Enough Already - Figure out the difference between performance and vertical ad networks
In the last couple of days, very smart reporters have written articles deploring the proliferation of ad networks in light of announcements from Forbes and ABC SOAPNet and others. The problem isn't the proliferation of ad networks, but rather the proliferation of web sites and the audience tendency to spend more than 60% of our time on smaller sites that address specific interests we have at that moment. Performance ad networks have existed since the mid-1990s to aggregate together unsold, remnant inventory from large sites into packages that delivered incredible reach for direct response advertisers. There are many of them and media buyers have to decide which combination of inventory and technology will meet their direct response needs.
Vertical ad networks are another entity entirely because they are composed of unique, high quality inventory that is cultivated, reviewed and enhanced through alliances with major media companies or very focused, savvy entrepreneurs. For the media buyer, this is an exact answer to the fragmentation and proliferation problem. Trusted editors are affiliating their brand with high quality content that attracts complimentary audiences that media buyers can access through trusted, long-term sales relationships. Determining which Vertical Ad Network to work with is easy - what audience do you want to reach? Which major sites reach that audience? Do they have extended reach with mid- and long-tail sites? Or do you know a specialist who has unique, high quality inventory reaching that audience?
All ad networks are an answer to the ever expanding growth in number of web sites. Vertical ad networks do the expensive work of finding the highest quality web sites focused on very specific audiences and then building a community that shares traffic, content and revenue in order to deliver that audience efficiently to premium advertisers. There will be "enough already" when new web sites stop emerging on the web. Until then - welcome the Vertical Ad Networks and insist that they live up to their value proposition of cultivating and binding unique, high quality content that attracts a common and valued audience.