The second big mistake that some publishers make is not maximising their SEO potential. This is a particularly frustrating problem because the fix is usually much simpler than expected.

Typically, when a publisher launches a self-serve platform for selling ad space, they will create a brand-new landing page as the portal to their campaign manager. Great – except that the landing page will have zero SEO presence.

Expecting advertisers to find the platform’s landing page by themselves is not a good idea. How will they search for something that they don’t know exists?

Instead, make sure to promote the new platform through your existing channels where you know your advertisers will see it. The most obvious is of course your website: make sure to include links to your campaign platform on your “advertise with us” pages. Tying the new platform to your existing website shows humans and search engines that the platform is legitimate and trustworthy, and will help increase your search rankings. 

Also, make sure to include your brand name in the name of the platform. For example, “Motorbike News Campaign Manager” is a good name for your platform if your business is called Motorbike News. “Zoom Vroom Ads Hub” might sound cooler, but creates too much uncertainty about whether the platform is an official part of your business. This sounds obvious, but not all publishers have learned this lesson!

And lastly – when your landing page is up and running, remember to populate it with some basic, SEO-friendly keywords and content. We’re talking case studies, video, articles, etc. You don’t need to go overboard, but a little bit of content will a) inspire potential advertisers and b) increase your landing page’s search rankings.