10 do's and don'ts for online publishers

1. Manage your blacklist dynamically and be as precise as possible
A blacklist is dynamic and a process for updating it needs to be in place. For example, don't forget to delete temporarily blocked advertisers in order to avoid downwards pressure on your eCPM from networks due to overly tight restrictions. Be as specific as possible and don't make assumptions such as 'please exclude our competitors'. You need to be precise and name them per market. 2. Think international IPs
Most networks service their campaigns and GEO target on IP. So, when considering your website, also bear in mind blacklisting for the other markets, which might be more or less strict. Try to provide a precise blacklist for the major markets. The other way around, don't blindly trust IP targeting especially in countries with multiple languages such as Belgium. You will risk ending up serving French ads to Flemish speaking users. 3. Pre-approve ads and campaigns where needed
Some networks/exchanges offer you the ability to pre-approve each campaign and advertiser. This should be limited to those networks where you feel it is a 'must-do'. Every human step reduces the real time capabilities of a system and therefore the eCPM and potential revenues. 4. Manually check what is being served
Even when all networks and exchanges have signed off on your blacklists, there still might be ads coming through and you have to check this, especially at the beginning of the collaboration. 5. Use a plug-in for your browser to view the network source of each ad
For this you can use a specific browser or a Firefox plug in such as AdInspector from PubMatic. 6. Have your emergency process in place
Make sure it also covers out of office hours and all markets. If anything goes wrong are you, and your network contacts, prepared? Have emergency email addresses in place both internally and externally for the facility to take down 'bad creative' at anytime. Also make sure the SLAs with the networks are clearly defined. 7. Consider Javascripts versus Iframes
Iframes are somewhat safer as it makes it impossible for an ad to 'damage' your website or serve unwanted expendables, etc. However, Iframes also restrict some capabilities for the networks such as forms of contextual advertising. 8. Aim for long-term relationships with networks
Search for longer-term relationships with a maximum of ten ad networks that fit your audience and brand. This will give the networks the opportunity to learn about your requirements and understand your rules around brand image protection. You might test many more networks in the beginning, but eventually you will find your preferred partners. 9. Categorise your inventory and tailor the ad network mix by section
If you are a larger publisher, do you need to work with the same network mix and restrictions across all your inventory? Remember that you can be stricter on some placements and 'easier' on others. 10. Document your findings and share
Ask around about which networks might fit your brand image and seek advice from colleagues and peers in the industry, but also make sure you document your findings and at least share them within the company and ideally with the market. In summary, monetising with ad networks and exchanges can go hand in hand with full brand image protection, and for most premium publishers with their own direct sales team or significant premium business this is a key requirement. Most networks are already taking creative control very seriously and are able to deliver 100 per cent according to the restrictions. However, it is always good to know the rules of the game and be able to work according to them on a day-to-day basis. Learning from others and building on their experience is part of the process that must be undertaken to achieve the best overall monetisation possible both in the short and the long term. Joelle Frijters is CEO of Improve Digital.