Sales Loves MarketingRun of network (RON) means your ad can run on any website that belongs to an ad network, wherever there is open ad space. You don't pick the sites. In return, you get a lot of reach for a low price per impression.
How does run of network work?
An ad network sells space on many publishers' websites. When you buy run of network, the network decides where your ad appears among its member sites. As Wikipedia puts it, the campaign is applied to a wide collection of websites without the ability to choose specific sites.
Advertisers usually give up premium positions in exchange for more impressions at a low CPM (cost per thousand impressions). RON is priced lower than choosing sites one by one, because the network can use inventory that is in lower demand.
The term also appears inside ad servers. In Google Ad Manager, a run-of-network line item targets all inventory in a publisher's own network, and line items are run-of-network by default. Google says this is useful for house ads and dynamic allocation, and publishers can still exclude ad units.
Run of network vs run of site
| Run of site (ROS) | Run of network (RON) | |
|---|---|---|
| Where the ad appears | Any page of one website | Any website in the network |
| Audience control | You know the site and its readers | You only know the network |
| Reach | Limited to one site's traffic | Much larger |
| Price | Lower than fixed placements | Usually lower still |
Run of site is the better choice when one website's audience matches your buyer. Run of network fits when you need volume and your audience is broad.
An example
A company sells vegan protein bars and buys run of network on a large lifestyle network. Its ads reach millions of readers cheaply. Some impressions, though, land on a barbecue recipe site, where readers are unlikely to buy and the brand may look out of place. That mismatch is the main risk of RON.
For a B2B software company, the risk is similar. A broad network will show ads to many people who will never buy business software, so the low CPM can still mean a high cost per lead.
Pros and cons of run of network
Pros
- Large reach and many impressions.
- Low price per impression.
- Quick to set up, with few targeting decisions.
Cons
- No control over which sites show your ad.
- Studies cited on Wikipedia found RON less effective than more targeted campaigns.
- Higher brand-safety risk, since your ad may appear next to content you would not choose.
- Results are hard to optimise site by site.
How to reduce the risks
Most ad platforms let you narrow a run-of-network buy without giving up all of its reach. In Google Ads, for example, you can exclude websites, apps and YouTube channels where you don't want your Display ads to show. You can also set a frequency cap so the same person doesn't see your ad too often, and add geo-targeting to keep spend in the regions you sell to. Review placement reports after the first week and exclude sites that bring clicks but no conversions.
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
What does run of network mean in Google Ad Manager?
In Google Ad Manager, a run-of-network line item targets all inventory in the publisher's network. Line items are run-of-network by default, and Google notes this setting is useful for house ads and dynamic allocation. Publishers can still exclude specific ad units.
Is run of network cheaper than run of site?
Usually, yes. Because you can't choose the sites, run of network is priced below buying specific sites, and it is usually sold per thousand impressions (CPM). The trade-off is that more of your impressions may land on pages that don't fit your audience.
Who should use run of network?
Advertisers who want broad reach at a low cost per impression, such as brand awareness campaigns with a wide audience. B2B companies with a narrow buyer group usually get better results from targeted buys.