Given the number of variables at play any time someone loads a webpage, it can be difficult to fully predict or explain fluctuations in RPMs.
There is no one-size-fits-all playbook that is optimal for every publisher when it comes to monetization. But through rigorous testing alongside our partners, we continuously try to identify best practices for improving the performance of your Taboola recommendations.
If you’re interested in discussing ways to boost your monetization efforts, contact your Taboola account manager for a private consultation.
Don’t Be Afraid to Evaluate Your Entire Page Layout
Making more money doesn’t always mean adding more units to your page. Sometimes less is more, and many publishers see their overall RPMs increase when they opt for a cleaner user experience with fewer, higher-impact ad units. Our latest product, Taboola Feed, is built for this new reality, as online users increasingly vote with their clicks for a more streamlined, scrolling interface like the ones they encounter across social media.
Give Mobile The Attention It Deserves
Mobile now accounts for the majority of traffic to publisher websites, and it brings with it many challenges - smaller screen sizes, limited bandwidth, shorter user attention spans. Data from Taboola’s network show that fewer than 15% of mobile visitors reach the end of an article, and those numbers dip even lower for users who arrive via Facebook.
To unlock more value from mobile audiences, consider adding features or modules higher up the page that can engage their attention before they click away. Activating “Read More” buttons often generates RPM boosts upwards of 50% for our publisher partners. You can also experiment with mid-article recommendations that take the form of a single sponsored post, offering premium visibility for brand advertisers who want to promote video or editorial content.
Tap Into Bigger Budgets By Adding Video Units
Online video is booming as brand advertisers seek out smarter ways to shift their TV budgets towards digital. Native video recommendations attract premium rates, earning 3-6x higher RPMs on average than display ads in the same placement. These units can be embedded alongside or below an article, though our data finds video is most effective when delivered through a scrolling experience like Taboola Feed, after the user has finished reading an article.
Segment Your Audience for a More Personalized Experience
The abundance of social media platforms and device types mean that not all users want to interact with your content in the same way. Some are there to read articles and tweet about them, while others may want to watch videos.
Not all traffic is created equal, and parsing the data on how users behave across your site can identify new monetization opportunities. For example, you might maintain a cleaner site experience for loyal homepage readers, while adding mid-article recommendations for fly-by visitors from social, who are typically less engaged and prone to click away.
Taboola’s predictive engine can also help you personalize towards individual user content preferences. As online video consumption continues to grow, many Taboola partners now use our technology to display more prominent player units for frequent video viewers.
Maintain a Broad Content Profile for Better Recommendations
As with any online advertising channel, publishers can set different content filters for their Taboola recommendations based on evolving business needs and editorial guidelines. While these filters don’t always affect monetization, keeping your content profile as wide as possible ensures that you’ll achieve an optimal RPM, as there is a higher probability of finding the right content item for the right user at the right moment. If you previously added a content filter (e.g. “finance category”), consider reactivating those sources, as publishers who maintain a broad content profile typically see RPMs that are 20% higher on average.
Improve CTRs By A/B Testing Different User Interfaces
Small design tweaks can have a big impact on user behavior. We encourage publishers to test everything from the page placement of their recommendations to the font size and type of its headlines to the image ratios and layouts of the thumbnails. Our product team is constantly testing new configurations as online user behavior evolves, and your account manager will keep you updated on our latest best practices. Though with so many diverse groups of users online, it’s also important for each publisher to draw from their own experience about what might resonate with their particular audience.