May 28
Stop guessing with manual bids. We analyze how Machine Learning ad optimization tools like Google Performance Max and Meta Advantage+ use al
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Stop guessing with manual bids. We analyze how Machine Learning ad optimization tools like Google Performance Max and Meta Advantage+ use al
Love it when the Instagram algorithm gets stuff wrong. This one binder is advertised to me with this non binary body builder who is frankly very hot so occasionally when im scrolling ill spend time thirst watching their back muscles. Now im getting advertised period wares for people who want to wear boxers. Become unadvertisable to etc but also I love that product for Not Me lol
HELLO! I saw your tumblr vs apple post and wanted to ask your opinion on some things
Section 230 has been mentioned with increasing frequency as of late (in the podcasts I listen to, and my newsfeed, anyway). CEO Tim Apple was interviewed by Kara Swisher a few months back, and in it he mentioned that he believes platforms (Apple, Facebook/Meta, Twitter, etc) have a responsibility to ensure that ‘bad content’ doesn’t find roots and is removed ASAP. Here’s the most relevant quote (because you know how CEO’s talk in circles and any one point can only be understood when you listen to the whole speech). (I don’t know how to enter a line break without making the next bullet point start over at 1 again sorry so I’ll just paste this quote here) “Well, I can only speak for Apple. And from the very start, we’ve always believed in curation. And so we review every app that goes on the store. That doesn’t mean that we’re perfect at doing it. We’re not. But we care deeply about what we’re offering our users. And when we have a news product like Apple News, we have human editors that are selecting the key stories. And so, they’re avoiding all of the misinformation that is out there. The reality is that the web in some areas has become a dark place. And without curation, you wind up with this firehose of things that I would not want to put into an amplifier.” I can somewhat understand the point he makes about caring deeply over what they offer their users; and I know some people have said that this means Apple is ‘family friendly’ which comes with a host of problems re: queer kids, but tbh I think this ‘Apple is just family friendly’ explanation is too simplistic; not that it’s completely wrong, but it’s definitely not even a fraction of the full picture. Do you think Apple is trying to get ahead of whatever reforms may be coming? And so they’re proactively ‘curating’ the content in the sub-platforms (tumblr, twitter, reddit) they have on their platform?
I don’t 100% agree with Epic. If I were a developer I think I’d also be pissed that I have to pay an annual $90 fee (IIRC) PLUS 15% to 30% depending on my revenue and the app/service category. I thought it was hilarious how you can pretty much superimpose Epic’s behaviour with that of Meta (nee Facebook) re: the ‘we’re standing up for small <developers/businesses>’. I think Tim Epic knows that’s bull. This is just one corporate billionaire fighting with another one. However. I am glad that Epic did what they did because it shed at least a little light on how disparaged some/most developers feel. I remember seeing ads on tiktok to download AR apps or ‘cartroonify your selfies’ but the second you open them it immediately prompts you to purchase some annual subscription. Hell, Grindr was scraping my clipboard upon opening and I only found out because of Universal Clipboard (when I posted it to the community forum, no one knew how to even answer- they just explain what Universal Clipboard is, but then apple cold called me a few days later (I stg I didn’t have my number on that account)). So Apple’s strict app review process that they’re propping up as a defence in this antitrust/sideloading debacle is total BS. All that said (and also noting that Epic went after Google as well?) do you believe Apple should allow more than one App Store? And do you think there should be a % cut that they take from developers, depending on the success of their apps re: in-app purchases. What are they actually giving back to the devs with these fees?? I initially thought it was the support documentation and really interesting videos they have but like you can literally access that for free with a developer account so??
What is tumblr’s stance on adult content. I’m genuinely confused because circa 2017/18 they said ‘nah fam none of that’ in response to Apple’s something. But it’s been how long and the content still exists and more is being published as we speak. (“As we speak” who do I think I am? 🤦♀️) I think, if memory serves, Apple updated their App Store guidelines in October 2021 and I think tumblr issued 6 updates since then before the ‘this content is hidden you can’t do anything about it’ update? And it makes sense now because I remember suddenly needing to flick a switch for reddit and twitter. What took tumblr so long to implement this button? Initially I thought it’s because their TOS v clearly state ‘adult content isn’t ok’. So a button to unhide adult content would be redundant since they dont want to host adult content in the first place. Right? Is it because it’s extremely difficult to actually detect it and get rid of it? How do other platforms detect it so easily? A few years ago I posted a gif/vid to Insta and it was taken down within minutes (it was just two people under a blanket and there was an up and down motion, nothing actually visible, but damnnnnn). Is tumblr saying no to adult content to hopefully ‘win favour’ with Apple’s sporadic and inconsistent App Review process? What can we the users do (other than switch to Android) to stick it to the Apple?
Why is tumblr contacting a ‘graph.Facebook.com’ domain. What does this mean? Apparently “This domain may be following you across multiple apps and websites to combine your activity into a profile.” I know you can turn on ‘Ask App Not To Track’ and Apple said that if Facebook the app does it anyway that they’ll be removed or something. But knowing how terrible their review process is, do you think they’ll even detect it?
Anyway, this is a huge question, sorry!
Thank you for reading ❤️
There's a lot to go through here
1. I don't care to speculate on what Apple's plans are. If Apple wants to screen apps for malicious code, phishing, and CSAM, fine and understandable. Beyond that I think they're choosing to editorialize and push an agenda despite already having a ratings system in place to categorize apps with adult content. If they see shitty anti-SW legislation coming down the pipes and decide they better get a jump on licking the boots, fuck em.
2. Apple's a trillion dollar company, they don't need to charge that sort of cut to put up dev documentation. They should only take the cut if you use apple to process payments and subscriptions, and allow third-party payment processors as alternatives.
3. I'm not at Tumblr anymore and I don't have an answer those questions.
4. It might be cross-site tracking, or it might be fetching Facebook ads (facebook has an ad platform too). That dialog to accept/reject tracking doesn't stop tracking from occurring, it just removes any identifiable data about you from the tracking.
Oscar Romero's Update: Growing Sustainably: Q&A with Gavin Stirrat, VP Europe, Partner Services, OpenX http://dlvr.it/QT7qQ3
"Online advertising is under siege by privacy campaigns run separately by Apple and European regulators. The long-term solution may be for sites to be more explicit about how they make money from customer data.
We break down the new AI ranking signals for ads in 2026. Learn how machine learning is changing Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and programmatic
The Hidden Revenue Leaks Costing Publishers Up to 30% of Ad Income (And How to Fix Them)
Most publishers don’t have a traffic problem.
They have a monetization problem.
A website can generate millions of impressions every month and still leave a significant portion of ad revenue unrealized. In many cases, the issue is not demand — it’s inefficiency.
Publishers often focus on increasing traffic, publishing more content, and scaling acquisition channels while overlooking the technical and strategic gaps inside their monetization setup.
The result?
Lower RPMs. Reduced viewability. Missed bids. Slower websites. And revenue that quietly disappears.
Publisher revenue optimization is no longer just an advantage — it has become essential for sustainable growth.
Here are some of the most common revenue leaks that can quietly reduce publisher earnings and what can be done to fix them.
1. Poor Ad Placement: When More Ads Generate Less Revenue
One of the biggest misconceptions in publisher monetization is that adding more ad units automatically increases earnings.
In reality, poor placement often decreases overall performance.
Ads placed without considering reader behavior create banner blindness, reduce engagement, and lower viewability metrics. Visitors scroll past placements that feel disruptive or irrelevant.
High-performing publishers typically approach placements differently:
Prioritize above-the-fold visibility
Match ad formats to content consumption behavior
Balance monetization with readability
Continuously test layout performance
The goal is not maximum ad quantity.
It is maximum effective visibility.
2. Low Viewability Is Quietly Destroying Your Ad Revenue
Advertisers pay more for impressions users actually see.
If your ads load below the fold, appear late, or disappear quickly during scrolling, your inventory becomes less valuable.
Low viewability directly impacts:
CPM performance
Bid competition
Fill rates
Long-term advertiser demand
To improve website ad revenue, publishers should focus on:
Lazy loading implementation
Optimized loading speed
Sticky formats where appropriate
Strategic refresh policies
Improved content hierarchy
Better viewability often improves monetization without increasing traffic.
3. Excessive Ad Density Can Reduce Overall Earnings
There is a point where additional ads stop creating value.
Overloading pages creates:
Slower performance
Higher bounce rates
Reduced engagement
Lower session duration
Negative user experience
Search engines increasingly reward websites that prioritize usability.
Publishers that reduce unnecessary inventory frequently see stronger RPM performance because advertisers value quality inventory more than volume.
The question should shift from:
“How many ads can we place?”
to
“How efficiently can we monetize each visit?”
4. CLS Issues Are Costing More Than User Experience
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) is often discussed as a technical SEO metric.
But for publishers, it is also a revenue metric.
When ads load unpredictably and push content around the page:
Readers lose trust
Engagement drops
Accidental clicks increase
Ad quality scores can suffer
Common causes include:
Dynamic ad resizing
Missing reserved ad space
Poor loading sequence
Unoptimized containers
Fixing CLS improves both monetization and audience retention.
Revenue growth and user experience are no longer separate goals.
5. Weak Header Bidding Setups Limit Competition
Header bidding transformed publisher monetization by increasing auction competition.
Yet many publishers still operate with outdated configurations.
Common issues include:
Too many demand partners
Slow timeout settings
Poor floor pricing
Limited testing cycles
Inefficient auction paths
A strong header bidding strategy helps publishers:
Increase CPM
Improve fill rates
Unlock premium demand
Strengthen yield optimization
When implemented correctly, competition drives better outcomes.
6. Mobile Monetization Gaps Are Becoming More Expensive
Mobile traffic dominates most publisher websites.
Yet many monetization strategies are still designed for desktop.
That creates major revenue leakage.
Signs of weak mobile monetization include:
Oversized creatives
Slow loading units
Poor responsive layouts
Reduced engagement depth
Limited mobile-specific placements
Publishers should evaluate:
Mobile-first ad experiences
Lightweight formats
Speed optimization
Scroll behavior analysis
Traffic growth means little if mobile users are undervalued.
7. Lack of Audience Segmentation Leaves Money on the Table
Not all visitors have the same value.
Treating every user identically reduces monetization efficiency.
Publishers who segment audiences often outperform competitors by creating differentiated inventory.
Examples include:
Returning vs new visitors
Geographic segments
Engagement levels
Content categories
Device-based behavior
Audience intelligence enables smarter pricing and stronger advertiser outcomes.
This is one of the most overlooked publisher monetization strategies today.
Revenue Optimization Is About Efficiency, Not Volume
Many publishers spend months chasing additional traffic while ignoring monetization inefficiencies already affecting existing visitors.
Before increasing acquisition budgets, ask:
Are placements optimized?
Are ads visible?
Is the mobile experience performing?
Is header bidding configured correctly?
Are users segmented effectively?
Publisher growth is often hidden inside existing traffic.
Finding and fixing revenue leaks can produce meaningful gains without publishing more content or buying more visitors.
Final Thoughts
Publisher revenue optimization is not a one-time project.
It is an ongoing process of testing, measuring, improving, and adapting.
The publishers creating consistent growth are rarely the ones with the most traffic.
They are the ones extracting more value from every impression.
If you suspect hidden monetization gaps are affecting performance, it may be time to take a closer look.
Don’t Ignore Your ads.txt File – Here’s Why
If your website makes money from ads, your ads.txt file is like your guest list. It tells advertisers, “These are the people allowed to sell my ad space.”
The problem? If that list is wrong or outdated, you could be losing money every single day.
The Quick Fix
Instead of trying to read that file line-by-line, use an ads txt validator. It scans your file, points out mistakes, and helps you fix them fast.
Why bother?
More accurate bidding on your ads
Less chance of shady sellers getting in
More revenue (and less stress)
Real Talk
I’ve seen sites boost their earnings just by cleaning up old reseller entries. Sometimes, it’s the small things that make the biggest difference.