Hey there, it's your favorite CFO! (or at least I hope so). Today, I want to talk about the Pay Per Impression (PPI)
revenue model and how it works.
First things first, let's define what PPI means. Pay Per Impression means that an advertiser pays for every time an ad is shown to a user, regardless of whether the user clicks on it or not. So, if you have an online platform and you use PPI as your
revenue model, you will be paid every time someone sees the ads on your platform.
I know what you're thinking: "But wait, isn't Pay Per Click (PPC) the most common
revenue model for online advertising?" And while it's true that PPC is more popular, there are actually several advantages to using PPI instead.
For one thing, with PPI, you don't need to worry about click-through rates or conversion rates. All you need to do is make sure that your ads are being seen by as many people as possible. This can be particularly useful if you have a platform with a lot of traffic but relatively low engagement rates.
Another advantage of PPI is that it can be more predictable than other
revenue models. With PPC, your
revenue can fluctuate wildly depending on factors like seasonality or changes in ad prices. But with PPI, you know that every time an ad is shown, you will be paid a fixed amount. This can make it easier to plan and
budget for the future.
Of course, there are also some downsides to using PPI. For one thing, you need to make sure that your ads are actually being seen by real people, rather than bots or other fraudulent sources. This can be challenging, particularly if you are working with a large number of third-party ad networks.
Another potential drawback of PPI is that you may need to work harder to attract advertisers. Since PPI doesn't require users to click on an ad, some advertisers may be skeptical about its effectiveness. To overcome this, you may need to provide more detailed reporting and analytics to show that your platform is generating real
value for advertisers.
So, how do you actually implement a PPI
revenue model? Well, there are several ways to go about it. One option is to work with a third-party ad network that specializes in PPI. These networks will handle the technical details of serving ads and tracking impressions, leaving you free to focus on growing your platform and attracting users.
Another option is to develop your own in-house ad server. This can be more complex and time-consuming, but it can also give you more control over the ads that are shown and the amount of
revenue that you generate. You will need to work closely with your engineering team to make sure that everything is set up correctly and that your server is able to handle the traffic that your platform generates.
Overall, I believe that the Pay Per Impression
revenue model can be a powerful way to generate
revenue for online platforms. While it may not be as well-known as other models like PPC, it offers some distinct advantages in terms of predictability and ease of use. If you're considering implementing PPI on your platform, I would encourage you to do your research and explore all of your options. With the right approach, PPI can be a valuable tool for growing your business and generating sustainable revenue.
