Understanding the key differences between the top video game ad networks and exchanges
The two distinct platforms allow publishers to monetize their game content and enable advertisers to reach their desired target audience.
We know that in-game ads can benefit publishers, developers, and advertisers. Both ad networks and exchanges are a useful part of programmatic advertising and can help grow your game or brand.
But what’s the difference between an exchange and a network?
A video ad network is a company that connects publishers and advertisers. Google would be an example of an ad network because it connects both supply and demand. Those platforms collect inventory from publishers and sell it to advertisers.
An exchange is a platform that allows publishers and advertisers to buy and sell ad inventory from multiple networks. It is not an intermediary.
Both ad networks and exchanges facilitate the media buying process, but “ad networks are like stockbrokers in the stock market that help you buy the right stocks according to your requirement. An ad exchange is like the stock exchange itself, allowing you to buy or sell stock in an open market.”
Here are a few of the most popular networks and exchanges available for both publishers and advertisers. This is the fourth article in our series on why video game advertising is a huge opportunity for brands in 2023.
Google
Some of the most popular in-game ads are those advertising other games. If you have a game that you’re looking to promote, a Universal App Campaign (UAC) is a great way to do it. Google’s UACs are an easy and popular solution for brands and game developers alike. Google claims that their UACs achieve about 140% more conversions than other campaign types.
When creating a UAC, advertisers need to provide videos in both portrait and landscape, budget, target, location, and languages. Google’s AI will do the rest and create and test different ads and placements.
Google AdMob works with millions of advertisers who pay for space on mobile games. Ad variations include:
Rewarded
Native
Banners (standard, adaptive and smart)
Interstitials
You can read more about working with Google AdMob to create a campaign here.
Creative specs
Most of the creative specs will be the same as a normal Google Ad campaign, but sizes and types can be found here.
Microsoft
Last year Microsoft announced they were acquiring Activision Blizzard, a leader in game development and interactive entertainment content publisher. In the announcement released in January, Microsoft stated that the “acquisition will accelerate the growth in Microsoft’s gaming business across mobile, PC, console and cloud and will provide building blocks for the metaverse.”
If the deal goes through, Microsoft will acquire Activision for 68.7 billion (including net cash). This makes Microsoft the world’s third-largest gaming company by revenue, behind Tencent and Sony. The acquisition includes iconic franchises from the Activision, Blizzard and King studios like “Warcraft,” “Diablo,” “Overwatch,” “Call of Duty” and “Candy Crush,” in addition to global eSports activities through Major League Gaming. Understandably, Sony is actively trying to stop the acquisition.
This year Microsoft told Business Insider that they were starting to identify ad tech companies who can create in-game inventory for free-to-play games on Xbox, as well as ad agencies that could help place the ads.
Xbox currently allows limited forms of advertising. Right now, advertisers can buy ads on the Xbox dashboard, and they can buy in-game ads on certain games, through third parties Yahoo and Anzu.
The ads would appear as billboards, attire for avatars, stores, apparel, and more. According to Insider Intelligence, a Reddit thread on the popular forum r/Games with over 3,500 upvotes was full of negative responses to the news. “Billboard ads in-game is one thing, but having ads interrupt in the middle of the game would drive me insane,” said one commenter. Popular gaming news site Kotaku’s coverage of the news begins, “Raise your hand if you’re excited to see more ads inside your favorite video games? I don’t see any hands. Well, bad news.”