How ExoClick innovated in 2021

As the online advertising industry continues to get more and more competitive, ExoClick’s platform and business assistance to clients provided several new features and revenue generation tips to help clients grow their businesses in 2021. Here are 6 ways ExoClick innovated in 2021.

#1 Outstream Video ad format  

With the explosion of TikTok, Reels and the dominance of online video traffic the whole world is embracing short video content. Therefore video ad formats are becoming more and more important as a marketing tool for advertisers and a way of monetizing traffic for publishers. In February ExoClick introduced the Oustream video ad format. In comparison to other video formats In-stream and Slider, Outstream allows publishers to have the freedom to place a video ad anywhere on their website, because it is shown as part of the user journey. Compared to In-stream video ads, Outstream ads can be considered a plug and play solution with unique trigger positioning on any device to find the perfect revenue generation sweet spot. This quick integration does not need a video player and is a great way to earn extra revenues. The ad format is fully Google compliant featuring a close ad button. In our blog post How does Outstream compare to Banner eCPMs & CTRs? Our Business Intelligence department looked at global eCPMs for Outstream versus display Banners. Publishers using Outstream get a much higher eCPM on average on desktop +250% and on mobile +108%.

For advertisers, Outstream provides a cost effective way to display video ads. In our blog post Is Outstream more cost effective than Banners? We got our Business Intelligence department to prove it! They examined our network data and compared global eCPC prices for Outstream and Banner ads. On Desktop, eCPCs are -62.6% less expensive and on Mobile -63.6% less expensive for advertisers when bidding on Outstream versus Banners. Additionally, Outstream has a huge percentage increase in CTRs compared to display Banners, on desktop up to 1266% higher and on mobile up to +1109% higher. Outstream gives advertisers a better win ratio by paying less for much higher conversion opportunities.

#2 In Page Push Notifications

In September ExoClick launched a new display ad format called In-Page Push Notifications. It’s a type of display ad that is designed to look like a Push Notification, however unlike traditional Push Notifications, In-Page Push Notifications ads are not displayed within a website’s browser, but directly on the publisher’s site, just like banner ads. As an end user views a Publisher’s webpage, the ad quickly fades in, to be displayed over the website’s content with an opacity, so that the Publisher’s content can still be seen under the ad.

Publishers can have up to two In-Page Push Notifications ads on a web page and can control the timing that each ad is shown to the end user. Additionally the Publisher has a range of different options in ExoClick’s admin panel to choose on what part of the page the In-Page Push Notifications will be displayed, this includes on the horizontal Top (Default), Center, Bottom and on the vertical Right (Default), Center, Left.  The format generates only quality clicks for advertisers because the end user knows that they are viewing an ad, this in turn brings higher, more competitive eCPMs for publishers. Check out our Publisher Case Study: Increased eCPMs with In Page Push Notifications, showcasing the results of two publishers after implementing In Page Push Notifications.

For advertisers, this new ad format really stands out to an end user because the In-Page Push Notification fades in while an end user is browsing a page, the format’s design, being slightly curved at the edges and featuring an image on the left and text on the right also makes it eye catching in comparison to banner ads. This brings a much higher CTR and avoids banner blindness. The addition of being able to place emojis within the creative’s text as well as dynamic tokens in the title and description enables advertisers to further connect with and engage the end user.

#3 Multi-Format ads

In May we introduced high performing Multi-Format Ads, a new concept in ad placement. The ad placement serves multiple ad formats: Banners or Native in just one placement, pitching different Banner sizes and Native ad widgets against each other and serving the highest paying ad in the Multi-Format ad zone. This ability to serve multiple formats can increase the number of eligible bids for a publisher’s impressions while giving advertisers access to previously unavailable inventory, opening up a whole new world of possibilities for publishers and advertisers alike. 

Publishers can select different Banner sizes and Native ad zones by generating a single ad script. They can choose multiple existing ad zones and let them compete against each other, showing only the one with the highest CPM value. 

Publishers can convert several different ad zones into Multi-Format ad zones in their admin panel by using combinations of horizontal or vertical options, allowing publishers to display different Banner sizes and Native widgets in their existing ad placements.

Looking at one of the ad placements: Desktop Footer, this is a typical large 900×250 display Banner zone. An advertiser can’t target this zone with a smaller Banner or a Native ad, however if the publisher uses the footer as a Multi-Format Ad zone, this opens up new inventory for an advertiser that wasn’t previously available. With Multi-Format Ads, the Footer now has different combinations of inventory depending on which won the highest bid for either the whole Footer zone, or parts of the Footer zone.

For example a Multi Format ad Footer can display the following different combinations:

• 1 Banner 900×250
• 1 x Banner 728×90
• 3 x 300×250 Banners or 4 x 300×250 Banners 100% width
• 1 x 3 Native widget, 1 x 4 Native widget or 1 x 5 Native widget depending on the website layout.

Check out our Publisher Case Study: Increased revenues using our Multi-Format Ads to see how one publisher increased revenues by 215.63% and a 48.67% increase in eCPM & 93.81% eCPC. 

#4 Members Area In Profile Native ad zones

With selected Dating Members Area Publishers, ExoClick has created a new Native ad zone concept: In Profile Native, where a 1×1 Native ad is displayed within the profiles of a site’s dating profile pages. The ad is perfectly targeted to Dating and VoD offers. 

Campaign set up is exactly the same as a regular Native creative, advertisers should use the image of a model, write a title (max. 50 characters) and description (max. 90 characters) worded as a profile introduction. You can use dynamic tokens in the titles and descriptions, which allow you to display different texts depending on the information of the end user that is viewing your ad. So for example you could use the {city} token in your ad texts to attract localised users, for example:

Vanessa (23), {city}

If the end user was in California the ad text would display:

Vanessa (23), California

To ensure quality clicks, always include the brand name (max. 30 characters) when setting up your Native campaign in your admin panel. Users will then know that they are clicking on an ad and have shown interest in your product

When comparing Native ad zones on Free Content sites, to In Profile Native ad zones on Members Area profile pages, the average CTR is significantly higher:

#5 Ultimate Guides

Here at ExoClick we want to help advertisers with business and campaign optimization tips to help generate higher revenues. This year ExoClick launched The Ultimate Guide to Dating packed with business intelligence information and network stats, tips for using different ad formats and creative tips to help you convert your offers. Additionally the best traffic sources are highlighted for and expert optimization tips from our account managers. 

 #6 Faster banner ad load times with Asynchronous Tags

ExoClick added the ability for publishers to use Asynchronous Tags for desktop and mobile Banner ad zones. When creating either of these zone types, publishers can use the Tag to ensure that zones are loaded onto the page asynchronously. This has many advantages. Your site content will be able to load while the ads are loading, which will increase performance when used on well-optimized sites. Google rankings of sites are partially based on performance, using Asynchronous Tags can result in improved Google ranking also. You can use a single request to get multiple ad zones on the same page, again which is more efficient and will also lead to a performance increase. Additionally Asynchronous Tags avoid the use of some outdated JavaScript features which many developers are moving away from. Check out our blog post Get faster banner ad load times with Asynchronous Tags and you can use them with WordPress sites too.

These are just some of the great features and business tips we have created in 2021. Expect more industry leading platform features, new ad formats and more in 2022!