Types of Blog Advertising: Pros & Cons of Blog Ad Networks

To monetize your blog effectively, you should understand the different types of blog advertising and choose the appropriate methods that align with your content and audience. Today, there are many blog advertising options, so how do you know which one is best for you?

Keep reading to discover how blog advertising works and which options can help you grow your blog income.

Types of Blog Advertising

Before you start using blog advertising to earn revenue, it’s important to understand the different types of blog ads available. Here are the most common types of advertising you should know.

Direct Ads

Direct advertising is when you work one-on-one with businesses or brands that want to promote their product or services on your blog. You choose the ads and set the prices. Usually, this ad is displayed in the form of a banner, usually in headers, footers, or sidebars. Ad spending in the digital banner advertising market worldwide is forecasted to reach $185.44 billion in 2025.

Why direct ads can be a good choice for you:

• You keep 100% of the earnings: Direct brand partnerships allow you to retain the full amount. 
• You have control over brand fit: You pick who appears. Total brand alignment = more trust from readers, which in turn means higher performance.
• Better ad performance: When ads match your content and are placed smartly, they convert better. That’s a win for the brand and, sure, gives you leverage to raise your rates.
• Long-term income potential: Brands that love your audience will stick around. That’s a predictable monthly income.

Yes, there are cons…

• It takes much effort at the start. You may need to pitch brands, follow up, negotiate rates, and occasionally wait weeks for a response. If you’re just starting and have 1,000 monthly visitors, you may not be able to command high rates. But if your audience is niche and engaged, you still have a shot.

Affiliate Ads

The global affiliate marketing industry is valued at more than $17 billion. Affiliate marketing is like recommending your favorite products to your audience, but you get paid when they purchase through your link. When you promote a brand or service, and when someone clicks through your special affiliate link and buys something, you earn a commission. 

You can see this type of blog advertising through text links embedded in your content or product reviews (each product mentioned is linked to an affiliate partner).

Why are affiliate ads a popular choice for bloggers?

• It’s passive income: This ad still works while you sleep. Once you’ve set up your affiliate links in your blog posts, they continue to earn for you.
• You have so many options: You are free to choose products and services that align with your niche. There’s always something that fits with what your readers need and enjoy.
• Easy to scale: Once you have a few successful affiliate partnerships, you can add more easily. 

But there are a few things to consider:

• It takes time to build trust. If they don’t believe in your recommendations, they’re not going to make a purchase. It’s a long game, so be patient.
• Commissions can be unpredictable and aren’t always huge. One month, you might make a $100 commission; the next month, nothing at all. Affiliate commissions range from small to big, but they rarely match the earning potential of direct ads or product creation. It’s great for passive income, but it may not be enough on its own if you’re aiming for serious earnings.
• Your audience needs to be engaged. Affiliate marketing works best when your audience is actively reading, clicking, and trusting your advice. If your blog doesn’t have enough traffic or if readers aren’t regularly engaging with your content, affiliate links can easily fall flat.

If you want to try affiliate marketing, the WPX affiliate program offers generous payouts (up to $100 per sale) and high-converting hosting plans, especially if your audience includes bloggers or website owners.

Display Ads

Display ads are the banner-style ads you see all over the internet, usually at the top or side of a website, or sometimes even within the content itself. They’re visual and often come in the form of images or videos, and their goal is to grab users’ attention. 

These ads are generally provided by ad networks, and you get paid either when someone clicks on them (Cost Per Click, or CPC) or when they’re shown to users (Cost Per Thousand Impressions, or CPM).

Here are a few types of display ads you might come across:

• Banner Ads: These are the typical rectangular ads that you often see at the top of a page or in the sidebar.
• Interstitial Ads: These are full-screen ads that appear when you’re navigating from one page to another. 
• Video Ads: You’ve probably seen these pop up on websites or blogs with autoplay features.

Why display ads are a good choice:

• Easy to set up: Display ads are easy to implement, especially if you use an ad network. It doesn’t require much work on your part once it’s set up, and you can let the ads run in the background while you focus on creating content.
• They’re a form of passive income. Once you’ve set up the ad network, you can make money. Even with CPM ads, you earn even if readers don’t click.
• It’s scalable. When your blog grows, so do your display ad opportunities. More traffic to your blog means more ad impressions.

Why display ads might not be the right choice for you:

• More and more internet users are blocking ads with ad blocker extensions. It’s a pretty common issue with display ads, and it’s something to keep in mind.
• While you’re getting paid for those ads, let’s not forget that they might drive away readers if they’re too intrusive.
• You typically don’t have full control over what advertisers show on your site. You can’t choose the exact ads that appear on your site (except in some cases, like blocking certain categories). That means that your readers see ads that aren’t really aligned with your content. This can lead to mismatched ads, like a fitness ad on a blog about technology. If that bugs you, display ads might not be your favorite. 
• Revenue doesn’t match others. The revenue from these ads isn’t as strong as from other sources. Even with a stable monthly traffic count, advertising alone rarely generates substantial income. Once you scale your business and diversify into things like selling digital products and offering your own services, you may realize ads weren’t pulling their weight in comparison. 

Display ads are usually managed through ad networks. In the simplest terms, an ad network is a platform that connects advertisers with publishers. Advertisers need space to promote their products, and publishers (that’s you) need to make money from their content. The ad network brings both together.

Some of the most popular ad networks are Google AdSense, Media.net, and Mediavine, but there are tons of others out there. Each one has its revenue-sharing models. 

How to Use Ad Networks on Your Blog:

Let’s look at how you can generally use ad networks to start monetizing your blog:

• Choose the right ad network: In the section below, we will analyze the best ad network options for you.
• Sign up and get approved: Once you’ve chosen your network, the next step is signing up. Most networks will ask for details about your site’s content, traffic, and audience. Some might require a review process before they approve you.
• Place ads strategically: The ad network will give you ad codes to place on your blog. You’ll need to figure out where to put them. Commonly, ad networks suggest placing ads in high-traffic areas like the sidebar, header, or within blog posts. Make sure the ads don’t overwhelm your content.
• Monitor performance: Even though the network handles the ads for you, it’s still important to keep an eye on how they’re performing. Most networks offer detailed analytics.
• Optimize: Play around with ad placements, sizes, and types of ads. The more you experiment, the better you’ll understand what works best for your audience.

Native Ads

These ads match the look, feel, and function of the content around them. They’re seamlessly integrated into your blog without disrupting the user experience.  You’ve probably seen native ads before. They look like regular blog posts or articles, but they’re sponsored content. Here are a few types of native ads:

Why you should consider using native ads:

• Seamless integration: These blend in with your content and don’t interrupt the reading experience. This makes them less likely to annoy your readers or push them away.
• Higher engagement: Because native ads match the style of your blog, they’re often more engaging for readers. People might be more willing to click on a native ad because it feels like they’re reading something valuable
• Better user experience: Native ads keep your blog looking clean and professional. Since they look like part of your content, they don’t distract your audience. 

But native ads also come with their own cons:

• If you’re relying on native ads, especially sponsored posts, the revenue might not come in as quickly as with other methods like display ads. You have to work with advertisers to negotiate and create content, and that can take time. 
• The more sponsored content you have, the less fresh and organic your blog can feel. If you’re posting too many native ads, it could start to look like your blog is just a platform for ads. 
• Some readers can be wary of native ads, even if they’re clearly labeled. They might feel like they’re being sold to, even if the content is valuable. This could cause a bit of distrust if your audience is sensitive to promotional content.

EXPERT OPINION:

“Too many ads that try not to go over the reader’s head end up beneath his notice.”

– Leo Burnett – 

Top 5 Best Blog Ad Networks 

So, which ad networks are best for monetizing your blog? Below, we’ll cover some of the best blog ad networks in the market and why they may or may not be the right fit for your blog.

Google AdSense

Google AdSense is the popular choice for many bloggers and content creators when it comes to earning money online. Google AdSense allows you to monetize your content by displaying ads on your blog or website.

It works by placing relevant, high-quality ads that Google’s AI automatically selects based on your content or your audience. You get paid every time someone interacts with these ads. 

AdSense works with the largest network of online advertisers. You can easily manage which ads appear on your site through AdSense’s intuitive controls. If there’s a specific ad you’re not comfortable with, you can block it. 

To get started with AdSense, all you need is a Google account. Then, create an AdSense account, connect your content platform, and follow the simple steps to set up your ad preferences. 

When you start earning money from AdSense, you’ll generally receive about 68% of the ad revenue. The cool thing is that you don’t need to pay any upfront fees to join AdSense. You only start making money once the ads are live on your site. Plus, the more relevant your content is, the better Google’s AI gets at optimizing your ads for maximum revenue.

Source: Google AdSense

The Pros of Google AdSense:

• Simple Setup: You don’t need to be a tech expert or hire a developer to get it running.
• Automatic ad placement: You don’t have to select or manage ads manually. Google automatically places ads on your site based on the content. The ads are also optimized for maximum revenue.
• Reliable revenue share: Google AdSense offers a fair revenue split.
• Huge advertiser network: Google has the largest network of advertisers, so there’s always plenty of ads to choose from. 

The Cons of Google AdSense:

• Requires high traffic: The more visitors you have, the more you can potentially earn. If you have a small blog with low traffic, it might take a while to see substantial earnings. AdSense can be a bit slow to pay out unless you have consistent traffic flowing to your site. 
• Minimum payment threshold: To actually get paid through Google AdSense, you need to reach a $100 threshold before they’ll issue a payment.
• Policy compliance: You must follow AdSense’s strict guidelines. If you break any of their policies, your account can be suspended or even banned.

Mediavine

Mediavine is a full-service advertising partner. They provide the complete package for bloggers looking to monetize and grow.

Mediavine gives you detailed insights into your earnings, traffic, and performance. Plus, with Mediavine’s premium ad partners and cutting-edge technology, you can rest assured that your ads are optimized for the best possible revenue.

However, if you’re just starting and don’t have the traffic yet, you might want to focus on building your audience first before applying to Mediavine. They generally require a minimum of 50,000 sessions per month to get started. But hey, if you’re passionate about your blog and committed to growth, you’ll get there!

Source: Mediavine

Pros of Mediavine:

• High earnings potential: Mediavine delivers great earnings per thousand impressions (RPM). Bloggers report higher payouts than other ad networks, especially when they’re hitting traffic milestones.
  
• Premium ad partners: Mediavine works with some of the best brands and advertisers in the industry. This allows you to deliver high-quality, relevant ads to your audience, which, in turn, increases your chances of making more money from your blog.
• Ad viewability and safety: Mediavine ensures high viewability rates for your ads (80% for display, 90% for video) and that your blog is free from inappropriate or irrelevant ads.

Cons of Mediavine:

• Minimum traffic requirement: Mediavine requires a minimum of 50,000 sessions per month to apply. 
• Exclusive partnership: Mediavine requires that you work exclusively with them for ad management. If you’re currently working with another ad network or have partnerships with brands directly, you’ll need to make the switch. It’s a commitment, but in the long run, the support and revenue potential might make it worth it.

Raptive

Raptive (AdThrive) is a popular ad network that optimizes ad management for creators, publishers, and large enterprises. From custom ad categories to layouts that seamlessly fit with your content, everything makes your blog as profitable as possible. 

Their ad management tools are perfect for large publishing portfolios, with direct sales teams and exclusive partnerships that skyrocket RPMs. All Raptive creators receive 75% of the gross ad revenue.

To join Raptive, you must have Google Analytics installed with a minimum of 100,000 monthly page views, and the majority of your traffic should come from the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, or New Zealand. Besides, your site should feature original, high-quality content that attracts and engages readers – something advertisers would love to work with.

If you already have multiple sites, apply separately for each one. The good news, though, is that if you’re already part of the Raptive network, they may accept your other sites even with lower traffic, as long as you’re the owner and the other requirements are met.

Source: Raptive

Pros of Raptive:

• Guaranteed higher RPMs: Raptive promises better revenue per thousand impressions (RPM) than many other ad networks. They even have a promise: switch over to Raptive from your current ad network, and if your RPM doesn’t improve, they’ve got you covered.
• Raptive Community: Join a network of over 3,500 independent creators and publishers. The community is full of opportunities for sharing advice, strategies, and even partnerships.

Cons of Raptive:

• Strict eligibility requirements: Not everyone can jump on board with Raptive. They have specific requirements, like having at least 100,000 monthly pageviews and a majority of traffic from certain regions. 
• Revenue split: Raptive takes a 25% cut of the ad revenue, which is pretty standard across ad networks, but it’s something to keep in mind. You get 75%, which is great, but the 25% goes towards covering ad serving, technology, and team support. It’s a fair trade-off, but it’s still something to consider when comparing it to other networks.

Ezoic

One platform that stands out in this space is Ezoic, a powerful ad solution built for publishers of all sizes. Ezoic makes real-time optimizations to your ad layout, placement, and demand sources. Ezoic also opens doors to exclusive brand campaigns. With 59,000+ sites on board, it’s proven to scale with you. 

Ezoic offers a complete monetization suite that helps you make the most of your content, and you can try it completely free for 30 days. During this trial, you keep 100% of your ad revenue. Ezoic lets you choose from two pricing models after your 30-day free trial:

• Ad-Funded Plan: Ezoic keeps revenue from a single ad on the page to cover the platform’s cost. You keep the rest.
• 10% Revenue Share Plan: You keep 90% of the total revenue earned through the platform. If you connect your existing ad networks through mediation, you still keep 100% of that revenue.

Source: Ezoic

Pros of Ezoic:

• No pageview limit for new sign-ups: Ezoic has removed the 10,000-pageview limit that previously restricted new users from accessing its monetization features. 
• Comprehensive monetization features: Once approved, Ezoic allows users to access a variety of monetization options, including Ezoic Ads, Google AdExchange, and other premium networks.
• Supported content-rich sites: Ezoic works best with informational and content-rich sites. It helps users monetize well-structured, high-quality content that appeals to a broad audience.
• Comprehensive analytics: Ezoic offers strong analytics and reporting tools, giving you detailed insights into your ad performance. You can monitor everything from revenue to user engagement and bounce rates.
• Compliance with Google policies: Ezoic is a Google Certified Publishing Partner. For sites that are already compliant with Google’s policies, the platform offers an easy and reliable way to integrate with Google’s advertising products like AdSense.

Cons of Ezoic:

• Eligibility and content guidelines: For example, sites must avoid invalid clicks, adult content, and must have original, high-quality content. Additionally, websites must be written in an AdSense-supported language. Sites that don’t meet these criteria or fall into prohibited categories may not be eligible to join Ezoic or may face approval delays.
• Learning curve for beginners: The advanced analytics, AI-driven ad optimization, and site performance tools may require a steep learning curve for new users who are not familiar with ad networks or website monetization.
• Restrictions on corporate and e-commerce sites: Ezoic’s monetization features are primarily designed for informational and content-rich sites. While exceptions can be made for blogs attached to e-commerce sites, corporate or e-commerce sites that don’t meet the content requirements may not fully benefit from Ezoic’s monetization products. However, these sites can still utilize Ezoic’s Leap tools for performance optimization.

Media.net

Media.net stands out as an advanced programmatic advertising network. With a focus on performance, outcomes, and audience engagement, Media.net operates in a rapidly evolving digital landscape that includes both the open web and walled gardens like Google and Facebook.

For publishers, Media.net offers access to premium demand that is not available through other platforms. Media.net ensures that publishers can optimize their revenue streams with exclusive demand sources and industry-leading solutions across display, native, and video formats.

Source: Media.net

Pros of Media.net:

• Exclusive access to high-quality demand: Media.net offers access to exclusive search and performance-driven demand from premium partners like Yahoo! and Bing. 
• Contextual targeting technology: Media.net’s advanced contextual targeting technology ensures that ads are placed in brand-safe environments. It can analyze the context of individual web pages and deliver ads that are relevant and appropriate.
• Performance-driven revenue: Media.net helps publishers monetize through search and display ads effectively with a strong focus on performance-based advertising. 
• Comprehensive analytics: Media.net provides detailed analytics tools that allow publishers to track their ad performance, optimize their strategies, and make data-driven decisions.

Cons of Media.net:

• Strict approval process: Media.net has a more selective approval process/ Publishers must meet certain content and traffic requirements, and it may take time for them to see approval, especially if their website doesn’t fit within Media.net’s target audience.
• Strict content guidelines: Media.net enforces strict content guidelines, and websites that violate these guidelines may be penalized or banned from the network.
  

Conclusion

Today’s bloggers have many options when it comes to monetizing their content. The best blog advertising methods for you will depend on your niche, audience size, content type, and long-term goals. In most cases, using a mix of blog advertising strategies can help you build a steady income over time.