It’s easy to understand why websites who rely on ads would want to have an AdX account. AdX, (or the Google Ad Exchange, to give it its full name) has a well-earned reputation as being most profitable source of programmatic ads for websites.  The combination of CPM based ads, a larger pool of advertisers, the ability to control minimum prices and the option to use more ad units on page appeals to many.

Desirable though an AdX account is, actually obtaining one can often seem like a bit of a challenge. Unlike AdSense and other “small-publisher networks” there is no AdX signup form, so how exactly does a publisher get into this exclusive club?

Good news: There are two ways to get an AdX account

Method 1: Through a Google account manager

Full AdX accounts are by invite only at the discretion of Google account managers. If you have  an account manager, an account in good standing and a boat load of traffic you could simply ask.  They’ll assess your suitability, looking at areas such as your traffic levels, in-house resource for managing AdX and potentially put you forward for an account.

If you get an account through this channel you get maximum flexibility, as it is your account, but you will be managing it yourself (If you understand the difference between AdSense and AdX you’ll also understand that this isn’t particularly straight forward).

Method 2: Work with a Network Partner Manager

Network Partner Managers, like OKO, have special AdX accounts that are approved to work with partner inventory. Through these we can create sub-accounts for our partners and allow them to serve ads through those.

This approach opens the doors of AdX to publishers who wouldn’t meet the requirements for having a direct AdX account.  It also removes the learning requirement of having a direct AdX account as the partner’s AdX account is managed by the Network Partner Manager for them.

The main disadvantage is that the Network Partner Manager is paid for by the publisher. In OKO’s case we work on a simple revenue share basis, taking a small cut the revenue we generate through AdX. This works out well for everyone, as the revenue gains from a well managed account can easily out-perform the revenue share.

Click here to find out more about how OKO run AdX for a wide range or publishers, or cut to the chase and click here to sign-up or apply right away.

Mat Bennett

Mat has been supporting content creators on the web since 1996. As Co-founder of OKO Digital, Mat became the first person in the UK qualified to AdSense partner status and repeated this first with Google Certified Publishing Partner programme.