by Frank Sims; SVP, Publisher Services for Viralytics Media
With the big Ad Networks touting ever expanding reach and a firm grasp of the "Long-Tail", it almost seems like a slap in the face when you receive that denial letter stating that "your site is not a proper fit for our network at this time". Well don't worry, it may not be due to the fact that your site has an unpleasant design or inferior content - you may have just broken one of the ad network's 7 deadly publisher sins.
To help guide you through the treacherous submission process, here is a list of the seven deadly sins publishers make when applying to the big CPM networks.
1. Use an email associated with the domain you are submitting. This is often the first strike against a publisher. The network's must first confirm ownership of the web property and if you use a free email (i.e. mycoolsite@yahoo.com) you could get sent straight to the trash bin.
2. Make sure your site is free and clear of any profane language. With advertisers ever increasing demand for transparency and quality control, finding a four letter word on your site can spell disaster for your site's application. For all you forum owners, make sure you do a thorough clean up of any postings that may have recently gotten a little out of control.
3. Don't be a forum. You saw that one coming, didn't ya? Yes it is true the big bad Ad Networks are terribly scared of your little forum. For reasons stated in Sin #2, forums with unmoderated content can send shivers down account reps spines when a call comes in from an irate client who is demanding an explanation as to why her Disney ad is smashed up next to bit of less than flattering content on your forum. However, there is an exception to this rule. If your forum is related to a very specific (and profitable) niche category or topic such as Toyota Trucks, you could possibly slip right in.
4. Provide a Default Ad Tag. Certain networks request a sample default ad tag. This seems like a needless bother, but if you fail to provide one you will be getting the dreaded denial letter very soon in your in-box. Just give them something, even if it's not your own default code. You can change it once you have been accepted into the network. It's just to prove that you are working with another legitimate network and that you aren't going to be serving up blank ads once they eventually run out of their super sweet CPM network ads.
5. Unlock Your Domain Privacy. Privacy is a big concern for all of us. While you are in the application process with big networks you need to unlock your domain's privacy setting. This will allow you to prove ownership. Once you have been let into the network, then you can lock it back up.
6. Don't Call the Network. This may be one of the most important rules of all. Theses networks are bombarded with a deluge of emails and phone calls from eager publishers all day long. They have plenty of choices to choose from and the publishers who they assume will be a pain in their back sides are likely to get an immediate deletion of their site application.
7. Don't Lie About Your Traffic Levels. Yes, we all do it. We say our blogs get 1.2 million page views a day when in fact it's closer to 1.2. Why this is even still on the application form of the major ad networks, I have no idea. Be realistic about where you are. They have systems in place that tell them exactly how much traffic you are getting, so the closer you are to the reality, the closer you are to getting in!
I hope this information helps you understand why your sites have been getting the big ax from the network behemoths.
About the Author: Frank Sims is SVP, Publisher Services for Viralytics Media.
