Best High CPM Ad Network for Publishers in 2024

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Cost per mille or CPM is a pricing model wherein publishers get paid for every thousand impressions that an ad hosted on the publisher website receives.

CPM ad networks act as intermediaries in this process, charging advertisers and paying publishers based on the number of impressions.

Traditionally, networks such as Google AdSense had a near monopoly on the market. However, longtime industry leaders are now experiencing serious competition coming from companies that compete through innovation and develop technology solutions full of targeting methods, real data, and smartphone ad functionality.

This means publishers now have a much wider pool to choose from when it comes to selecting the best CPM ad networks.

Let's take a look at the features of the current and emerging ad networks to evaluate and figure out where they can best help grow your business.

What Is CPM?

CPM is an acronym for cost per mille, meaning the cost per thousand impressions. It refers to the price that advertisers pay to have an ad published and seen a thousand times on a website.

Due to its focus on impressions and not clicks, it is the most common method for pricing mobile ads and the most popular among mobile publishers.

How Does CPM Work?

The CPM approach is based on impressions, a statistic that measures the amount of views on a specific ad. A view is counted each time a user opens an app or a webpage, and the advertiser’s ad is visible. An impression is different from engagement, which measures specific user actions such as a click.

Advertisers pay a fixed payout to website owners for every thousand views of an ad. With CPM, if an ad is placed on the same page of a website twice, the advertiser will have to pay for two impressions, even though there is only one page view.

How to Calculate CPM?

CPM is calculated as cost/total impressions x 1000:

You can also use Publift's CPM calculator to calculate cost per mille in 3 simple steps.

‍Calculating CPM lets advertisers quickly decide how many impressions they're going to receive for a specific sum of money or how much they're going to pay for a certain number of impressions.

A publisher on the other hand, can use CPM for setting their targets for selling ad space, which will differ based on whether the advertiser is reaching a small, niche audience or purchasing a broad amount of ad impressions.

CPM may be measured for each ad, each ad venue, and each campaign. It is seldom used in isolation, but rather in combination with other, more advanced analytics.

Why Use CPM?

CPM advertising packages can benefit publishers in a big way. Since users don't have to interact or click on the ad itself, this can help generate revenue more easily. In other words, publishers can get money by simply placing ads on their sites, even if users don't click on them.

It's worth noting, however, that rates for the CPM model are often not as high as compared to other metrics such as cost per click (CPC), so in order to get higher profits, a website should have lots of traffic.

For mobile apps and game publishers, CPM can be effectively used to calculate the expected revenue made by placing an advertisement in their apps.

Different estimations, including the average number of served impressions and daily active users count can be combined with specific ad network metrics, such as CPM or eCPM to calculate the profit they can make by placing ads in their apps and games.

CPM Versus Other Pricing Models

Compared to other pricing models, CPM is much simpler, as no specific actions such as installs or clicks are expected from users.

For example, the cost-per-completed view is a metric that requires ads to be watched entirely in order to get the count. Cost per engagement is somewhat similar, as it only counts actions triggered by users.

More traditional advertising metrics include CPC (cost-per-click) and CPA (cost per acquisition). In CPC, marketers pay per click on the advertisement, while in CPA they require a visitor to buy something after they interact with the ad.

Such types of ads are tailored to promote a product to a particular niche audience.

On the other hand, if an advertisement is directed at increasing brand recognition or popularizing a particular message, CPM might seem like a smarter choice.

What Are the Benefits of CPM Ads?

1. Profitable for Publishers

CPM ads are particularly lucrative for publishers, as they can generate revenue even if users don’t actively engage with the ads.

However, as mentioned above, CPM rates are not as high as other metrics, so a website needs a considerable amount of traffic to make more ad revenue.

2. Brand Recognition for Advertisers

CPM ads are great for creating a strong following and increasing brand recognition.

If a customer has never heard of a certain company, it is highly doubtful that he or she would instantly purchase a product upon seeing an advertisement on the internet. However, viewing the brand's ad a few times, without engaging with it in any way can potentially set this customer moving down the path of eventual conversion.

3. Audience Testing

It's also a smart idea to use CPM to develop a target audience persona and promote your business to them.

For instance, advertisers may be interested in finding out which among several age categories, such as young professionals or elders are best suited for their product.

To find out, they may place ads on two websites targeting each group. Then, by measuring and comparing engagement on both sites, they can adjust their strategy accordingly and proceed with their marketing, without spending additional money on research.

Major Factors Affecting CPM Rates

Several variables can affect CPM rates. While some of these factors are beyond the control of publishers, others can be influenced to minimize their impact on CPM.

The following are examples of factors that are beyond the control of publishers:

Seasonality: Consumer demand and advertising budgets can wax and wane throughout the year, based on major events, holidays, and changing seasons.
Macroeconomics: Factors like recession, inflation, and economic booms can have a major impact on ad spend, consumer demand, and marketing budgets.
Regulations: Privacy laws like the GDPR and other industry standards often change how publishers and advertisers track and serve ads, impacting CPM rates.
Advertiser budgets: The money advertising companies allocate to digital ads is based on their internal strategies and business performance.

Now, let's take a closer look at some of the major factors affecting CPM rates that can be controlled or influenced in some ways by publishers:

1. Geographic Location

The GDP of a country and the relative purchasing power of consumers from specific locations can have a direct impact on CPM rates. Advertisers are more likely to bid for impressions from higher-income countries, or specific regions within a country.

While you don't have any control over the macroeconomic factors as a publisher, you do have control over your content.

Publishers can create content that has a better chance of attracting consumers from high-income regions. Advertisers, on the other hand, can specifically target audiences so that their ads are only shown in specific countries.

2. Audience Demographics

Like geographic location, factors such as age, gender, and income levels of the audience can also impact CPM rates. Advertisers are often more interested in big-spending demographics such as young adults aged 18 to 34, working professionals and executives, and parents.

Although you don't have full control over who can visit your pages, content curation can help ensure that more individuals from these desired cohorts are attracted to your platform.

3. Content Quality

If you have high-quality content that can attract and engage more visitors and keep them on your site for longer periods, advertisers may be willing to pay higher CPM rates.

Investing more resources into improving the quality of your content can prove beneficial in the long run.

4. Ad Format and Placements

Video ads and native ads tend to have higher CPM rates as these formats generate better user engagement. Ad placement is another important factor, as ads placement in areas with high user interaction can have better performance metrics.

For instance, banner ads and skyscraper ads tend to do better because they are placed either at the top of the page, or on the side, occupying a substantial portion of the viewport.

Similarly, ads placed in content-rich areas like the center of the page, above the fold, or pre-roll positions are more likely to engage your audience and command higher CPM rates from advertisers.

8 Best CPM Ad Networks for Publishers

Now that we have an idea of what CPM is, we look at the best CPM ad networks for publishers in 2024.

1. Publift

Publift is a cutting-edge, premium ad network and programmatic advertising technology provider with over 15 years of experience in helping publishers understand and implement the latest in adtech. Named one of Australia's Fast Starters 2020 by The Australian Financial Review and Statista, it has partnered with over 250+ publishers and app developers worldwide.

Compared to other ad networks, Publift's clients typically see an average of 55% increase in ad revenue. In their own words, they're “obsessive about growing publishers' businesses."

As a Google Certified Publishing Partner, Publift is an excellent choice for publishers who want to monetize, grow their business, and serve quality ads with minimal impact on their UX.

Ad Network	Ad Formats	Min. Traffic Requirements	CPM Rates	Min. Payout	Payment Modes	Payment Period	Currencies
Publift	Sticky Footer, Miniscrollers, Banners, Interscrollers	More than 500k page views per month	Varies regionally	$200	Direct Bank Transfer	Google revenue (30 days), Other ad networks(90 days)	Multiple currencies

Key Features:

Offers unique ad formats like sticky footers and miniscrollers.
Ad block monetization ensures revenue even from users with ad blockers.
Data-driven optimization and A/B testing for auction rules.
Quick approval process, with ad tags provided within five days.
Monthly and quarterly payment options with flexible currency choices.

2. Google AdSense

Google AdSense is one of the most popular ad networks out there, and also one of the oldest.

With Google AdSense, publishers are free to use both CPM advertising and CPC (cost-per-click) campaigns. Publishers get 68% of the ad revenue, while Google retains 32%.

AdSense has a large advertiser pool, and relatively easy eligibility requirements. AdSense helps publishers pick from 450 categories of ads and offers publishers a reach of 2 million advertisers worldwide.

The main drawback with AdSense are its somewhat arbitrary compliance requirements that often see accounts getting banned. As a result, publishers often gravitate towards experimenting with different ad networks after working with AdSense for a while.

Ad Network	Ad Formats	Min. Traffic Requirements	CPM Rates	Min. Payout	Payment Modes	Payment Period	Currencies
Google AdSense	Display, Text, Video, Rich Media	No minimum traffic requirement	Google does not disclose this data publicly	$100	EFT, SEPA, Wire Transfer, Checks	21 days processing + 30 days	Multiple currencies

Key Features:

Automatic ad placement and optimization with Auto Ads.
Responsive ads adjust seamlessly to different screen sizes.
Extensive support for a wide range of ad types and third-party integrations.
Detailed performance reports with the ability to block unwanted ads.
Supports multiple currencies and offers a variety of payment options.

3. Adcash

Adcash is a global online advertising platform that offers different ad formats ranging from text and banner ads to display and video ads.

It claims to fill inventories 100% of the time, allowing publishers to monetize web traffic with minimal effort.

The platform prides itself on offering dynamic CPM monetization and user experience, although publishers can opt-in for the manual process too. Adcash also accepts smartphone advertising and has a smart network for personalized targeting.

There is no minimum traffic requirement to get approval and the platform offers a host of payment options.

Ad Network	Ad Formats	Min. Traffic Requirements	CPM Rates	Min. Payout	Payment Modes	Payment Period	Currencies
Adcash	Native, interstitial, banner, pop-under	None	Network does not disclose this data publicly	$5	Wire transfer, PayPal, and more	Monthly	USD, EUR, GBP, and others

Key Features:

Provides personal support to help publishers unlock exclusive features and maximize returns.
Helps bypass ad blockers to potentially earn higher revenue.
Publishers receive live statistics to monitor performance continuously.
Serves 196 countries with a wide range of ad formats.

An image of a publisher testimonial. The review reads “62% Uplift in Ad Revenue. I have no problem at all recommending Publift. We switched from our previous ad provider and saw an average 62% daily increase in ad RPM. It was easy working with the implementation team - they were quick and open to our changes and suggestions, and along with their changes, the move was a success. - Cameron Wilmot, Australia.

4. BuySellAds

BuySellAds is a good option for beginners as it has low minimum traffic thresholds. The ad network helps publishers in setting direct deals with advertisers. It also enables them to monetize the traffic that is using ad blockers.

Pay demands for BuySellAds should be received twice a month and are reviewed in 2-3 days.

A minimum payment threshold of $20 may be transferred through PayPal. A minimum payment threshold of $50 and a maximum payment threshold of $500 must be available for cheques or wire transfers.

Ad Network	Ad Formats	Min. Traffic Requirements	CPM Rates	Min. Payout	Payment Modes	Payment Period	Currencies
BuySellAds	Native, Content, Podcast, Display, Email	No minimum traffic requirement	$0.25 to $0.75	$20 (PayPal), $50 (others)	Wire Transfer, PayPal, Cheque	Monthly	USD, others

Key Features:

Directly connects publishers with advertisers, providing more control.
Supports a diverse range of ad formats including native, podcast, and email ads.
No minimum traffic requirement, making it suitable for smaller publishers.
Google AdSense compatible for maximizing ad revenue.
Multiple payment methods with low minimum payout thresholds.

5. Propeller Ads

Propeller Ads is the market leader in popunder ads, one of the oldest ad formats. It has also created a strong presence for itself in the affiliate marketing space through the use of machine-learning algorithms to optimize ad delivery and improve publisher revenue

Propeller Ads has an easy-to-use service, allowing publishers to monetize their website or smartphone traffic in less than five minutes by following a few simple steps to add and check their domain ownership.

PropellerAds has a Net30 payment policy and a minimum $5 payout threshold.

Ad Network	Ad Formats	Min. Traffic Requirements	CPM Rates	Min. Payout	Payment Modes	Payment Period	Currencies
Propeller Ads	Interstitial, Pop-under, Banner, Native	No minimum traffic requirement	$0.01 to $1.50	$5	Wire Transfer, Payoneer, PayPal, Skrill	Net30	USD, EUR, others

Key Features:

Supports a variety of ad formats such as pop-under, interstitial, and native ads.
No minimum traffic requirements make it accessible for newer publishers.
AI-powered fraud detection and compliance with legal requirements.
Weekly payments for sites with over 10k unique daily visitors.
Easy integration with a Net30 payment policy.

6. Epsilon

Epsilon, formerly known as Conversant Media, is one of the oldest ad networks in the industry, with a track record of more than 50 years in the advertising industry. It claims to get up to three times more in-market customers for the brands that advertise through it.

For publishers, Epsilon offers the service of its own private ad exchange, known as Core, through which publishers can access premium demand partners, while streamlining all their site and app management. Epsilon offers cookieless solutions for advertising, thereby helping publishers transition smoothly into the future of publishing.

Ad Network	Ad Formats	Min. Traffic Requirements	CPM Rates	Min. Payout	Payment Modes	Payment Period	Currencies
Epsilon	Display, Video, Mobile, Native	3,000 impressions per month	Varies	$25	Paper Check, PayPal	Monthly	USD

Key Features:

Leverages data to deliver highly personalized ads to your audience.
Known for high fill rates and quality advertisers.
Ensures consistent user experience across different devices.
Provides actionable data to optimize ad campaigns.
Easy to reach the payout threshold with minimal traffic.

7. Adbuffs

Adbuffs is a data-driven CPM and CPC ad network specializing in eCommerce. It claims to deliver an average return on ad spend (ROAS) of 3.13 for advertisers. It also offers a suite of creative services composed of expert graphic designers and video creators that help brands create ads that convert.

This is an advantage for publishers, as improved ad performance automatically translates into better returns.

Ad Network	Ad Formats	Min. Traffic Requirements	CPM Rates	Min. Payout	Payment Modes	Payment Period	Currencies
Adbuffs	Banner, Native, Rich Media	2,000 unique views per day	Varies	Varies	PayPal, Bank Transfer	Monthly	USD

Key Features:

Ideal for small to medium-sized publishers.
Offers personalized support to improve eCPM.
Instant access to performance data and earnings.
Ensures ads are displayed on high-quality, legal content.
Offers competitive rates for publishers with lower traffic.

Boost your site revenue & performance with Publift

8. Media.net

Media.net is one of the world's leading ad networks. With offices in Dubai, Los Angeles, Bangalore, Mumbai, New York, and Zurich, they run the world's second-largest contextual ads program, based on the Yahoo! Bing network.

Media.net's clients include Forbes, Yahoo, MSN, and Kiplinger, among others.

It offers advanced ad tech such as server-side enabled wherein advertisers bid in real time for ad space on publisher websites. This, in turn, drives up CPM rates offered to publishers.

Ad Network	Ad Formats	Min. Traffic Requirements	CPM Rates	Min. Payout	Payment Modes	Payment Period	Currencies
Media.net	Display, Native, Contextual, Video	50,000 views per month	Variable	$100	Wire Transfer, PayPal	Monthly	USD

Key Features:

Access to one of the largest pools of advertisers via the Yahoo! Bing Network.
A range of ad formats including display, native, video, and contextual ads.
Real-time reporting for monitoring ad performance.
Server-side header bidding for better transparency and control.
Monthly payments with a $100 minimum payout threshold.

Final Thoughts

This guide discussed all about CPM rates and listed eight of the best high paying CPM ad networks for publishers. However, there is no one-size-fits-all in adtech, and publishers need to do their own research to figure out which ad network best suits their needs.

Publift is an award-winning adtech platform that has been helping its clients realize an average 55% uplift in ad revenue since 2015 through the use of cutting-edge technology and best-in-class service.

‍‍‍Best CPM Ad Networks—FAQs

What Is a CPM Network?

A CPM (Cost Per Mille) network is a platform that connects advertisers with website owners and other types of digital publishers. Advertisers get a chance to place their ads on various websites or apps, while publishers can monetize the ad space on their website or app.

Every time an ad gets 1,000 impressions (views), the advertiser will pay a set fee to the publisher.

How Much Does an Advertiser Pay for Every 1,000 Impressions of Their Ad?

The fee paid by advertisers depends entirely on the rates set by the CPM network. The network sets the rates based on various factors such as the audience quality, ad format, and historical performance data.

How Can I Improve My CPM Rates?

As a publisher, there are several things you can do to increase the CPM rates.

Consider optimizing your existing content quality to improve site traffic and user engagement rates.

If possible, find ways to target specific high-value demographics, like homeowners or young adults. You can also improve CPM rates by utilizing premium ad formats such as native ads and video ads.

Finally, consider partnering with a high CPM ad network like Publift.

Are There Any Disadvantages to Using a High CPM Ad Network?

High CPM ad networks can look very attractive because of the promise of higher rates and better revenues. However, these networks often have stricter eligibility requirements, including minimum traffic thresholds and certain content quality standards. If publishers fail to maintain these standards, they may not be able to use such networks.

Can I Use a High CPM Ad Network as a Small Publisher?

Yes, even smaller publishers can use a high CPM ad network as long as they meet the network's minimum eligibility requirements.

Publishers should invest in creating quality content that attracts valuable audiences. If they can keep engagement levels high while attracting a substantial amount of traffic, they can grow their revenues considerably with a high CPM ad network.

What Could Have Caused a Sudden Drop in My CPM rates?

Several factors can cause a drop in the CPM rates of publishers.

Seasonality and fluctuations in demand are often the most likely source of decline. Improper ad placement, and an increase in the use of ad blockers by your target audience can also cause problems.

Recessions, high inflation levels, and increased competition in your niche are some other potential reasons for a drop in CPM rates.

Check your site's performance data to understand the root cause.

‍What's the Difference Between an Ad Network and an Ad Exchange?

An ad network is an aggregator that purchases and sells ad inventory from publishers to advertisers. It serves as an intermediary.

On the other hand, an ad exchange is a digital marketplace where marketers and publishers can directly buy and sell ad inventory, often through real-time auctions.

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