Rediscovering What We Know: The Basics of Working with an Ad Network

A few months ago, I was reading a great book called, The New Rules of Marketing and PR, by David Meerman Scott. After the first few chapters, I felt as if I was reading about topics I felt that I already understood. Or so I thought. By the end of the book I found myself saying, “What a refresher course.” Although I was trying to learn something new, as the book clearly states, I ended up remembering the important basics that had so quickly left my memory bank. The book talked about “the new rules”, but it was also a reminder that the old rules still apply.

This past week, I was reading an article posted on Adotas titled, Boosting Campaign Performance with Ad Networks; the same thing happened. The article pointed out five basic points to achieve an ideal campaign with an Ad Network. Although the points were somewhat obvious, it brought to mind the undeniable disconnect between what advertisers know about ad networks and realizing the full potential of what ad networks are capable of. We decided to elaborate on these points to rehash some of the straightforward yet often overlooked benefits of working with an ad network.


First, the article says to find someone on the inside that can, and is willing, or motivated to help you. Well, we couldn’t agree more. Our Account Management team is trained to think as though they are our client’s inside representative.
The second point, be honest about your campaign goals. To us, this seems obvious enough, but it is certainly worth including. We deliver the best results for our clients when their true goals have been made as clear as possible. We are always prepared to deliver success in any way we need to, but we are not trained to be mind readers.

Being realistic in your expectations is third. This one is important. We can deliver impressive online advertising campaigns, if we are given the chance. But the truth is that, while we have pulled off a miracle or two, expecting a highly targeted campaign that is focused on a very small sample audience, to produce scalable leads, at a minimal cost, is simply not a realistic expectation.


The fourth point the article makes is, don’t be afraid to ask for special accommodations, especially if you are the key person buying media for a brand. While we can’t promise we’ll always be able to accommodate a request 100%, the truth is that we are a service business and we understand that you know your business better than anyone else. Our job is to make sure you know what is possible, but you need to let us know what is important to you.

Finally, the fifth and final point that the article makes is that constant communication is crucial, especially in the early stages of your ad campaign. Our view of the client/network relationship rests on the interaction between your point campaign person and one of our top notch Account Managers. We know that the campaign that starts out in the most organized and open way is the campaign that ends with success. Communication in the launch phase is probably the single most important to ensuring this success.


Working with an Ad Network is an important aspect to any online marketing strategy. But if you don’t know what the Ad Network is capable of, you might get lost in an ocean of options that you don’t fully understand. We may all say we understand the importance of communication, but in the fast moving world of online advertising we can sometimes forget the basics. Re-remembering these few simple (yet true) key points is an important part of moving forward and running a successful campaign.