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Comment by avaer | Hacker News Reader

> That's why I've started working on an ad network for mobile apps - where the advertisers buys directly from the app publisher the ad spot - and the publisher has full control over which ad is displayed and when.

I like the idea in concept, but as an advertiser this intuitively tastes like a strictly worse product.

Doesn't this model mean I now have to vet the inventory (users) of the app -- another cost, as well as structure my campaign around the publisher's willingness to serve my ads -- additional variance and risk? This is no doubt great for app publishers on paper, but why is this better for customers? That is, advertisers?

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It may be my simplest way of thinking but I've found that having a high-quality, curated app network enables you as an advertiser to target a high-quality and a more relevant audience. Also it's simpler to find the apps you want to target since we've already vetted all the apps in the network to make sure we keep a high-quality standard.

Also - I don't see the publisher's willingness a risk factor if the product, service or brand you want to promote is a relevant one for app user base.

So are you vetting apps, or are you giving the publishers full control? You can't eat both sides of this cake.

If you're curating for your idea of quality, you're controlling which ads publishers can display where. This isn't a bad thing; it's how virtually every ad network operates. But then what's different about this approach?

The risk factor is that with a traditional ad network, I know I'm buying a certain number of impressions in a certain period of time, with analytics. But if inventory is doled out whenever my publisher partner (or their algorithm) feels like it, then my holiday promo campaign is a crapshoot and I might have wasted both money and (worse) time. I'd pay a premium to get rid of this risk.

The app publishers that are going to be accepted in the network will have full control over what ads that will be displayed. It's their choosing if they which ad they display and where as long their app passes our quality-standards (eg. UI/UX, number of active users, regular updates etc)

I feel like the TinyAds network is more about buying influence and exposure and not a fixed number of impressions (that basically translates to the number of times an ad was loaded and that's it).

Also - I'm not sure why would you think your inventory is doled out since the app publisher accepted your ad and you have the guarantee of the ad being displayed on their app?

So you're saying app publishers have full control, as long as you approve?

If they are in the network they have full control over the ads that are being displayed. That's what I'm saying.

For example - except for some filters you don't quite have control over what ads are being displayed when using AdMob. What AdMob serves - that's what you display.

With this network - if an advertisers wants to buy an ad slot - but you don't agree with the product or service for some reason you're just going to decline the ad.

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