The Top Paid Media Networks You Need to Know

Brands investing in paid ad networks are seeing huge returns

For every $1 a brand spends on Google Ads—the most popular paid media ad network—they get $8 in profit. And some networks take those results further by using the latest lead-gen technologies.

So in this blog, we’ll cover the top paid ad networks driving high conversions to businesses.

No matter how happy you are with your current ad network, other channels can mean new markets and more leads. These are the top ad networks this year:

Google

Google’s a behemoth company offering access to several paid media networks—all huge by themselves.

YouTube

With YouTube advertising, you can advertise video content before videos or in search results.

There are five types of YouTube ads:

Unskippable in-stream ads: Ads users must watch in full before viewing
Bumper in-stream ads: In-stream ads which are six seconds or less
1. TrueView ads: Ads users can skip if they want
Overlay ads: Ads appearing at the bottom of the screen during videos
Display ads: Ads appearing as part of the Google Display Network in the right-hand
Sponsored card ads: Small CTA pop-ups appearing within videos

Learn More: Beginner’s Guide to YouTube Ads: How to Start a Successful Campaign

Display Ad Network

The Google Display Network (GDN) is a network of websites that’ve registered to have Google Ads displayed on their websites. GDN lets you put your ads on more than two million websites, videos, and apps.

Discovery

Google Discovery Ads appear on YouTube, Google, and Gmail in a compelling, targeted format. Discovery Ads catch audiences when they are ready to discover something new.

Dive Deeper: What is Google Discover? 8 Ways to Optimize Your Content

Google Shopping

Google Shopping ads are product placements appearing in search results. When combined with a high-quality image, Shopping ads perform well.

Example of Google Ads

Performance Max

With Performance Max, advertisers can access all of their Google Ads inventory from one campaign.

Using Performance Max, you’ll find more converting customers across all of Google’s services, including YouTube, Gmail, Maps, Discover, Display, and Search.

Microsoft

Like Google, Microsoft runs ads across its different platforms.

Learn about Microsoft Advertising straight from platform expert Tess Milligan.

Bing

Bing is Microsoft’s search engine, built to compete against Google. While not as popular, Bing still has a user base worth marketing to.

Bing ads display in search results based on the keyword entered. Bing’s ads a similar to Google’s and use a PPC-based system too.

Example of a Bing Ad

Bing Shopping

Bing Shopping ads display products when prompted by a search term. Bing Shopping is similar to Google Shopping in both design and function.

Example of Bing Shopping Ads

Try It Yourself: Bing Shopping Ads Are Exploding in Popularity

LinkedIn is a business-focused social media platform. There are four different types of LinkedIn ads:

Sponsored content: Content appearing in the LinkedIn news feed
Sponsored messaging: Ad messages appearing as DMs in users’ inboxes
Lead-gen forms: Pre-filled forms appearing in ads
Text and dynamic ads: Targeted, text-based ads on different parts of the page—similar to the Google Display Ad Network in function

Criteo

Criteo is a paid media network offering retargeted display advertisements. Criteo’s AI tools display conversion-optimized ads across its commerce network.

Taboola

Taboola is an advertising firm offering content discovery ads across the web. You’ll see Taboola ads at the bottom of many news articles.

Outbrain

Like Taboola, Outbrain specializes in content discovery ads. Outbrain publishes ads at the bottom of articles, in social media feeds, and in search listings.

MNTN (Formerly Steelhouse)

MNTN is an ad firm focused on easy, affordable, and measurable TV ads.

MNTN ads include attribution, audience targeting, and retargeting features unheard of in TV advertising. MNTN also partnered with QuickFrame to help firms create effective ads at low rates.

Learn more about Connected TV (CTV) Ads

Snapchat

Snapchat’s a photo-based social media platform popular with people under 30. Advertisers use Snapchat to reach 75% of Gen Z and Millennials.

This paid media network offer ad formats including:

Single image/video
Product collection
Placement between Stories (Stories are Snapchat posts to the public)
Lenses/AR (Snapchatters use lenses and AR to beautify their Snaps)
Commercials up to three minutes long
Filters (overlays that users can place over their Snaps)

Snapchat Ads

TikTok (formerly musical.ly)

TikTok’s a mobile-based social app that’s exploded in popularity in the last few years. Advertisers love TikTok for its high user engagement, unmatched by any other platform.

TikTok ads come in five formats:

In-feed ads: Ads appearing between videos shown on the For You page
TopView: Ads shown at the top of the For You page
Brand takeovers: Full-screen ads appearing when opening the app
Branded hashtags: Sponsored hashtags promoting a brand, usually alongside a fun trend to build organic interest
Branded effects: Custom video filters designed by brands for users to add to videos

Learn More: TikTok Ads: The Ignite How-To Guide

Yahoo

While Yahoo is no longer the top search engine, it still has a healthy user base. Ad types offered by Yahoo include:

PPC search ads appearing based on keywords entered by users
Display ads appearing on sites within Yahoo’s ad network
Yahoo Mail ads appearing above user inboxes

The Trade Desk

Trade Desk offers its clients data-driven ad campaigns. Trade Desk clients can buy, optimize, and measure global campaigns from one place.

Amazon

Amazon offers marketers several platforms for intelligent advertising.

Amazon Search

CPC-based Amazon Search ads appear in searches based on keywords entered by Amazon users—like Google Ads.

Amazon Sponsored Products

Sponsored Products are CPC ads promoting single products on Amazon. Sponsored Products target keywords or products.

Amazon Demand-Side Platform (DSP)

Amazon DSP allows users to buy media from multiple sources automatically. DSP clients use Amazon’s insight to target shopping signals on and off Amazon.

Walmart

Walmart is a major American retailer with an ecommerce presence.

Walmart’s ad service lets brands reach Walmart customers directly, whether it’s in-store or online. Walmart also offers a DSP known for its high audience relevance.

Target Roundel

Target Roundel is a Target-owned media agency using empathy to build deeper connections with its prospects.

Roundel finds your ideal audience and connects your brand with people both on and off Target properties. For more meaningful outreach, Roundel creates a brand-positive message appealing to your target audience’s values.

Reedit

Reddit is a popular forum platform allowing users to create communities based on their interests—no matter how niche. Using Reddit Ads, marketers can reach highly-niche audiences directly.

Reddit ads appear in feed and function similarly to regular posts. Ads on Reddit engage users and create meaningful discussions.

Quora

Quora is a Q&A-based social media site with over 300 million monthly users.

Marketers use Quora to find smart, accomplished people. Quora users are 65% likelier to have a college degree and 54% likelier to report an annual household income over 100k.

Quora ads offer in-depth analytics and are only displayed on high-quality answers.

Pinterest is a visual discovery engine for anything from recipes to video games.

Pinterest ads are image-based, appearing in six different formats for best engagement. The ads platform is robust, offering:

Mobile support
Analytics
Automatic targeting
Interest targeting

Pinterest also offers advertisers a handpicked list of partners to help them succeed.

Yelp

Yelp is a business review platform allowing consumers to make informed decisions about brands. Many consumers use Yelp to find restaurants, plumbers, lawn care, and more.

As such, Yelp offers businesses ads to boost their exposure on the site. Yelp ads are PPC, customizable, and targeted. Yelp also gives brands an ads dashboard to track their results on.

Waze

Waze is a driver guidance app oriented around its users. Drivers report accidents and share their locations to create an anonymous community on the app.

Waze Ads help brands appear prominently on the map. Waze Ads increase local awareness and convert drivers into customers.

Hulu

Hulu is a prominent streaming service owned by Disney.

Advertisers use Hulu to reach audiences in their leisure time. Brands can target users based on interests, favorite genre, location, and more.

Put Paid Ad Networks to Work for Your Business

As you can see, paid media is a growing, complex industry driving massive success for brands. But you can quickly burn cash on paid ad campaigns if you don’t know what you’re doing.

So don’t wing your advertising. Instead, contact us today for paid ad marketing with a clear return on investment.