Direct Ad Orders allow publishers to bypass the traditional programmatic auction to sell ad space directly to advertisers. By using Ezoic as a "DFP-style" ad server, you can negotiate private deals and ensure those creatives are served alongside your other automated placements. This feature provides the flexibility to manage premium sponsorships, standard impression-based campaigns, and house ads within the Ezoic testing framework.

Direct Ad Orders are managed under EzoicAds > Ad Campaign. This tool allows you to set specific priorities for your direct deals, ensuring they either take precedence over all other ads or compete in the auction based on a specific CPM value.

Order Priority Types:

• Sponsorship: The highest priority. Displays creatives in a fixed position for a set percentage of overall impressions.

• Standard: Serves a specific number of impressions over a set timeframe with customizable delivery speeds (Evenly, Front Loaded, or As Fast As Possible).

• Price Priority: These ads enter the Ezoic auction at a CPM you specify and only win the impression if they can outbid other demand partners.

• House: The lowest priority. These are typically used for internal marketing or "fallback" ads when no other paid demand meets your minimum floor.

Steps

1. Enabling Direct Ad Orders

1. Log in to your Ezoic dashboard.

2. Navigate to EzoicAds > Ad Campaign.

3. Locate the Direct Ad Orders section and click the toggle to Turn On.

2. Creating a New Order

1. Click Add Direct Ad Order.

2. Add an Order Name, Type (Sponsorship, Standard, etc.), Rate, Goal Impressions, Start and End Date based on your agreement with the advertiser.

3. Set your Inventory Settings, including Ad Size, Frequency Caps (to prevent user fatigue), and number of creatives.

4. Define your Targeting (Country, Device, or specific Ad Positions).

3. Adding Creatives and Monitoring

1. Once the order is saved, click Settings > Edit Creatives next to the order.

2. Upload your assets.

3. Review campaign progress via the Stats link. This provides a full breakdown of impressions, clicks, and delivery pace.

Understand Your Goals:

Be clear about your objectives—whether maximizing impressions or achieving a specific CPM—to choose the correct order type.

Set Accurate CPM Values:

Always input a CPM value that reflects the worth of the ad. Avoid setting a $0 CPM, as this signals "no value" to the system and can negatively impact delivery and AI optimization.

Optimize Ad Rotation:

Use the "rotate creatives" option to test different assets. This helps you identify which creatives drive the best engagement and click-through rates.

Frequency Capping:

Implement frequency caps (e.g., 3 views per user per day) to prevent ad fatigue and maintain a positive user experience.

Regular Monitoring:

Use the Stats link to review delivery pace. If a "Standard" order is falling behind, adjust the delivery speed to "Front Loaded" or "As Fast As Possible."

Do I need a separate ad server like Google Ad Manager?

No. The Direct Ad Orders feature effectively functions as your ad server, allowing you to manage all direct and programmatic demand in one dashboard.

Can I run video ads as a Direct Order?

Yes. You can upload video creatives or use VAST/VPAID tags within the creative settings.

What should I set the CPM to for a House ad?

Since House ads are internal ads, the CPM should represent the internal value of that marketing space to you. This ensures the ads only get served when no higher-paying external ad is available.

How is revenue reported?

Direct Ad revenue is reported under the Mediation column. Note that the advertiser pays you directly for these deals; Ezoic provides the delivery technology but does not handle the payment for private sales.

What is the difference between a Sponsorship and a Standard order?

A Sponsorship takes absolute priority for a fixed percentage of traffic, regardless of CPM. A Standard order aims to deliver a specific total number of impressions over a set date range.