High-Paying Ad Networks for Bloggers: 11 Excellent Google AdSense Alternatives

Earning money from your blog or website through advertising can be a great way to monetize your content. While Google AdSense is the most popular ad network, it comes with some drawbacks like relatively lower earnings potential and limited customization options.

The good news is that there are several high-paying ad networks out there that can help you maximize your ad revenue. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the top 11 Google AdSense alternatives and high-paying ad networks for publishers and bloggers.

Overview of Top 11 Ad Networks

Here is a quick overview of the high-paying ad networks we will cover:

Ezoic – Uses AI to optimize ad placements and settings to boost earnings. Offers premium ad demand sources.
Mediavine – High-paying ad network with eligibility requirements. Works with top advertisers in many verticals.
AdThrive – Focuses on premium native ads. Higher rates compared to display ads. Owned by Maven.
Monumetric – Ad network focused on high-quality sites with good traffic. Higher earnings than AdSense.
Media.net – Global ad network with major demand partners. Contextual ads match site content.
BuySellAds – Self-serve marketplace to sell ad placements directly to advertisers.
Adsense – Google‘s ad network. Easy to implement but lower earnings potential.
Adzilla – Pop under ads network focused on monetizing traffic. High CPM rates.
Outbrain – Content discovery and native advertising platform used by top publishers.
QuiverStudio – New Zealand based niche ad network with good fill rates and high CPM.
Adsterra – Large ad network with pop under and display ads. $10 minimum payout.

Now let‘s take a closer look at each of these high-paying ad networks, their key features, eligibility requirements, pros and cons, and more.

Ezoic

Ezoic is one of the most popular alternatives to AdSense for publishers looking to earn more from their website traffic. It uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to optimize your ad placements, layouts, and other settings for higher revenue.

Some key features and benefits of Ezoic include:

Test different ad strategies and get data-driven recommendations on what performs best.
Access premium ad demand through Google AdX, Open Bidding, header bidding, and more.
Ad layouts are adapted to different screen sizes and devices.
Integrates directly with your ad server to serve ads dynamically.
Detailed analytics on revenue, RPM, pageviews, impressions and more.
Dedicated support team provides optimization guidance.

The minimum requirement to join Ezoic is 10,000 monthly pageviews. However, publishers can earn significantly more with 50,000+ pageviews per month. Ezoic charges a revenue share which averages around 17% of the total ad earnings.

Overall, Ezoic is a great choice for established publishers looking to take their earnings to the next level through advanced ad optimization and premium demand sources.

Mediavine

Mediavine is an invite-only ad management company and ad network. It serves high-paying ads from top-tier advertisers and provides hands-on optimization and support.

To be eligible for Mediavine, publishers need:

50,000 sessions per month
Original content
Engaging content
No policy violations with ad platforms

Mediavine has high standards and thoroughly vets sites before approval. They focus on lifestyle niches such as food, fashion, travel, finance, and more. Their ad specialists work closely with publishers to create customized ad layouts and maximize earnings.

The ad platform and dashboard provide detailed analytics and popular features such as header bidding, native ads, and more. Mediavine keeps 15% of total ad revenue. Overall, it offers much higher revenue potential compared to other display ad networks.

AdThrive

AdThrive is one of the leading native advertising networks with a focus on premium publishers. They are owned by media giant Maven and work with well-known publishers like History.com, Biography.com, and Investopedia.

Some key highlights of AdThrive:

Specializes in higher-paying native ads over traditional display ads.
Custom native ad units blend seamlessly into content.
Support for pre-roll videos, content recommendations, and more.
Dedicated ad operations team provides hands-on guidance.

To be eligible for AdThrive, sites need at least 300,000 monthly pageviews. The application process involves sharing site details and a review of content quality and audience. AdThrive provides an 85/15 revenue share in favor of the publisher.

For publishers looking to implement native advertising, AdThrive is a great high-paying network partner to consider. Their customized native ad experiences can generate higher RPMs compared to traditional display ads.

Monumetric

Monumetric is a premium ad network focused on high-quality websites that have at least 300,000 pageviews per month. They connect sites to top-tier advertisers and demand partners across native, display, video and more.

Some benefits of Monumetric include:

Higher eCPMs than Google AdSense and other networks.
Custom website analytics dashboard provides insights.
Ad specialists provide optimization recommendations.
Support for header bidding to increase yield.
Monthly payments with $100 minimum threshold.

Monumetric thoroughly vets sites before approval and prioritizes user experience. Publishers earn on average 70% revenue share after fees and tech costs. Overall, Monumetric offers much higher earning potential for established publishers compared to joining an open ad network.

Media.net

Media.net is a global ad network owned by a conglomerate of Chinese tech companies. It serves over 3 billion ad requests daily through its partnerships with Yahoo, Bing and other major ad platforms.

Some key aspects of Media.net for publishers:

Access to premium demand through major ad exchanges.
Contextual ads match site content and user interests.
Support for a wide range of ad formats including native ads.
Detailed performance reports in their dashboard.
Average CPM rates are higher than other networks.
$100 minimum payout threshold.

Media.net offers a 100% revenue share model by default. Their focus on contextual ads helps increase relevance, clicks and conversions. Overall, Media.net is a robust network for monetizing traffic efficiently.

BuySellAds

BuySellAds is a self-serve advertising platform focused on high-quality blogs and websites. It provides an ad marketplace where you can directly sell placements to advertisers looking to buy.

Some benefits of BuySellAds include:

Sell ad placements directly to advertisers. You control pricing and placement.
No middlemen. You earn what the advertiser pays you.
Access to demand from over 45,000 active advertisers.
Ads can be customized for size, location, devices, geo-targeting.
Support team vets all ads before they are displayed.

BuySellAds charges publishers a 25% transaction fee. You don‘t pay anything until an ad deal closes successfully. Minimum payout is $20 for publishers by PayPal or check.

BuySellAds is a great platform to sell directly to advertisers looking for high-quality ad placements. The ability to customize deals offers more control compared to open ad networks.

AdSense

Google AdSense is the largest display advertising network. Though earnings potential is lower, it‘s easy to implement and quality is high.

Here are some key aspects of Google AdSense:

Recognized as most beginner friendly ad network.
Wide range of ad formats – display, native, video etc.
AdSense auto-targets ads using site content and user data.
In-depth reporting on impressions, clicks and earnings.
Payments through bank transfer, Payoneer or check.
Approval is quicker compared to other ad networks.

Most publishers start off by monetizing sites with AdSense. While exact earnings depend on niche, traffic volume and other factors, the RPM is generally lower compared to native ad networks focused on premium publishers. Overall, AdSense is a good starting point, but revenue can be scaled further by trying other networks.

AdZilla

AdZilla is an advertising network focused primarily on monetizing website traffic through pop-under ads. Their high paying CPM ad campaigns can help publishers maximize revenue from visitors.

Some key aspects of AdZilla:

Specializes in high CPM pop-under ads and banner ads.
Zero ad blocking. Pops bypass ad blockers.
Ad campaigns target worldwide audiences.
$100 minimum payout threshold.
Detailed statistics on impressions, clicks and conversions.

The pop-under ads open in new browser tabs when visitors click to leave your site. While some visitors may find these annoying, they don‘t disrupt site experience. AdZilla claims pop-under ads boost publisher earnings significantly. They offer up to 100% revenue share for publishers.

Overall, AdZilla can be a good choice if you have very high website traffic and don‘t mind utilizing aggressive pop-under ads to monetize visitors. Just ensure pop-under frequency is reasonable.

Outbrain

Outbrain is a large content discovery and native advertising platform used by many top media publications and brands.

Some benefits of Outbrain for publishers:

Access premium native ad demand from leading brands.
Content recommendation widgets engage users.
Detailed performance analytics and insights.
Dedicated support managers for large publishers.
Minimum payout of $100.

Outbrain is very selective about publisher approval. To be eligible, you need very high traffic volume and quality content. Outbrain utilizes revenue sharing, keeping 30% to 50% of ad earnings.

For very high-traffic websites and blogs generating millions of monthly views, Outbrain can be a powerful native advertising platform to consider.

QuiverStudio

QuiverStudio is a niche ad network focused primarily on New Zealand based publishers. But they also work with international publishers with English speaking traffic.

Some benefits of QuiverStudio include:

Higher fill rates resulting in more ad impressions.
CPM rates of $1 to $8 depending on geo-targeting.
No traffic or page view requirements to join.
Weekly and monthly payment options.
Dedicated account manager.

QuiverStudio combines direct campaigns along with programmatic demand partners. Their team vets ad placements to ensure quality fit. Publishers get a transparent 80% revenue share.

For small to medium publishers, QuiverStudio is worth exploring if you prefer a niche ad network with good fill rates and responsive account management.

Adsterra

Adsterra is a large advertising network that works with over 30,000 publishers to monetize website traffic.

Some highlights of Adsterra:

Full-screen interstitials, pop-unders, banner ads.
Geo-targeted ad campaigns with strong performance.
$10 minimum payment threshold.
Weekly payments via PayPal, WebMoney, wire etc.
Dedicated account manager.

To join the Adsterra network, publishers need at least 10,000 daily ad impressions. Adsterra offers up to 100% revenue share for publishers and has high fill rates across different ad formats.

With the low payment threshold, Adsterra can be a good option for small and medium publishers looking to monetize international traffic. Just be cautious about aggressive ads impacting user experience.

Choosing the Right Ad Network for Your Website

When evaluating which ad network to join, here are some key factors to consider:

Traffic Volume – Each network has minimum requirements for monthly pageviews, impressions or visitors. Make sure your site meets the threshold.

Ad Formats – Some networks focus on display, native or pop ads. Choose what enhances user experience.

Revenue Share – Compare the revenue share split offered. 60-80% for the publisher is common.

Payment Terms – What‘s the minimum payout amount? How often are payments made?

Reporting – Robust analytics to optimize performance are essential.

Website Niche – Does the network cater to your niche? Niche networks can perform better.

Site Speed – Test ad network impacts site speed. Too many heavy ads can hurt performance.

Support – Good support is invaluable especially when starting out.

By considering these aspects, you can determine which high-paying ad network is the best fit to help you maximize your ad revenue.

Tips to Increase Ad Earnings

Here are some additional tips to boost earnings from ads:

Focus on high-quality content – Earning potential increases for sites with engaging, useful content that attracts target audiences.
Increase website traffic – More ad impressions ultimately result in higher revenue. Promote content and acquire targeted visitors.
Optimize page speed – Faster loading pages improve user experience leading to more clicks. Load ads asynchronously.
Monitor ad placements – Regularly check ad positions. Sidebars, content footers and in-feed perform well.
Analyze reports – Use performance data to identify opportunities and fine-tune your approach.
Limit ad frequency – Too many ads appearing on a page hurts experience. Find the optimal balance.
Try different ad sizes – Larger ads tend to earn more per impression compared to small units.

Conclusion

Setting up ads on your website through high-paying ad networks is a great way to earn from your content without requiring major time investment.

The ad networks mentioned in this guide cater to publishers across different niches and traffic levels. As you grow your audience and content library, you can progress through networks that offer higher revenue potential.

Always focus on optimizing user experience and page speed while experimenting to find the right mix and placement of ads.

With the strategies outlined in this guide, you can tap into the power of display advertising to take your blogging income to the next level.