With the huge growth in the mobile app industry over the past few years, mobile app downloads are projected to rise by 45% with 258 Billion downloads this year.
In this growing market, the next big problem for an app publisher is to choose the right monetization platform for his apps. Hence, the question is Google AdMob vs Google Ad Exchange (AdMob vs AdX). It is one of the most common questions asked by publishers – which one is better and which to choose?
So, let us evaluate the two most popular monetization platforms and figure out the best that can scale your app business.
What is AdMob?
Google AdMob is a mobile ad network and monetization platform allowing app publishers and developers to connect with multiple ad networks through mediation & open bidding. AdMob allows app publishers to monetize their mobile apps by helping them serve ads globally and gain insights through its dashboard.
Google AdMob is an easy-to-access app monetization platform for app developers. However, maintaining, optimizing, and generating substantial revenue for their mobile apps through high-quality ads can be challenging.
Nonetheless, AdMob is known to maximize the value of every impression by offering global advertiser demand, multiple ad formats, and advanced app monetization technology.
How does AdMob work?
AdMob works in a way that matches ads to a publisher’s app based on the criteria a publisher defines.. App publishers need to create ad space in their app, so that they can display relevant ads according to the users’ interests.
AdMob works in three steps:
The first step you must take is to create ad space in your application. You can make your app’s ad space available to advertisers by creating ad units in AdMob. Adding ad units to your app code allows you to specify what type of ad format and where these ads should appear.
Secondly, AdMob works in a way to show app users the best-performing ads. To ensure the highest-performing ads are shown each time on the app, AdMob works with both its own network and third-party ad networks.
Lastly, you are paid! For the ads shown on the app, advertisers and networks are billed directly by AdMob. Once your payment has been received, publishers are notified.
What is AdX?
The Google Ad Exchange (AdX), formally known as DoubleClick Ad Exchange, is a real-time marketplace to buy and sell display advertising space. It is a platform for large publishers with significant direct sales which can support all: Web and mobile apps and video inventories.
Google AdX is used by publishers to sell their ad space directly to advertisers and agencies using real-time bidding technology, providing more efficient usage of ad spaces.
How does Google AdX work?
AdX allows publishers to sell their ad inventory using real-time bidding. It enables display ads and ad space across the web to be allocated more efficiently and easily through an open marketplace where prices are set in real-time auctions.
With AdX, you can see all the available ad space on your app and set up an auction for advertisers to bid for it.
Google AdX offers three types of auctions:
Open Auction
Bidding is open to all publishers and advertisers. Yet, to prevent competitors’ ads from appearing in the same ad spaces, publishers can set inventory controls.
Private Auction
Advertisers can bid for ad space on publisher apps in a private auction. Private auctions require an advertiser to exceed the publisher’s minimum effective cost per mille / thousand (eCPM). Advertisers pay per 1,000 impressions with an eCPM. Private auctions are more effective when publishers’ reputations and profiles are known – for instance, a branded app.
Preferred Deal
Advertisers can get a preferential deal before an open or private auction. Publishers with high conversion rates can offer preferential placement at a higher price. You can negotiate better deals with advertisers when using one of these Google AdX auctions. This also allows app publishers to connect with top brands and advertisers.
Is Google AdX the same as Google Ad Manager?
Google AdX is not the same as Google Ad Manager.
Google Ad Manager is an ad management platform enabling publishers to leverage multiple ad networks, including AdSense, Ad Exchange, and third-party networks. Google Ad Manager allows publishers to serve ads and track revenue with their ads.
As opposed to Google AdX, which is a programmatic exchange. Google AdX can be more of a marketplace to buy and sell digital ad inventories.
Google AdMob vs AdX: Key Differences
As we now have a basic understanding of both AdMob and AdX, let us jump to the key differences between them.
Google AdMob
Google AdMob is an advertising network for app publishers allowing app publishers to monetize their apps through Google demand and third-party networks.
Setting it up is very easy. You just Signup with a Gmail account, add your app, create ad units, integrate the GMA SDK, and insert the ad tag on your app’s code. From then on, AdMob will take care of everything, from serving ads to targeting, to payment to the publisher.
AdMob also offers Waterfall Mediation and Open bidding to maximize a publisher’s revenue. Although, the waterfall mediation may require manual operation to change the priority of the ad networks.
AdMob restricts publishers to target their ad spaces only based on geo locations.
Google Ad Exchange
Google Ad Exchange is an ad exchange network that offers real-time bidding on ad inventories to advertisers, ad networks, and exchanges. Hence, the publisher’s inventory is exposed to a larger pool of advertisers thus increasing competition.
Unlike any ad network, Google Ad Exchange (AdX) enables publishers to manage and monetize all inventory formats (like websites, mobile apps, videos, or games) further increasing competition, which results in increased revenue per ad unit sold.
Google AdX can provide granular reporting and control over targeting with metrics like device category, inventory type, geography, etc. Thus, giving deeper control to publishers.
Getting started with Google Ad Exchange?
Getting started with Google AdX is not very straightforward. For starters, here is what you need to qualify for an AdX account:
- 5 billion page views a month
- Appropriate brand safety measures
There could be even more checks related to ad viewability and safety concerns to qualify for AdX.
Also, the publisher either needs to get invited by Google or sign up through a third-party channel partner(like AppBroda). Working with such partners, a publisher can also take advantage of third-party demand partners offered by their partner.
Also Read: A Quick Guide on Google AdX & The Role of Google Ad Manager
Here is a quick view on the differences between AdMob, AdX & AppBroda AdX
Google AdMob | Google Ad Exchange | AppBroda AdX | |
Mobile App & Game Inventory |  | | |
Website Inventory |  | | |
Programmatic Real-time bidding | | | |
Dedicated Account Manager | | | |
Policy Compliance Support | | | |
Personalised recommendation on Monetization Strategy | | | |
Managed Ad Operation | | | |
Get access to AppBroda’s Google AdX
To get started with AppBroda’s AdX, all you have to do is sign up on our platform. Our experts will then get in touch with you to set up your Google AdManager account and seamlessly integrate it with our AdX Console.
Here is a view of AppBroda’s Adx Dashboard
To avoid any interruption during monetization, our experts quality check each application to make sure it complies with Google’s policy and suggest in-app ad placements to further boost the ad revenue.
Our publishers get access to a dedicated Account Manager. They help you manage the Account Operations and recommend proven monetization strategies based on app category and performance. Moreover, we connect you to over 25+ demand partners like Inmobi, Pubmatic, and Smaato so you have access to an even wider pool of demand.
What are you waiting for?
