If you’re using Google Ad Manager (GAM) to monetize your site or app, optimizing your demand sources is one of the most important steps to improve revenue. It’s not just about adding more buyers—it’s about managing them the right way and making smart use of the tools Google provides. Here's a practical breakdown of how to get the most out of your demand strategy in Ad Manager.
Start by Identifying Demand Sources
The first step is to map out where your ad revenue is coming from. Most publishers have a mix of:
- Direct deals with advertisers or agencies
- Programmatic demand through exchanges and header bidding partners
- AdSense or Ad Exchange (AdX) for fill and long-tail monetization
Once you've listed out your demand sources, review their historical performance. Look at metrics like CPMs, fill rate, viewability, and match rate. This helps you understand who’s delivering value and where you might have room to grow.
Set Up Priorities and Rules
In Google Ad Manager, different types of demand compete based on priority levels. Direct-sold campaigns usually have the highest priority, while AdX and network line items compete lower in the stack.
Here’s where you can apply strategy:
- Set floor prices for lower-priority demand to protect your average CPM
- Use dynamic allocation to let AdX compete with remnant inventory for better pricing
- Test price priority or preferred deals for programmatic buyers willing to pay more for specific impressions
You can also use key-values and audience targeting to route demand based on user segments or page context. This is helpful for optimizing at the GEO level if certain buyers perform better in specific regions.
Use Google’s Built-in Tools to Fine-Tune
Google Ad Manager offers a number of features to help you refine your monetization strategy:
- Pricing Rules: Set minimum CPMs by geography, device, or ad size
- Brand Safety Filters: Block unwanted categories or specific advertisers
- Ad Quality Controls: Ensure the creatives meet user experience standards
- Ad Frequency Settings: Avoid showing the same ad to users too often
- Ad Delivery Scheduling: Make sure campaigns run during optimal times, especially during high-traffic windows
These settings allow you to control not just what ads get shown, but how they’re shown—and to whom.
Monitor, Measure, and Adjust
Optimization is not a one-time task. Regularly review your reports to track the performance of each demand partner and type. Google Ad Manager offers detailed breakdowns of:
- Revenue by source
- CPMs by geography
- Impression delivery across time and devices
- Viewability and click-through rates
Use this data to spot trends and identify any underperforming segments. If one exchange consistently delivers low CPMs in a specific market, consider adjusting your pricing floor or blocking that GEO for certain line items.
Also pay attention to seasonal patterns. You might need to increase floors during Q4 or adjust demand strategies based on school calendars, holidays, or regional events.
Optimizing demand in Google Ad Manager is all about control and visibility. By understanding how your various demand sources compete, setting smart rules, and actively monitoring performance, you can improve revenue without hurting the user experience. GEO-level adjustments are especially important if your traffic spans multiple markets. The more granular you get with your strategy, the more value you can unlock from every impression.