We know that not every ad feels like the perfect fit for every site. At Journey by Mediavine, we hold ourselves and our partners to very high standards, with a strict PG requirement for all ads served across our network.
If you’d like additional control over the types of ads that may appear, you have the option to opt out of certain ad categories that might be considered sensitive.
That said, we strongly encourage publishers to remain opted in whenever possible. Here’s why:
Ads Are Tailored to the Reader — Not the Site
Programmatic advertising is designed to show relevant, targeted ads to each individual reader, not a one-size-fits-all set of ads based on your site’s content.
Keywords and your site’s content definitely matter, but ads are based on who’s visiting, not so much on the niche of your site. The ads you see are totally different from the ads your readers see.
Since site owners typically visit their own sites far more often than any single reader, you may notice certain ad types showing up more frequently simply because of your own browsing habits. (Note: You also won’t see ads as often as your readers for that same reason!)
IMPORTANT: Opting Out Can Reduce Your RPM
Remember — blocking ad categories comes at a literal cost.
Each category you exclude means fewer bids in the auction, less competition.
Here’s a quick example:
Say you block the Politics category. A political advertiser was ready to bid $4.00 CPM, but now they can’t. The next highest bid comes from a non-political advertiser at $3.00 CPM. That one block just dropped your CPM by $1.00 — or 25%.
If certain ads feel worth blocking, that’s absolutely your choice. Just keep in mind that excluding entire categories almost always reduces CPM — and by extension, your RPM.
The categories that tend to have the biggest impact on RPM are — you guessed it — politics, pharmaceuticals, alcohol, tobacco, and gambling.
For that reason, we recommend using opt-outs sparingly.
“I opted out of ______, but I’m seeing____ ads!”
While our systems and partners work hard to ensure ads are properly categorized, no system is perfect. On occasion, an ad may be miscategorized and appear despite an opt-out selection.
If you come across an ad that seems out of place, you may want to clear your cookies for your web browser. If you have a reader who’s written in to express frustration for an ad they’ve seen, you’ll want to recommend they clear their browser’s cache as well.
Always remember: Advertisers purchase ads based on the user, not your site.
Who Sets These Categories?
The ad categories available for blocking are defined by the IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau) — not by Mediavine. Below is the full list of categories you can choose to block:
Alcohol
Baked Goods
Baking Ingredients
Black Magic, Astrology & Esoteric
Breakfast Cereals
Candy, Gum & Mints
Cosmetic Procedures & Body Modification
Dairy & Non-Dairy Alternatives
Dating
Desserts
Downloadable Utilities
Drugs & Supplements
Fast Food
Frozen Foods
Gambling & Betting
Get Rich Quick
Guns & Firearms
Hemp Based CBD
Hunting & Shooting
Meat & Poultry
Pest & Weed Control
Politics
References to Sex & Sexuality
Religion
Sensationalism
Sexual & Reproductive Health
Significant Skin Exposure
Snack Foods
Software
Tobacco
Video Games (Casual & Online)
Weight Loss