Google quietly allowed new users to apply for there ad serving platform today. This is probably the first Google product since analytics that I am really really excited about.
So what is it? Basically Google Ad Manager is a hosted solution similar to OpenX (formally known as OpenAds… and even more formally known as PhpAdsNew). I guess that is the easy way to say it. The bottom line is that they are going to destroy OpenX and everyone like it with this product. I really like the OpenX guys. They were guests on my radio show not to long ago. I would have much rather seen Google aquire them but… I guess that did not make business sense.
Anyway so what this will do is give you a easy to use platform to sell your ads on your website. I have said in many many many posts, panels, and speaking at conferences that Adsense is one of the worst ways to monetize your blog and direct ad sales was the best way. The only issue with doing ad sales yourself is you need a person to handle it (if you dont have time) and also you need to maintain the ad server.
What are the other features of Google Ad Manager? Well the first things that come to mind is the analytical data on your site. You will be able to give advertisers data that Google can provide. Demographics/geotargeting/ctr and all kinds of things. Also having a easy place where users can “self serve” is a massive benefit.
I think the benefits are pretty obvious but you can read about all of them here on the features page.
So what are the negatives? Well the only one I can really think of is privacy issues that come with it.
So if its free what does Google get out of it? Well for 1 you can use Adsense to backfill your inventory. I think the biggest feature is just getting more users into the Google system.
So you better go and sign up for admanager now. I suspect these invites will be hotter then gmail and ypn (if you remember those selling on eBay) to the right people.
From there FAQ:
- What ad management problems is Google Ad Manager designed to solve?
Many publishers with direct ad sales experience the following problems:
- Confusing, slow, and complicated workflows
- Inflexible site tagging
- Uncertainty about which ad source to deliver to optimize yield
- Unreliable inventory forecasting
- High ad-serving costs
In response to these challenges, we designed Google Ad Manager to offer you:
- A clear user interface: Increase your staff’s efficiency and productivity.
- Simplified tagging: Tag your site only once.
- Yield optimization: Automatically maximize your CPMs.
- Reliable inventory forecasting: Always know what inventory is available to sell.
- Higher ROI: Save costs, because Ad Manager is free.
- Is Google Ad Manager right for me?
Please consider Ad Manager for your business if you:
- Operate a website with reserved and network ad inventory.
- Sell your ad inventory directly to advertisers (or plan to sell directly to advertisers in the future).
- Want to improve the efficiency of the sales process and feel confident in your forecasting.
- Need a consistent way to deliver ads that make you the most money.
- Find that some of your inventory always remains unsold because you couldn’t accurately forecast availability.
- Is Google Ad Manager really free?
Yes. There are no sign-up, ad serving, feature, or support costs for Google Ad Manager.
- Does Ad Manager require exclusivity?
No. Ad Manager doesn’t require exclusivity. You’re free to use other ad management
and ad serving products along with Google Ad Manager or switch to another provider at any time. - Will I be restricted to AdSense as my ad network?
No. You can use any ad network you like. With Google Ad Manager, you can optionally enable AdSense to deliver the best-paying ad source for each impression.
About the author...
Jeremy Schoemaker – who has written 2414 posts on ShoeMoney.com.
Hi I am Jeremy Schoemaker and ShoeMoney.com is my blog. 99% of the post here are done by me but you will see others occasionally make guest posts. This blog is fun to write but for my day job I run several online companies.
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{ 59 comments… read them below or add one }
I will definitely be keeping my eye on this… While i love when google moves into more markets i hate it for those already in it unless they buy them up because G is such a force and innovative they usually blow the rest out.
Thanks im going to give this beta ad manager a try ~Nick~
I’ve used PhpAdsNew (OpenX) for years and have been thinking about a solution to fill non used space with adwords. Requesting invite.
Signed up for the beta and awaiting my invite … as they say innnovate or die
I’ll stick with openx. Call me paranoid but google knows enough about my sites already, I don’t want to give them all my ad data now.
I agree with you Chad, still going to sign up with Google nevertheless.
Does it come with a demo?
This is a pretty huge deal. I’ve requested an invite and we’ll see what happens.
I was curious how this will work with Doubleclick (which they now own). Doesn’t it technically compete? Companies pay $millions a month for Doubleclick to serve impressions…I wonder how it compares functionality-wise.
I read earlier today that this is a solution for small-mid sized publishers, and DCLK is for high-end…but I wonder why/what the differences are.
I am SO appl’d
This rocks, I server 5 + million impressions a month, I am sure they should let me in. 
THANKS SHOEMONEY!
Very cool. And a little frightening
Wow sounds awesome. I am already on the sign up page.
Is openx good too? Worth signing up? I am confused
Can you tell me benefits of OpenX and and your experience?
How can it be frightening?
I think I’ll be hanging out with OpenX for awhile longer until this one gets out of Beta like Gmail.
Wow – this is incredible news! I was using a Wordpress plugin to manage ads for awhile and pulled it, so this is perfect timing! I wonder how it handles payments?
I’m not sure about having google manage all of a site’s adverts. Don’t people start selling ads on their own to get away from adsense once they have enough traffic to start making decent money?
You’re basically giving them your financial statements (entire ad revenue picture, and the rest isn’t too hard to figure out from there). You’re also giving them detailed data on all your private advertisers – and some of them may be Google competitors. Don’t get me wrong, the interface looks awesome and I think it’s probably a good move for them … but if I’m Microsoft I’m gonna start screaming anti-trust and go for breaking Google up into separate business units.
This is another great product coming from Google…I’ll definitely keep my eye on this to use in the future. Thanks!
The great products just keep coming, its still too much for one company at the end of the day. But for now I guess we all got to embrace it.
Yes, it would be great to see a comparison of OpenX and Google’s services…a breakdown so we can see which is better for certain situations.
NJ WebGuy – you’ll still make the same money with this – Google doesn’t take a cut. Just saves time and hassle really… Though having so many Google services does scare me a tad.
so you still need people to want to advertise on your site. I guess this is only useful if your site is popular enough to get ad buyers.
Let’s say I’m cautiously optimistic :>)
I wonder if the snippet of code used to place the ads makes the link nofollow?
Keep it coming Google!!
They are combining analytics, adserving, and a media network for free. If this works, they just killed the analytics and adserving industry. The only way to compete is by offering better service, privacy, or offer an alternative self hosted version of the adserver so Google will not have your site and advertiser data.
Signing up now, I’ve never used OpenX so I guess I’ll try Google AdManager out.
I just realized that the Rubicon project is also screwed.
This is both exciting and scary at the same time. I think Google will provide a great service here once the system is up and running, but Google is really looking to take over the world!
Neat! I signed up for an invite! I hope I get one.
This is great I just signed up for an invite too.
So, basically this is Google’s way to sell linking ads or I missed something?
please
This rocks. I was just about to start using OpenX on my blog, but I think I’ll use this instead. Free geo targeting for ads instead of subscribing to the MaxMind database – it makes more sense to use Google’s solution
I signed up also. I used one of my sites that is top for its niche, but it doesn’t get that much traffic. I get about 4500 unique visitors a month (I know, not much) but all my Adsense ads get a 3.85% CTR because of the targeted audience. Maybe that will help Google choose my site!
I like the openads platform fine, more importantly though I don’t want to give over everything to google. I mean what fun is the internet going to be when GooMart runs all of the mom and pop stores out of the neighborhood? at some point being everything for everyone seems uninteresting to me
I wonder, can user join google ad manager whome has banned from google adsense? Is there a relation with these?
I look forward to checking it out.
It was nice meeting you at SXSW btw!
I’ll have to check into this further, but I just installed oioPublisher on my blog and it’s pretty robust. I’m not to sure either about giveing Google more of my data, they already have enough.
I’ll have to find out more about it and how it works. It’s all pretty new to me so far.
i am excited about this as well… you have done a good review here
Umm, they do have free geotargeting built-in? You can subscribe to more advanced databases from Maxmind, but a free country one is included and a free city one is available
Interesting. I’m in for an invite.
That’s awesome!! I’m going to check it out right now. Thanks for letting us all know about it, probably wouldn’t have heard of it for another month or so.
It makes much more sense to serve the ads yourself. I don’t trust Google and their spyware and why give them some of your hard earned money?
yeah, and now I have like 150 gmail invites I will NEVER use. I guess the lesson is that if I don’t get chosen I should just be patient, because soon this will be in everyone’s metaphorical pocket!
This is exactly the reason why I will be slowly migrating to a more self sustaining system of monetizing. Keeping the grips og Google from my sites will be a definite benefit.
It’s a great idea, but IMO we’re all sick and tired of Google. They know too much and allowing them to know more will be even worse for the internet marketing sector. They have monopolized pretty much everything now outside of operating systems. Let’s innovate more, none of their services really impress me graphically, performance, or support wise. Anyone who uses Adwords will know what I’m talking about.
I won’t use this, for what reason? I’m tired with Google, they are simply too strong in the online business.
I might use this for my static content sites but for my blog I use OIO publisher. It’s all you really need.
+1
I have just applied for Ad Manager… only recently started monetising my site. looks good and promising so far
maybe this is good enaf reason for you to partner with them. kinda like piggy backing dont you think?
Thanks – checking this out now.
I am so excited to really get this product into my clients hands… I have been waiting for this for quite some time now
Definitely signing up, just too at least check it out. I do like playing with new platforms, looking forward to it.
That is one of the most remarkable discussions I have followed in recent months. Nice.
I got what I was searching for last 4 months, Actually i visited shoemoney’s blog and seen the source code and found the google ads in customized format and started researching how he did it and found the solution today i.e admanager… wow thanks….
Now I will create a good blog because I am professional in writing good articles…