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Technology evolves faster than most of us can track, new gadgets and websites keep popping up. It is easy to realize then that we have more options than ever before to advertise and monetize our businesses. Why should anyone decide to use only one option? Obviously, the key is to use various platforms and touchpoints which can be utilized in unison to reach a higher level. We can warmly recommend Voluum, Asbridge, Thrive or TrackingDesk. They are all market leaders and a great choice in any circumstance (you’ll find more on these further below).

Discovering new platforms for advertising doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to abandon the old ones completely; a better solution is to utilize both. If you used to place ads in the newspapers and have realized that digital advertising is a better choice, the best approach would be to utilize both platforms since a portion of your target audience will be looking for you in the newspapers as well.

Let’s look at how this translates into the world of digital advertising and how to choose the right platform which is flexible enough to be used in unison with your existing platforms.

Bid substance

Choosing the right partner in business is crucial and the same goes for an ad network partner. However, utilizing multiple partners will give you certain leverage since you will be able to reach more buyers. Keep in mind that not all buyers are created equal, therefore more networks will expose you to more buyers which can lead to more sales.

Multiple ad networks will help you leverage their joint scale which will help you increase your bid density. We would recommend testing multiple networks to find out which suits you best.

Image Credit: Sovrn

Identifying potential strengths and weaknesses of your ad network partners will help you implement your strategy accordingly. Taking care of your price floors ensures that your revenue reaches its full potential. A number of your prospective partners should depend on your inventory and the size of your web site. Stretching your budget too thin across multiple networks can lead to failure so we recommend using tested partners initially, and SelfAdvertiser will ensure you get high-quality traffic.

The right partner

With SelfAdvertiser.com, a self-service platform for advertisers, you get a robust platform that has two billion ad impressions daily. Yes, daily! Targeting your audience with these numbers is more than easy, but combining this platform with others will work wonders for your upside. Being a self-service ad platform, SelfAdvertiser offers various benefits for users. A wide variety of ad formats are available (pop-up, pop-under, paid search ads, domain redirect/zero click).

Flexibility

The key to most ad networks is flexibility in usage. Besides the fact that using the SelfAdvertiser platform is very simple and straightforward (your first campaign can be completed, up and running in just minutes); the ability to export your data, tweak it and even embed it to other platforms represents a one-stop shop for all your needs.

All of the campaigns that you have set up using the platform can be downloaded into a CSV file which contains all the data. The file itself can then be further manipulated and these modifications once uploaded are automatically updated. Each row represents a campaign with its own ID, this will help you keep track of campaigns when switching between ad platforms and networks.

Integration mode

In order to integrate SelfAdvertiser as a platform in the tracking system of your choice, you can perform one of two actions. The first has to do with native integration available on sites, by choosing the “traffic source” on the dash of your chosen tracking system you will be able to add SelfAdvertiser as an ad source and you will be able to track the necessary elements.

The second option is more technical in nature but still doable by novices and experts alike. Initially, you will have to determine the (global) tracking link followed by valuable macros which will enable you to further enrich elements that you are tracking. Here is a list of the macros that you can use:

• @@SOURCE@@ – The source/ Site ID which presented your ad
• @@CAMPAIGN-KEYWORD@@ – The keyword matched by your campaign’s targeting
• @@KEYWORD@@- The keyword sent per impression in a RON campaign
• @@CLICK-ID@@ – For conversion tracking
• @@BID@@ – Sends the price paid for an impression
• @@GEO@@ – Sends country code/Geo
• @@CAMPAIGN_NAME@@ – Sends campaign name
• @@DEVICE@@ – Sends the device the impression came from (Desktop, Mobile, Tablet, or Other)
• @@OS@@ – Operating system the impression came from
• @@BROWSER@@ – Sends the browser name the impression came from
• @@CARRIER@@- Sends the mobile carrier the impression came from

To finish things off you should look to define the (global) install postback endpoint and parameter macros, this will allow you to track conversions using a postback url. In essence it is a pixel or pixel conversion which tracks user actions taken on the web site after following the ad. Here is how to get your postback working:

1. Add the @@CLICK-ID@@ token to your offer’s URL
   (http://example.com/lp2?subid1=@@SOURCE@@&subid2=@@CLICK-ID@@).
2. Choose the “Track conversions” button which is located in the Conversion Tracking section.
3. Enter the Default Conversion Value
4. Copy and implement the Postback URL
   (http://clkpback3.com/adServe/ssapixel?subid={click-id}&price={optional-value}) to the designated conversion page (for example, a “Thank you” page). You can use the price parameter to add a fixed or dynamic payout price (recommended), or alternatively, remove the price parameter from the Postback URL.
5. After implementing the pixel, press the “Test Pixel” button to perform a pixel test, and then create a conversion from the targeted GEO. If the test is successful, the result will be displayed in the designated section.
6. The results of the pixel test will be made available in the “Edit Campaign” page ~1 hour after the test is performed.

Our Recommendations

Now that you have the know-how, and now that you’re aware of the importance of choosing the right platforms, let’s take a closer look at some of the best ones out there:

Voluum

Image Credit: YouTube

Voluum is one of the youngest tracking platforms which rose to fame quite quickly, thanks to its implementation of new and advanced technologies. It handles large data quantities with ease, has a very low conversion discrepancy and allows LP hosting on your CDN. Voluum also claims to integrate with all affiliate networks, so check if the one or ones you chose to use are compatible with it.

Asbridge

Image Credit: YouTube

Both an ad tracking platform and a traffic distribution system, AdsBridge is everyone’s sweetheart thanks to the wide variety of features it offers. It comes with auto-optimization, multi-access and a landing page builder to help affiliates boost the performance of their campaigns.

Thrive

Image Credit: Thrive

Shoulder to shoulder with Voluum, Thrive is considered among the very best of trackers. A robust solution with plenty of features, it comes as both managed and self-hosted service. It was founded by iPyxel, which launched in 2012.

TrackingDesk

Image Credit: TrackingDesk

Even though primarily a platform for affiliate marketers and media buyers, TrackingDesk is a tool that can be used by virtually anyone, which is what made it such a popular option. Its standout features include the lack of manual setup, fallback, targeting rules, landing page rotations, and easily digestible analytics.

Conclusion

In the end it all comes down to an ad platform which can help you achieve your goals by following the budget that you have, the most bang for your buck. Don’t forget to split test and tweak the campaigns. If buying traffic and profiting was that easy everyone would have guaranteed money, make sure you stick with it.