Media.net ran the Yahoo! Bing Network Contextual Ads program, which made it the most direct competitor to Google AdSense for contextual text ads. In 2014 it was the alternative most publishers tried first.
How Media.net works
Publishers use the Media.net self-serve platform to create and customize ad units that show relevant text ads, sponsored links and ad topics from the Yahoo! Bing Network. The network focuses on publishers with original, premium content, mostly from the US, UK and Canada.
Why publishers choose it
- Incremental revenue with little effort, often alongside other networks.
- Top brand advertisers and a fill rate the company described as 100 percent.
- Highly relevant ads that reduce clutter.
- Real support with a personal account manager.
| Pricing | RPM (revenue per thousand impressions) |
|---|---|
| Payment terms | Monthly, Net 30 |
| Minimum payout | $100 |
| Payment methods | PayPal, wire transfer |
| Best sizes | 200×200, 250×250, 300×250 |
| Accounts | One account, unlimited websites |
How much does Media.net pay?
One SiteAdWiki contributor averaged around $3 RPM on Media.net in 2014, against about $1.50 on AdSense for the same site. Reported CPC varied a lot by country:
| Country | Reported CPC (2014) | Country | Reported CPC (2014) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | $1.22 | United Kingdom | $0.82 |
| Switzerland | $0.99 | France | $0.82 |
| Germany | $0.93 | Belgium | $0.80 |
| United States | $0.92 | Spain | $0.76 |
| Austria | $0.91 | Netherlands | $0.70 |
| Norway | $0.86 | India | $0.15 |
Take note: avoid units that show more than six text links per banner. Fewer, more relevant links get more clicks.
Keywords that pay
Contextual networks pay by keyword, so topic choice decides earnings. Finance, insurance, legal and online gambling sit at the top of most search advertising price lists, because a single customer is worth hundreds of dollars to the advertiser. Pages about sports betting odds or online casino reviews can earn far more per click than general news, but contextual networks apply strict rules to gambling content. See AdSense gambling policy and the alternatives.
Update: Media.net was acquired in 2016 by a consortium of Chinese investors and remains a major contextual advertising business.
