A year of the new DoubleClick Ad Exchange: improving large publishers’ returns

Fifteen months after launch, the new version of DoubleClick Ad Exchange is showing strong momentum -- we’ve tripled the number of transactions since last year -- which translates into more dollars for publishers. We’ve embedded new technologies into the Exchange, allowing us to expand upon research we conducted in mid-2010 showing that publishers could expect a 136% increase in effective CPMs (eCPMs) by making pre-emptible ad space available through the Exchange. Our updated finding? According to a new white paper released today, when publishers make inventory available in the Ad Exchange, and the Exchange wins the auction, they generate, on average, 188% more revenue compared with upfront sales of non-guaranteed ad space to networks and other third-party buyers.

The white paper’s findings reflect how publishers are materially benefiting from upward pricing pressure, a result of increased demand as more AdWords and Google Display Network buyers come online. Yields are also going up thanks to higher spending through agency trading desks and new third-party technology providers. And real-time bidding continues to be a major draw, now accounting for 56% of buyer spend.

We are also continuing to add features to the Exchange that put publishers even more firmly in control of what types of ads appear on their site, enabling them to build and protect their brand. Recent enhancements include:

• Private Ad Slots: Customizable, invitation-only auctions that allow publishers to make certain ad spaces available only to trusted advertisers and assign variable pricing floors depending on the buyer
• Category Blocking: Greatly expanded blocking capabilities based on 170 fine-grained vertical categories
• Troubleshooting Toolbar: A new browser toolbar that allows publishers to quickly identify the source of ads for easy blocking

Download the white paper.

Posted by Campbell Foster, Product Marketing Manager