads as image or text advertisements on another website that link to a unique landing page.

Websites can gain these display ads in a number of ways. Some businesses directly approach websites to run ads for them or vice versa – this usually occurs if the business and the website have a specific target audience that would benefit from the cross-promotion. However, the more common way to put advertisements on your website is to work with an ads network and demand-side platforms. These networks can help set up advertising spots and rotate its contents depending on both the individual website visitor and specific demographics of visitors.

However, without the proper research and consulting, you might end up working with an ad network that displays potentially damaging ads. These can include ads on topics such as misinformation, hate speech, adult content, and spam. If you accidentally run an ad whose values can be considered offensive, you potentially risk ruining your brand’s reputation and safety. For example, if your newsroom is more left-leaning, you should ensure that campaign ads for a right-leaning political figure don’t pop up through your partner network.

The best way to prevent such ads from appearing on your website is to do your research. There are many shady ad networks out there with poor quality control standards, so even if they sound cheap or appealing, you need to verify their authenticity. We recommend checking out the network you’re looking into on the Interactive Advertising Bureau or the Better Business Bureau to see what other business owners like you have to say. Other important things to research about your prospective network include:

The approximate size of their ad database, as well as what advertising brands or agencies they work with. Are they transparent and upfront about their partnerships?
What tracking software and tools they use, and how reliable they are at measuring traffic.
Types of ads available. Do they simply offer side display ads, or do they also offer other types such as banner ads?

Being able to stay smart about the ads running on your website is critical to ensuring brand safety. This is especially important for news websites, both emerging and established. Working with the right ad network to curate the best ads for your unique readership can go a long way to creating trust between you and your visitors. Stay smart about the ads running on your website, and make sure you are working with a provider that is knowledgeable and trustworthy.

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Media Minds by Adriana Lacy Consulting

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