What Is an Advertising Network?
An Advertising Network is a platform that connects advertisers with multiple websites or apps that want to host ads. It aggregates unsold ad space (also called inventory) from publishers and sells it to advertisers in bulk.
Ad networks make it easier for advertisers to run campaigns across many sites at once without negotiating with each site individually. This setup is commonly used in Run of Network (RON) campaigns, where ads appear across various sites within the network.
Some well-known ad networks include Google Display Network, Media.net, and Yahoo! Ad Tech.
Ad networks are a key part of the programmatic advertising ecosystem and often work alongside DSPs (Demand-Side Platforms) for real-time bidding and ad placement.
Related terms: RON (Run of Network), Display Ads, Programmatic Advertising, DSP (Demand-Side Platform)