Optimize ad sources in mediation

When you choose to optimize an ad network, you're allowing AdMob to manage the positioning of the ad network in the mediation chain. Specifically, AdMob will automatically make adjustments to the eCPM associated with the network based on traffic in your app, historical data, and information retrieved from the ad networks, themselves.

Optimization differs slightly between the AdMob Network and third-party ad networks, but both methods share the same goal: to try to help maximize your revenue.

Optimizing the AdMob Network

When optimization is enabled for the AdMob Network, AdMob will adjust the eCPM in real time on a per-impression basis. This means the AdMob Network will be re-evaluated and positioned in the mediation stack for each ad request matched to the mediation group it’s been added to. You can choose to optimize the AdMob Network when you add it to a mediation group or you can edit it later to make changes to the optimization settings.

Optimizing a third-party ad network

When optimization is enabled for a third-party ad network, AdMob will adjust the eCPM used for the ad network based on your app’s traffic, historical data, and information retrieved from the ad network, itself. You can choose to optimize an ad network when you add it to a mediation group or you can edit it later to make changes to the optimization settings. 

To use a third-party ad network as an ad source, you must complete these steps: 

1. Sign up for an account on the third-party ad network's website and add any required details, such as information about your apps and ad units.
2. Add the ad network as a mediation group ad source in AdMob and enable optimization. 
3. Implement the third-party ad network's SDK in your app's code, as well as an adapter library that will communicate between Google and the third-party ad network to fill ad requests.

Not all ad networks support optimization. You can review the list of third-party ad networks that support optimization to learn more about the available networks.

"Pending optimization" status

 

When you enable optimization for a third-party ad network, AdMob begins analyzing your app's traffic to understand the best way to optimize its eCPM. During this analysis period, you may see the "pending optimization" status appear in the ad networks table. 

 

Note: AdMob continuously optimizes eCPM based on the latest data available, so you may occasionally see the "pending optimization" status even after the initial analysis is complete. For example, if there is insufficient traffic from an ad network over several weeks, AdMob may determine that better quality data is needed to accurately calculate the eCPM. Optimization will be re-enabled once the ad network's traffic increases and AdMob has better data to analyze. 

Authorize AdMob to optimize your ad sources

When you enable optimization for one of the available ad networks in a mediation group for the first time, you will be asked to check a checkbox indicating that you authorize AdMob and Google to access, manage, retrieve, and analyze data relating to your account with the ad network. Checking the box also indicates that, by allowing Google to access this information, you aren't violating any of your third-party agreements.

There are several other instances in which you may be required to check this box if you haven't already given your authorization:

• If you edit the existing credentials for an ad network you previously enabled for ad network optimization and that network supports scraping and has scraping credentials configured.
• If you add an ad network that you've previously removed, and that ad network supports scraping and has scraping credentials configured.

In any of these circumstances, you must check the authorization checkbox if prompted or you will be unable to use optimization with the selected ad network(s).

You may also be prompted to reauthorize the network(s) you're already using for ad network optimization. If you don't reauthorize, ad network optimization for the networks you're already using may stop. For some networks (e.g. Facebook), the authorization checkbox is unchecked every time you open the credential setting.