What are the minimum requirements to become a publisher partner? What criteria are used to evaluate prospective sites?
Generally we require that all publishers be a minimum of 100,000 uniques visitors and 500,000 pageviews a month. They will also need to have 2 IAB units at the top of the page and be willing to run reskin ads on the margins of their site. Sites must also have a strong male demographic, relevant content that is updated frequently, and a clean look and feel. Because finding the right partners is so important to us, we take the time to carefully evaluate all prospective publishers before bringing them on board.
What makes CraveOnline different from other networks?
Unlike traditional horizontal ad networks, or even vertical ad networks, we do not aggregate our sales efforts across thousands of properties. We focus on transparently selling our portfolio of properties to Fortune 500 advertisers. Our goal is to work with our publisher partners to create compelling programs for our clients by emphasizing beyond the banner sales opportunities, US and International sales offerings, a growing sales force and creative services team.
What types of advertisements will I be able to run with CraveOnline?
CraveOnline sells advertisements on a CPM (cost per thousand impressions) model to advertisers and agencies around the globe. The most common ad formats we sell are the 728x90, 300x250 and 160x600. Over the years we have expanded beyond these standard units to include pre-roll video, overlays, pushdowns, interstitials, reskins and much, much more. We strive to be a comprehensive solution, offering targeted branded campaigns but we also provide you with limited run-of-network (RON) and performance based advertising (CPA/CPC) ads for your site as well. Many of these solutions target domestic and international ad inventory. Of course we are also always looking to sell beyond the standard integrations. This would include custom sponsorship opportunities, newsletters, polls, events and more.
Does CraveOnline require exclusivity?
Yes. We will work with you to create exclusivity customized to your needs. Exclusivity can range from a handful of top tier advertisers, to categorical exclusivity, to a 100% exclusive solution. We will work with you to carve out the option that works best for you in the short and long-term. Because we are an extension of any direct sales efforts which you may currently employ, we require exclusivity to assure that if we are engaging an agency or client on your behalf, that we do so without hindering your efforts or disparaging our own in the marketplace.
Am I allowed to maintain relationships with networks? Or would I have to end these relationships once I become a Publisher?
You are encouraged to work with your Business Development contact to structure a partnership that best fits your site and CraveOnline. There are a number of blind network and direct relationships that you may be able to keep. Generally we prohibit publishers from working with networks or rep firms who require extensive branding of their property and/or traffic assignment via comScore as this greatly impedes our team’s ability to pitch and sell your site.
What kind of ad serving technology does CraveOnline use?
CraveOnline uses DART for Publishers (DFP). It is the most widely utilized ad server. Our ad server also interfaces with our customized web based Publisher Operation system that provides you with reporting, revenue information and the like. We require all publishers to serve our ad tags, as it allows for ease of campaign management especially for beyond the banner integrations. You will be able to provide us with default tags of your choosing.
Once I sign an agreement, how long is the “ramp-up” period? When will I see ads on my site?
The ramp-up period varies by size of site, available ad placements, rates/content offerings and the time of year in which the agreement is signed; however the standard duration of ramp up is anywhere between 60 to 90 days.
What are some of the main resources that are available to me once I become a Publisher?
There are several layers of transparency and customer support we aim to provide all Publishers. Firstly, you will have a dedicated Account Manager who will be on hand to assist you with any and every day-to-day questions you may have, troubleshooting, technical implementation or otherwise. Your Account Manager will assist you in implementing your ad tags and getting you set up in our DART for Publishers (DFP) system. Your Account Manager will also provide you with access to our web-based system built for all Publishers, called Publisher Operations (PubOps), this system will allow you to view revenues, pending campaigns, approved advertisers and more. Additionally, your Account Manager will work with you to create sponsorships, integrated opportunities and determine pricing for these opportunities. We strive to offer an array of information at your fingertips and services. In addition to the aforementioned day-to-day services, we manage the following in house: ad trafficking, design and sponsorship development, video, accounting and billing. The level of services provided is tied to the type of contract you enter into with the company.
How do I become a Publisher?
Please visit our Request More Info form. Please note that we do receive a high volume of publisher inquiries on a daily basis. Our team will be in touch if we are interested in pursuing a partnership; if you do not hear from us, we are likely not able to move forward in exploring a partnership following an evaluation of the site, but will keep your information on file for future reference should our business direction change