Online Ad Networks Under Stress Test

Tuesday, October 28, 2008, 16:03

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If you’re working with a minor ad network, now might be a good time to find an alternative, or at least call the company up and see how things are going. The Wall Street Journal is documenting some economy-related problems in the industry, and more than a few businesses have been shuttered due to them.

Emily Steel lists JellyCloud and Adzilla as casualties. AdBrite is still kicking, but has performed large layoffs. Steel writes, “[A]s the climate has soured, network executives say many ad deals in the pipeline have been reduced or pulled. Tight wallets have forced ad agencies to get tough, even canceling ad deals to get a better rate.”

Experts disagree about how much worse the economy will get, of course, and you can probably still find a few who believe we’ve already hit bottom. Yet if things continue to go downhill, advertisers will do well to be very careful; failing ad networks aren’t likely to be good with money.

Want to go big? comScore lists AOL’s Platform-A as the ad network that received the most unique visitors in September. The Yahoo Network was next, with the Google Ad Network, Specific Media, and ValueClick Networks following.

Seek deals or play it safe as you see fit, just consider this a heads up.