How to Use DFP’s Contributor Feature

This post was most recently updated on September 5th, 2019

Recent posts from the press, publishers, and the Adsense blog have talked about the latest feature of DFP: the Contributor.

What is Contributor?

This is a new source of revenue for publishers where site visitors fund the site. With this feature, site users are able to pick a monthly contribution level (either $2, $5, or $10). The money collected is then used to support the publisher’ site instead of monetizing ad spaces. As a result, users see fewer ads but the site still earns for the publisher. The term “Contributor” refers to site users who are able to help fund the site.

How does this Contributor feature work?

The user sets his contribution level or amount. When he enters the site, he is able to participate as a bidder in Google’s Ad Exchange. His contribution amount is used to bid on the ad auction. The contributors end up buying the ad slot, removing the ads for the auctions they win, instead of seeing ads from an advertiser. The higher the amount they contribute, the fewer the number of ads shown, while the publisher still gets paid. Users buy their way out of being forced to view ads and publishers still profit.  Both parties win.

In our previous post about the Contributor, we discussed and recognized it as a solution to ad blocking.

What’s in it for publishers?

The Contributor feature offers publishers another way to monetize their site while providing a positive user experience to their audience. Some users would prefer to see fewer ads on their favorite sites and the Contributor feature is one way to achieve this. Furthermore, these additional users participating in the ad auction create a stronger demand and drive up revenues.

Where can I find Contributor in DFP?

1. Log on to DFP
2. Click on the Admin Section
3. Click Features under Network Settings
4. Here you can ‘enable’ and ‘disable’ the Contributor feature.

What will users see when you have Contributor enabled?

Users who have signed up to be a Contributor will see a ‘Thank You message’ in the ad slots instead of regular ads.

Why would users sign up as a Contributor?

Contributor lets users help fund the sites whose content they value and in turn, are exposed to fewer ads. Overall, this improves user experience.

To learn how you can use DFP features in your ad optimization strategy, contact our Support team. Get started with site monetization by signing up for Ad Exchange, or applying as our Premium Publisher.

Related Reads:

• #AdsenseWednesdays: ‘Contributor’ as a Solution to Ad Blocking
• 5 Ways Publishers Can Fight Ad Blocking through Better User Experience
• The DFP for Beginners Series
• Best Adsense Placements

Kean Graham

He is the resident expert in Ad Optimization covering areas like Adsense Optimization, DFP Management, and third-party ad network partnerships. Kean believes in the supremacy of direct publisher deals and holistic optimization as keys to effective and consistent ad revenue increases.

Email him directly at: kean@monetizemore.com