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• Mediavine

Monetize the Vertical Video Content You Already Have

4 min read

•

The Mediavine Team

•

February 16, 2026

From Social to Site: Mediavine’s Vertical Video Ads Are Live

Publisher-produced video content is where the market is moving, and with this release, the videos you’ve produced for social media can have additional value on your website.  

While others are still testing the waters, Mediavine already supports vertical (9:16) video in Universal Player Plus, built for how advertisers are buying today.

Your accompanying content unlocks access to a different demand stream where you can capture new revenue.

Advertisers Are Paying for Your Content

Many advertisers aren’t just looking for video impressions. They’re looking for video placements that run alongside trusted, high-quality editorial content.

Premium brands want their video placements embedded within high-quality editorial​​ that meets brand and inventory standards for premium campaigns. Accompanying content is no longer a nice-to-have. ​​It expands how your video inventory is classified and valued.

Performance Is Already Reflecting That Shift

Universal Player Plus is designed specifically for higher-impact, content-adjacent video monetization.

To clarify, Universal Player supports outstream video formats across your site. Outstream video is a video ad format that plays within the body of a page’s content and doesn’t require any uploaded publisher video content.

Whereas Universal Player Plus works with accompanying content. Accompanying content is when the video ad plays with publisher-owned video. It delivers premium video placements with stronger advertiser demand and higher earning potential.

And we’re already seeing that difference in results: 

• Universal Player Plus CPMs are averaging 73% higher than the Universal Player 
• Advertisers are showing increased interest in premium video placements within content
• Vertical video inventory is becoming an increasingly valuable extension of modern video strategy

This is how video monetization is evolving, and publishers need technology that keeps pace. Mediavine publishers are already capturing this new revenue stream, and now you can turn social-first video into measurable, on-site growth.

Built for the Reality of the Open Web

Ahead of launch, Universal Player Plus was optimized to support vertical video without compromising layout, performance, or user experience. The technology adapts to the page, not the other way around.

• Vertical videos render dynamically across devices and layouts
• Aspect ratios are handled automatically
• Sticky behavior is controlled and intentional
• Video integrates cleanly within existing content

The result is vertical video that uploads seamlessly, performs consistently, and qualifies for premium video demand within your site environment.

Turn Existing Video Into Revenue

If you are already producing vertical video for platforms like Reels or TikTok, this update allows you to unlock new revenue from content you already own.

There is no new production strategy required. No redesign. No additional complexity.

Universal Player Plus makes it easier to:

• Repurpose vertical video across web environments
• Capture advertiser demand for premium video placements
• Generate incremental revenue from the content you’ve already created

This is smarter monetization built for the current market.

Get Started

Vertical video support is live in Universal Player Plus now and available to all Mediavine publishers.

For more information, check out our help article and upload your vertical video to start earning more. 

The industry has shifted. Advertisers are paying for video that appears alongside strong content. And Mediavine is building the technology that makes that monetization possible.

The post Monetize the Vertical Video Content You Already Have appeared first on Mediavine.

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• Mediavine

How Publishers Win in the Next Era of the Internet

4 min read

•

The Mediavine Team

•

February 6, 2026

Search is changing. Traffic is less predictable. Advertisers are getting more selective. Platforms are pulling value inward. None of this is new. What’s new is the speed at which it’s happening.

The publishers who win next are not chasing loopholes or waiting for the next algorithm update to fix things. They’re building durable businesses rooted in control, quality, and audience trust.

Here’s how to do that now.

1. Create Content AI Can’t Replace

If a page exists only to answer a basic question, AI can do that faster.

Quick answers, definitions, and formulaic SEO content are no longer reliable traffic drivers. Not because content doesn’t matter, but because AI handles that instantly, and users accept that.

What still wins:

• Perspective
• Experience
• Judgment
• Depth
• Voice

If a reader could get the same value from a chatbot response, that content isn’t helping your business. It’s diluting it. 

What to do:

• Audit your content for replaceability
• Prioritize content that explains why, not just what
• Write for people who want context, not just quick answers
• Build content that naturally leads to the next question, not the exit

This shift is not about writing less. It is about writing better and more intentionally

2. Build for Audience Ownership, Not Rented Traffic

Traffic from platforms is temporary. Audience relationships last.

Search, social, and discovery tools change constantly. Direct relationships do not. The only audience you truly control is the one that chooses to come back.

That includes:

• Direct visits
• Email subscribers
• Members
• Repeat readers

Advertisers value this because it signals trust and engagement. And AI cannot replicate a real relationship with a real audience.

What to do:

• Treat your website as a destination, not a landing page
• Invest in newsletters that bring readers back to your site
• Know exactly who your audience is and why they return
• Build content that rewards loyalty, not just clicks

Community is not just a buzzword. It is leverage.

3. Optimize Ad Experience to Protect Long-Term Revenue

The ad industry is drawing a harder line against cluttered, low-quality experiences, and advertisers are actively avoiding sites that overload pages with ads. They are rewarding publishers who deliver fewer, more viewable, higher-quality placements.

This is not theory or a “someday” trend. It is already affecting demand and CPMs.

MFA classification is getting stricter. That label can cost access to premium budgets.

What to do:

• Turn on Mediavine’s Optimized Ad Experience
• Think in terms of revenue stability, not short-term RPM spikes
• Treat ad experience as a growth driver, not a tradeoff

The future of ad monetization favors premium environments, not maximum volume.

4. Diversify Without Abandoning Ads

Ads are still a foundational source of revenue for most publishers. That does not mean ads should be the only revenue stream. Publishers who depend on a single traffic source and one monetization method are exposed to volatility they can’t control. Strong businesses don’t ditch ads; they layer revenue so the entire model isn’t exposed.

What to do:

• Use your site to support additional monetization paths
• Explore memberships, education, digital products, or paid communities
• Treat ads as one pillar, not the entire structure
• Keep your website as the central hub for everything you build

Diversification is not about leaving ads behind. It is about reducing risk.

5. Strengthen Brand Authority Before AI Decides for You

AI systems learn from authority signals. Brands know this. Advertisers know this.

The next phase of monetization will reward publishers whose voices shape perception. Brands will need trusted publishers to validate products, categories, and expertise.

Authority is becoming currency.

What to do:

• Be explicit about your niche, what you’re known for, and your point of view
• Publish content that signals expertise, not neutrality
• Build a recognizable voice across platforms
• Prioritize credibility over scale

Publishers who establish authority now will be harder to replace later.

The Reality Check

The internet is not collapsing. It is consolidating around quality, trust, and control.

AI accelerates this shift. Advertisers reinforce it. Platforms expose the cost of ignoring it.

Publishers who adapt will not just survive; they will gain leverage in a more disciplined, premium ecosystem.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is SEO dead?

No. SEO is changing. Search is no longer the sole growth engine. Publishers should treat it as one channel, not the entire strategy.

Should publishers stop monetizing with ads?

No. Ads remain a critical revenue source. The shift is toward better ad experiences and premium demand, not abandonment.

Will AI reduce traffic permanently?

Some traffic, yes. Especially transactional or “quick” queries. That’s why audience loyalty and direct relationships are more valuable than ever.

Are newsletters the future of monetization?

Newsletters are a relationship channel, not a replacement for websites. Their value is in driving repeat engagement and owned traffic.

What matters more now: scale or trust?

Trust. Scale without trust is increasingly discounted by advertisers and platforms alike.

Can small publishers still win?

Yes. Smaller publishers with strong voices, loyal audiences, and premium experiences are well-positioned for this next phase.

About the author

The Mediavine Team

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The post How Publishers Win in the Next Era of the Internet appeared first on Mediavine.

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• Mediavine

How to Create Content Advertisers Will Pay More For

4 min read

•

The Mediavine Team

•

February 6, 2026

If your goal is higher CPMs, steadier demand, and stronger long-term revenue, here’s the uncomfortable truth:

Advertisers are not paying more for more content; they’re paying more for better environments, better audiences, and better experiences.

That shift is already happening. Quietly. Algorithmically. And at scale.

At MVCon, Mediavine CRO Amanda Martin and Butler/Till CSO Scott Ensign broke down what advertisers want from publishers and how to build content and experiences advertisers actually want to buy.

1. Start With the Experience, Not the Monetization

Advertisers evaluate your site before they care about your content.

Not manually, but through quality signals.

They look at things like:

• How many ads load at once
• How intrusive those ads feel
• Whether your page loads cleanly or crushes CPU
• How aggressively ads refresh 
• Whether the experience feels usable on mobile

If the experience is poor, the content doesn’t matter. You will be underbid or filtered out.

Action:
Open your site on your phone and use it like a real reader. Scroll. Tap. Read.

If it feels slow, cluttered, or frustrating, advertisers already see that in the data.

2. Fewer Ads. Better Pages. Higher Value.

There is a category of publishers that isn’t MFA but still loses money.

It’s called cheap reach.

Cheap reach means advertisers can technically buy your inventory, but they expect poor efficiency. So they bid low, and they assume they need volume to get results.

Premium inventory works the opposite way.

• Fewer impressions
• Stronger engagement
• Higher bids

Advertisers are willing to pay more when they trust the environment.

Action:
Stop optimizing for pageviews at all costs. Optimize for pages people actually finish reading and want to come back to.

That’s where demand is moving.

3. Build Audience Loyalty, Not Just Traffic

Advertisers don’t buy websites; they buy access to audiences, especially audiences they recognize.

That includes:

• Return visitors
• Newsletter subscribers
• Logged-in users
• Consistent readers

Known audiences get higher bids. Period. In some verticals, advertisers will pay significant premiums for the right audience because precision beats scale.

Action:
Put real effort into:

• Email
• Community touchpoints
• Repeatable content formats
• Vertical depth instead of broad coverage

Loyalty compounds revenue.

4. Your History Matters More Than One Bad Day

Advertisers evaluate performance over time at the domain level.

They track:

• Viewability
• Engagement
• Blocking rates
• Page performance
• Historical consistency

One aggressive layout change or bad experiment can hurt demand longer than you think. The inverse is also true.

Clean experiences build momentum.

Action:
Think long-term. Don’t chase short-term RPM spikes that degrade experience. You are training the market how to value your site.

5. Ad Experience Is Brand Strategy

Advertisers care about brand outcomes, not just brand safety.

They want their ads to appear in environments that make their brand feel smarter, calmer, and more trustworthy.

Your site is part of that story.

When advertisers buy your inventory, they’re renting the trust you’ve built with your audience.

That trust is the asset.

Action:
Treat your site like a product, not just a container for ads. Every decision should answer one question: Does this make my audience trust me more or less?

6. Pay Attention to How Advertisers Think

You don’t need to live in ad tech or become an ad ops expert. But you do need awareness of how the buy side thinks.

Advertiser priorities shape:

• Demand
• Pricing
• Which sites win long-term

The publishers who outperform are not guessing. They understand what the buy side values and build toward it.

Action:
Follow advertiser-focused publications and platforms. Pay attention to what brands, DSPs, and agencies are talking about and prioritizing. It will show you where demand is heading next.

The Bottom Line

Higher CPMs don’t come from tricks.

They come from:

• Clean experiences
• Loyal, recognizable audiences
• Pages people want to use
• Environments advertisers trust

Create content for humans first and build experiences you would want to spend time in.

Bonus: Want to see what smarter monetization looks like on your site? Learn how Mediavine protects ad experience and revenue through the Optimized Ad Experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does better content automatically mean higher CPMs?

No. Strong content only commands higher CPMs when it lives in a clean, efficient ad experience that advertisers trust.

How do advertisers judge ad experience?

Through automated quality signals like ad density, refresh behavior, page performance, viewability, and historical engagement, not manual reviews.

What is “cheap reach”?

Cheap reach is inventory that advertisers expect to perform poorly, so they bid low and rely on volume instead of value.

Are advertisers willing to pay more for fewer impressions?

Yes. Advertisers consistently pay premiums for known audiences, strong engagement, and trusted environments.

Should publishers reduce the number of ads on a page?

The goal isn’t fewer ads. It’s better ad behavior that respects attention and page performance.

How important is audience loyalty compared to traffic?

More important. Returning users and known audiences drive higher bids and stronger long-term demand than one-time traffic.

Can a bad site change hurt advertiser demand?

Yes. Advertisers evaluate performance over time, so aggressive or intrusive changes can suppress demand beyond the short term.

Why do advertisers prefer publisher sales houses or networks?

They act as a trust layer, helping advertisers scale across quality inventory effectively without evaluating thousands of sites individually.

Do advertisers care about sustainability and efficiency?

Yes. Efficient ad stacks improve performance, user experience, and increasingly factor into how inventory is valued.

What is the single best thing publishers can do to increase value?

Use your site like a real reader. If the experience feels good, advertiser demand follows.

About the author

The Mediavine Team

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The post How to Create Content Advertisers Will Pay More For appeared first on Mediavine.

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• Mediavine

How Publishers Can Pivot and Adapt Without Waiting for a Crisis

4 min read

•

The Mediavine Team

•

January 29, 2026

The publishing industry did not gradually change. It recalibrated fast.

Search is more volatile. Platforms shift priorities without warning. AI has made content saturation a new hard reality. And the strategies that drove yesterday’s growth are no longer guaranteed to protect tomorrow’s revenue.

But the publishers who are winning right now didn’t panic. They pivoted early and with intention.

At MVCon, Tanya Harris, Anne Moss, and Paul Gowder shared how they rebuilt their businesses to stay resilient in an environment defined by constant change. While their paths were different, their conclusion was the same:

Long-term success belongs to publishers who own their relationships, define their value, and adapt to data demands.

This is how to do exactly that.

Step One: Stop Optimizing for Systems You Don’t Control

For years, growth had a rhythm. It was built on predictability. Keywords shaped content calendars. Algorithms rewarded consistency. Scale came from volume.

That era is over.

When AI made informational content instantly reproducible, the biggest weakness of algorithm-first strategies was exposed: content built only to satisfy systems is easy to replace. Content built for humans is not.

What to do now:

• Audit your content strategy and identify where it relies exclusively on search visibility
• Reduce dependency on long-term SEO-only content plans that assume tomorrow will look like yesterday
• Prioritize relevance, voice, and context over volume for volume’s sake

Key takeaway: Algorithms will always change. Human trust compounds.

Step Two: Build Relationships, Not Reach

Traffic isn’t an asset, but relationships are.

As platforms removed features and deprioritized community-building tools, the risk of relying on rented land became impossible to ignore. Publishers who owned direct relationships moved faster and with more confidence.

Email proved to be the most durable infrastructure. Not as a “send-to-everyone”  channel, but as a segmented, deliberate system designed around audience intent.

What to do now:

• Treat email as a core business asset, not a supporting one
• Segment your audience by interest and behavior, not just size
• Build your list like a network of smaller communities, not a single audience
• Monetize through alignment, not interruption

Key takeaway: If you don’t own the relationship, you don’t own the business.

Step Three: Make Your Brand Impossible to Separate from You

In an AI-saturated landscape, anonymity is a liability. Traffic alone doesn’t create loyalty, but recognition does.

Publishers who leaned into personal brand –clearly, intentionally, and consistently –created differentiation that algorithms can’t replicate. Because your audience doesn’t connect with “content.” They connect with a voice. 

What to do now:

• Clarify what your brand stands for and why it’s memorable (and what you’ll never be)
• Bring voice, perspective, and lived experience to the forefront
• Evaluate success by recognition and response, not clicks alone

Key takeaway: Authenticity isn’t a trend; it’s a competitive advantage.

Step Four: Learn to Recognize the Signals Early

Pivots rarely start with a single data point. They start with patterns.

The strongest publishers didn’t wait for revenue loss to justify change. They closely watched behavior from both audiences and platforms and adjusted early.

What to watch:

• Repeated audience questions (especially ones that keep coming back)
• Subtle platform feature removals or UX shifts
• Changes in how content is discovered, shared, or recommended
• Drops in engagement quality, not just volume

What to do now:

• Track qualitative feedback alongside analytics
• Pay attention to emotional responses, not just performance metrics
• Test emerging tools early to understand the impact; don’t avoid it

Key takeaway: The best pivots happen before revenue drops.

Step Five: Redefine What Engagement Means

Clicks and impressions still matter, but they no longer tell the full story.

High-quality engagement is harder to scale and significantly more valuable. It signals trust, relevance, and longevity.

What meaningful engagement looks like:

• Replies that reference personal experiences and stories
• Comments that mirror your language
• Messages that show emotional connection or loyalty

What to do now:

• Measure success by response, not just reach
• Build initiatives based on repeated audience feedback
• Let real conversations guide strategic decisions

Key takeaway: When your audience talks back, you gain clarity that analytics can’t provide.

Step Six: Use AI to Accelerate, Not Replace, Human Value

AI is not the threat. Misuse is.

The publishers who adapted fastest treated AI as an assistant. A way to accelerate research, ideation, and workflow without outsourcing perspective.

What to do now:

• Use AI for brainstorming, refinement, and preparation
• Protect your voice and editorial judgment
• Be transparent and ethical in how AI supports your process

Key takeaway: AI should amplify human creativity, not replace it.

Step Seven: Normalize Experimentation and Failure

Not every test will work. That’s the point.

Platforms will stall, tools will underperform, and some initiatives will flop completely. That doesn’t mean you did it wrong. It means you’re doing what publishers have to do now: learn fast. However, the real risk is standing still.

What to do now:

• Test with clear criteria for success or exit
• Accept failure as part of progress that gives you useful data, not a warning sign
• Build experimentation into your strategy, not around it

Key takeaway: Standing still is riskier than testing.

The Real Pivot Is Ongoing

The publishers who thrive next won’t be the ones chasing every update. They’ll be the ones who:

• Build with intention
• Own their relationships
• Invest in clarity, not comfort
• Adapt before disruption becomes mandatory

The pivot is not a moment, but a posture, and the future belongs to publishers who choose to lead it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most important shift publishers should make now?
Prioritize direct audience relationships through email and community over platform-dependent traffic.

Is SEO still relevant?
Yes, but it should support a broader strategy rather than define it.

How important is personal branding?
Increasingly essential as content becomes more commoditized (easier to replicate and harder to differentiate).

Should publishers fear AI?
No. Understanding and using AI thoughtfully is far more valuable than avoiding it.

What platforms are safest to invest in?
Owned channels such as email lists and community platforms, where you control the relationship.

How do you know when it is time to pivot?
When audience behavior, platform features, or discovery patterns shift consistently, even if revenue hasn’t dropped yet.

About the author

The Mediavine Team

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You build the content that defines industries. We build the monetization that powers it.

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• Mediavine

How to Scale Your Publishing Business Without Breaking What Works

4 min read

•

The Mediavine Team

•

January 28, 2026

Scaling is one of the most misunderstood concepts in digital publishing.

It’s often framed as a race toward more traffic, more platforms, and more revenue streams. But the publishers who last, the ones who grow stronger through algorithm shifts, platform changes, and economic pressure, scale differently.

They don’t just chase size; they build resilience.

True scale isn’t about doing more. It’s about reinforcing what already works to support greater demand, higher expectations, and long-term growth.

At MVCon, Dorothy Kern and Don Miner shared how publishers can scale effectively without sacrificing trust, focus, or momentum.

Step 1: Stabilize the Core Before You Expand

Scaling begins the moment your audience depends on you.

Not when traffic hits a milestone.
Not when revenue spikes.
But when readers expect you to show up consistently and notice when you don’t.

That expectation changes what comes next.

Before expanding, publishers must reinforce the foundation:

• Your most relied-on content formats
• Your publishing cadence
• Your site performance and reliability
• Your core value proposition

If your site disappeared tomorrow and readers would feel the loss, you’re already operating at scale. The priority now is protecting that trust.

Action:
Identify the 20% of your content that delivers 80% of audience value, and strengthen it before adding anything new.

Step 2: Treat Time as the First Growth Investment

Early-stage scaling isn’t capital-intensive; it’s time-intensive.

Many of the strongest publishing businesses were built by people who learned the entire operation, including content, SEO, monetization, tech, and audience behavior, before delegating it.

That phase isn’t inefficiency. It’s how you learn what actually moves the needle.

You can’t scale what you don’t understand. And you can’t delegate decisions you’ve never had to make yourself.

Action:
Before outsourcing, document:

• How content gets created
• How performance is evaluated
• Where friction slows growth

This knowledge becomes leverage later.

Step 3: Treat Burnout as a Signal, Not a Failure

Burnout isn’t a personal failing. It’s a signal your systems need attention. When energy drops, performance usually follows. Not immediately, but inevitably.

Publishers who scale successfully pay attention to:

• Tasks they consistently avoid
• Formats that drain more than they return
• Initiatives maintained out of fear instead of value

One of the biggest scaling mistakes isn’t pivoting too fast. It’s waiting too long.

Action:
Audit where your energy goes each week.
If something consistently drains momentum without driving results, it’s a candidate for change or removal.

Step 4: Delegate to Protect Momentum, Not Just Output

Eventually, effort stops being a bottleneck, and energy becomes the constraint.

Five-minute tasks pile up and compound into hours. Small responsibilities stack and quietly erode strategic focus.

At a certain point, scaling requires a mindset shift: if a task doesn’t require your judgment, voice, or expertise, it’s probably a good candidate for offloading.

Delegation isn’t about doing less. It’s about preserving capacity for decisions that actually move the business forward.

Action:
Start with one recurring task that:

• Happens weekly
• Doesn’t require founder-level input
• Interrupts higher-value work

Offload it completely.

Step 5: Hire for Leverage, Not Cost Control

Hiring is one of the most consequential scaling decisions a publisher makes, and one of the easiest to get wrong.

Cutting corners on critical roles often costs more and creates more work in the long run through increased oversight, corrections, and friction.

Cutting corners on critical roles often costs more due to:

• Increased oversight
• More corrections
• Slower output
• Constant friction

The goal isn’t “cheaper labor.” The goal is to hire effectively.

Effective hiring requires clarity:

• Clear responsibilities
• Documented processes
• Defined outcomes

Without that, even great talent can get stuck.

Action:
Before hiring, answer three questions:

1. What outcome does this role own?
2. How will success be measured?
3. What processes already exist to support them?

If you can’t answer those, you’re not ready to hire yet. Focus on stabilizing the system first.

Step 6: Diversify Only After Trust Is Established

Diversification isn’t a rescue strategy, but a trust exercise.

New revenue streams work best when audiences already:

• Understand your value and what you do
• Trust your perspective
• Feel invested in your success

Adding products, subscriptions, or platforms without that foundation often creates noise instead of growth.

Action:
Before diversifying, strengthen the connection:

• Increase founder visibility
• Clarify why monetization exists
• Reinforce the value readers already rely on

When trust is high, diversification becomes additive, not distracting.

Step 7: Make the Business More Human, Not More Abstract

Technology is accelerating, AI is reshaping discovery, and platforms will continue to change.

What doesn’t scale automatically is trust.

Publishers who stay visible, who put real perspective, experience, and voice into their content, build something defensible that algorithms can’t replicate.

Because people don’t advocate for brands, they advocate for people they trust.

Action:
Audit your content presence:

• Is it clear there’s a real decision-maker behind it?
• Does your audience know why you make the choices you do?
  

Visibility compounds trust. Trust compounds growth.

Step 8: Choose Growth That Strengthens the Relationship

Not all revenue is good revenue.

Every monetization decision signals priorities to your audience. Growth that undermines trust weakens your business, even if short-term numbers improve.

The strongest publishers scale by expanding impact first. Revenue follows.

Action:
Pressure-test new opportunities with one question: does this strengthen or strain the relationship with our audience?

If the answer isn’t clear, pause.

Scale What’s Proven, Not What’s Trending

Effective scaling doesn’t require reinvention. It requires discipline.

The publishers who grow strongest over time tend to:

• Protect what works
• Evolve intentionally
• Make decisions grounded in trust, not urgency

Scaling isn’t about becoming something new; it’s about reinforcing what already earns attention, loyalty, and results.

That’s how publishing businesses grow bigger and better at the same time.

FAQ: Scaling Your Business in Today’s Creator Economy

What is the first sign it’s time to scale?
When other people depend on your work, not just when revenue increases.

How do I know when to pivot?
When burnout sets in, results stagnate, or you’re maintaining something out of fear instead of value.

Should I hire a contractor or an employee first?
Contractors are best for defined tasks. Employees are better when you need long-term investment and ownership.

Is diversification required to survive?
Not immediately, but audience trust is. Diversification works best when your audience wants to support you.

How important is personal branding now?
Critical. Audiences want proof there’s a real human behind the content.

Does scaling always mean growing a team?
No. It means growing intentionally. Sometimes staying small is the smartest move.

About the author

The Mediavine Team

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The Mediavine Difference

You build the content that defines industries. We build the monetization that powers it.

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• Mediavine

The GEO Playbook for Publishers

4 min read

•

The Mediavine Team

•

January 26, 2026

AI search isn’t a trend to watch. It’s the operating system publishers are building on now.

Discovery no longer starts with ten blue links. It starts with an answer synthesized, summarized, and shaped by AI systems deciding which sources deserve to be trusted.

If your content isn’t shaping those answers, you’re invisible in the moments that matter. Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is how publishers take control of that shift. Not someday, but right now.

At MVCon 2025, Evertune‘s Jaclyn Ranere laid out how GEO is reshaping discovery and why publishers who move now will influence how AI systems determine what gets surfaced. This guide focuses on execution: what to change, where to start, and how to build authority in the new space of AI-driven discovery.

1. Reset the Goal: Optimize for Influence, Not Clicks

Action: Audit your content strategy against one question: Would an AI system reuse this?

SEO trained publishers to chase rankings. GEO rewards publishers who shape conclusions.

AI systems don’t rank pages; they assemble answers. That means:

• Authority beats volume
• Clarity beats cleverness
• Consistency beats one-off wins

What to do this week:

• Identify your top 20 pages by traffic and engagement
• Flag the ones that don’t state a takeaway in the first two sentences
• Rewrite the introductions that don’t

If the point isn’t obvious immediately, AI won’t wait to find it.

2. Make Your Content Easy to Extract

AI systems favor content they can confidently reuse.

Action: Reformat for extractability.

Every high-performing page should include:

• A direct conclusion up top
• Clear subheads framed as real questions
• Lists, tables, or steps in every major section
• FAQs written in natural language

Quick checklist:

• Can this page be summarized without losing accuracy?
• Are key points stated declaratively, not implied?
• Could a list replace a paragraph?

Structure isn’t decoration. It’s how AI decides what’s usable.

3. Upgrade What Already Works

You don’t need new ideas. You need sharper execution.

Action: Optimize existing winners before creating new content.

Start with content that already:

• Ranks on page one
• Drives meaningful time on page
• Serves a clear audience need

Then make it AI-ready:

• Update examples and data
• Add a “bottom line” section
• Break dense blocks into scannable sections
• Insert comparison tables or summaries

Rule: Recency signals credibility. Structure signals usefulness. Repetition across pages signals authority.

4. Build Topic Authority, Not Topic Sprawl

AI systems trust specialists.

Action: Narrow your focus and deepen coverage.

Choose 1–3 core topics where you can be definitive. Then build clusters around:

• Core problems your audience is solving
• Supporting questions and edge cases
• Comparisons and alternatives
• Objections and tradeoffs

What to stop doing:

• Chasing adjacent topics for volume
• Publishing thin “trend” content
• Covering everything at the surface level

Depth compounds. Generalization dilutes.

5. Treat Guest Publishing as Visibility Infrastructure

Links still matter. Mentions matter more.

Action: Shift guest content goals from backlinks to reinforcement.

AI systems learn through repetition across credible sources. When your perspective shows up consistently, it becomes trusted knowledge.

How to execute:

• Pitch opinionated, authoritative POVs
• Repeat your core framework across outlets
• Align language and conclusions with your on-site content

One article is exposure. Ten consistent mentions is authority.

6. Lead with Confidence, AI Is Listening

AI evaluates sentiment, certainty, and clarity.

Action: Remove hedging language.

Replace:

• “It depends” → “In most cases, the best approach is…”
• “You might consider” → “The most effective option is…”

This isn’t about exaggeration. It’s about leadership.

If your content sounds unsure, AI will look elsewhere.

7. Align GEO With Brand Opportunity

Brands are paying attention to how AI describes them, and who shapes that narrative.

Action: Position your publication as a source of understanding, not just exposure.

Publish content that:

• Defines categories
• Compares solutions
• Explains tradeoffs
• Sets standards

This is where publishers gain leverage. Authority travels further than traffic.

8. A 90-Day GEO Execution Plan

Month 1: Measure & Diagnose

• Identify where your site already appears in AI answers
• Track competitors shaping the same topics
• Audit top content for clarity and structure

Month 2: Optimize What Exists

• Update evergreen posts
• Add lists, FAQs, and summaries
• Strengthen introductions and conclusions

Month 3: Publish With Intent

• Create an AI-first list and comparison content
• Focus on core topics only
• Reinforce the same frameworks across pages

Progress comes from precision, not volume.

GEO vs. SEO: What It Actually Looks Like

SEO-style intro (too slow for AI):
“Finding the right foundation can feel overwhelming, especially with so many finishes, formulas, and shade options available. In this post, we’ll break down what to look for and share our top picks.”

GEO-style intro (usable immediately):
“For most people, the best everyday foundation is a lightweight, buildable formula with a natural finish—it looks like skin, wears well, and works across most skin types. Here are the best foundations by skin type, plus top picks for acne-prone skin, dry patches, and long wear.”

If the takeaway doesn’t show up fast, AI won’t dig for it.

Bottom Line

Publishers aren’t being replaced by AI. They’re being filtered. Those who adapt now won’t just survive the shift, they’ll define it.

GEO isn’t about chasing algorithms. It’s about building authority that systems trust, reuse, and amplify.

That’s the advantage publishers still own, if they act on it.

FAQ

Is GEO replacing SEO for publishers?
No. GEO complements SEO by optimizing content for AI inclusion rather than clicks alone.

Does AI penalize duplicate content?
Not yet, but originality already performs better and will matter more over time.

Is recency important for AI search?
Yes. Updates signal relevance and reliability.

Do lists and FAQs really help?
Yes. They make content easier for AI systems to extract and summarize.

Can smaller publishers compete?
Yes. Focused publishers with clear authority can move quickly and stand out.

Does AI take into account images?
To an extent, yes. You want to ensure the ALT tags are clear because they matter.

About the author

The Mediavine Team

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• Mediavine

The Future of Digital Advertising: Fewer Ads. Bigger Returns

4 min read

•

The Mediavine Team

•

December 12, 2025

For years, digital advertising has been defined by one thing: more. More placements. More impressions. More clutter. But as advertisers and brands know all too well, more doesn’t always mean better results.

The industry is shifting toward smarter allocation, cleaner supply, and better outcomes. And Mediavine’s proprietary solution, Optimized Ad Experience, is leading the way.

The Shift from Quantity to Quality

Advertisers have long asked for it. Publishers have long needed it. Audiences have long deserved it. With the Optimized Ad Experience, we’ve reimagined digital advertising to prove that fewer in-content ads can actually drive more meaningful impact.

By strategically reducing low-value placements across desktop and mobile, we’re reducing clutter and speeding up page loads. The result? A cleaner, more enjoyable experience for audiences — and higher-impact inventory for advertisers.

Why It Works

High-Performing, Premium Supply

OAE inventory consistently outperforms standard supply across viewability, engagement, and attention. Higher bid density and stronger yield result in better campaign outcomes.

Stronger Market Differentiation

Cleaner ad experiences lead to higher-quality signals, more accurate attribution, and improved conversion effectiveness, which are the things that actually move the needle for advertisers.

More Efficient Marketplaces

Reducing low-value impressions sharpens competition, strengthens CPMs, and enhances overall auction performance.

Brand-Safe and Trusted

Every OAE impression comes from verified, brand-safe environments. Advertisers can invest confidently knowing they’re reaching premium audiences through transparent, high-quality inventory.

The Proof is in the Performance

The outcome is undeniable for advertisers: cleaner experiences, stronger campaign performance, and lasting brand impact.

• +13.9% average lift in site viewability (Mediavine internal data)
• +25.7% DSP-measured attribution lift vs. non-OAE Mediavine sites (Jounce, 90-day conversion data)
• Bellwether Inventory Classification: OAE-enabled Mediavine sites rank in Jounce’s top-performing tier for Ad Load, Traffic Stability, and Conversion Effectiveness.

Earth.com and Sweet and Savory Meals decreased in-content ads by nearly 26% and saw site-wide viewability increase roughly 9% and 4%, respectively.

“The day after I enabled [Optimized Ad Experience], … viewability was up 7% … and readers were seeing 20% fewer in-content ads.”

— Julia Jordan, juliassimplysouthern.com

Publisher Impact = Better Supply Performance

Publishers using OAE report higher engagement, longer sessions, and improved viewability. That better user experience translates directly to more engaged audiences — and more powerful results for advertisers.

“I’m seeing higher revenue and happier readers. More money and better experiences — it’s a win-win.”

— Lori Monte, The Kitchen Whisperer

The Bottom Line

The Optimized Ad Experience proves what advertisers have long believed. Few ads can deliver bigger returns. It’s a win for publishers, a win for advertisers, and a win for audiences. 

Partner with Mediavine to deliver high-quality inventory, better performance, and happier advertisers. 

Ready to see what Mediavine’s Optimized Ad Experience can do for your campaigns? Let’s talk!

About the author

The Mediavine Team

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• Mediavine

Meet the New Mediavine Dashboard

The Mediavine Team

•

November 6, 2025

One login. Every Feature.

Your business has evolved— and so has the Mediavine Dashboard. That’s why we’ve redesigned the Mediavine Dashboard from the ground up. To make it easier to navigate, understand your data, and take meaningful action. It’s your one-stop shop for managing your business.

This is as much a new dashboard as it is a better one, rebuilt for the way you actually work.

What’s New

• A new home page: Your new welcome page presents key insights immediately upon login; no extra clicks required.
• Updated Analytics: Visually compare your key metrics, view trends for your top pages, and dive into performance.
• Streamlined Navigation: Cleaner menus and consistent layouts mean less digging and more doing. Everything you use most is right where you need it.
• Publisher To-Dos: Your personalized To-Do List highlights what needs attention, from missing policies to setup improvements, so you can keep your site in top shape.

“The new dashboard feels clean, modern, and easy to navigate. I love seeing my key metrics right away and being able to dig deeper when I want.”

– Lindsey B., Mediavine Publisher

Why You’ll Love It

• Refreshed settings. We reorganized settings so you can quickly find and adjust what matters most. 
• Optimized for mobile. Fully responsive, lightning-fast, and designed for on-the-go publishers. Manage your sites from your phone without compromise.
• Intuitive analytics. Clear visuals and simplified design help you spot trends and take action faster.
• Built for what’s ahead. With a flexible foundation that supports continuous innovation, the new dashboard adapts as your business and goals evolve.

“Overall, it’s a great experience. It looks good, performs fast, and gives me confidence in the data I’m seeing.”

– Jon D., Mediavine Publisher

Where to Start

When you log in, you’ll land on a personalized Welcome Page with a To-Do list designed to help you understand performance and earnings. You’ll also see a video walkthrough of what’s new and a snapshot of your site’s key insights.

Head into Analytics to explore your data or Settings to customize your setup. You’ll notice Payments has moved — now easier to find in the side navigation. If you ever need help, you can access the Help Center or connect with other publishers right from your dashboard.

Built with Your Feedback

Publisher input shaped this redesign, and will continue to shape what comes next.

“The updates feel like they were designed for publishers. It’s clear Mediavine listens to our feedback.”

– Lindsey B., Mediavine Publisher

From early beta testers to MVCon sessions, your feedback has guided and will continue to guide each improvement.

Ready to See It in Action?

Your new dashboard is live. Log in now to experience a faster, simpler, and more connected way to manage your publishing business.

Log in now: https://publishers.mediavine.com.

About the author

The Mediavine Team

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• Mediavine

Create Has a New Home — and Exciting Updates Ahead

The Mediavine Team

•

October 30, 2025

Since its launch in 2018, the Create WordPress plugin has helped thousands of publishers display recipes, how-tos, craft tutorials, and travel guides — all while keeping speed, SEO, and reader experience front and center.

From the beginning, Create has been a tool built with publishers in mind. And today, we’re thrilled to share some exciting news about its next chapter.

Create’s Next Chapter: Led by a Familiar Face

Create has been acquired by John-Michael (JM) L’Allier, one of the original engineers who helped build the plugin from the ground up.

JM has been part of the Mediavine team since 2018 and played a key role in shaping Create’s technology and features. Under JM’s leadership, Create is entering a new phase of active development focused on essential updates, smarter features, and long-term stability.

“Over 7,000 creators still use Create on their sites,” JM shared.
“As one of the engineers who helped build Create, I’m excited to make it better than it’s ever been.”

What This Means for Current Create Users

No action required. Your Create plugin will continue working just as it always has. All existing Create cards have already been successfully transitioned, and you’ll still be able to create new cards without any changes to your process.

Improvements ahead. JM is preparing to launch Create 2.0, which will introduce exciting new features like serving adjustments, unit conversions, review replies, and more.

Still free. Create will remain free for all users, with new, sustainable ways to support ongoing improvements.

Looking Ahead

JM is passionate about building tools that simplify workflows, enhance reader engagement, and empower creators to grow. Under his leadership, Create will continue to evolve with the needs of today’s content landscape.

All future updates, support, and product news will come directly from JM and the new Create team. You can visit their site or reach out at support@create.studio. 

As always, Mediavine remains dedicated to helping publishers thrive through ad monetization. We’re confident that Create’s next chapter will bring even more opportunities for creators — and we can’t wait to see where it goes from here.

Thank you for being part of the Create story — past, present, and future.

— The Mediavine Team

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The Mediavine Team

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• Mediavine

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with Community, Heart, and Flavor

The Mediavine Team

•

October 14, 2025

Hispanic Heritage Month gives us an opportunity to celebrate the cultures, histories, and contributions of the Hispanic and Latin American communities. This celebration feels especially meaningful as so many of our publishers share their culture through food. 

This year, the Mediavine team came together to honor Hispanic Heritage Month by cooking dishes from some of our incredible Mediavine publishers. Their work brings these rich culinary traditions to life every day.

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Spotlighting 5 Incredible Publishers

We’re proud to highlight five talented publishers whose recipes and stories celebrate the diversity and vibrancy of Hispanic cuisine:

• Chilean Food & Garden by Pilar Hernandez celebrates the flavors of Chile by recreating traditional Chilean dishes, substituting ingredients with those commonly found in local US supermarkets.
  
• Tasty AZ brings bold, flavorful Latin-infused dishes to home cooks everywhere. Isabel Byfield shares both authentic Colombian recipes and reviews of restaurants she encounters while traveling, so readers can discover new favorites.
  
• Chicano Eats blends traditional Mexican recipes with modern Californian flair. Esteban Castillo, a queer Mexican-American, invites readers to experience un pedacito de mi cultura or “a little piece of my culture” and its traditions through food!
  
• Salima’s Kitchen by Salima Benkhalti shares approachable, spice-forward recipes, designed to come together in about 30 minutes, including favorites inspired by her Puerto Rican and Moroccan roots.
  
• Dora’s Table is a collection of vegan Mexican recipes, bringing a plant-based emphasis to recipes rooted in family, culture, and tradition. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Dora Ramirez is passionate about teaching others the benefits of a plant-based lifestyle. 
  

Each of these publishers shares more than just recipes — they share stories of heritage, home, and the joy of cooking for community.

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Connecting in the Kitchen

Members of the Mediavine team rolled up their sleeves to recreate these dishes in their own kitchens, ranging from homemade empanadas to vegan enchiladas. As they tried and tasted our publishers’ recipes, they not only enjoyed the flavor but also developed a deeper appreciation for the cultures represented across our publisher network.

And because celebrations are more meaningful with a strong community, we partnered with the ASPIRA Association:

For every five team submissions, Mediavine donated $100 to the ASPIRA Association, an organization empowering Hispanic youth through education, leadership, and civic engagement.

Together, our community strived to make a difference while connecting over cuisine. 

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Celebrating Culture Through Community

At Mediavine, our publishers are at the heart of everything we do, and their stories are what make this network so special. Hispanic Heritage Month reminds us that the recipes we share, the stories we tell, and the communities we build all reflect the diversity and richness that drive our collective success.

To everyone who cooked, shared, and celebrated with us: thank you.

Just a few of our favorite recreations below! Join us in celebrating Hispanic heritage — today and every day.

Ready to discover more?
Follow our featured publishers for more incredible recipes and stories that honor culture, creativity, and connection.

About the author

The Mediavine Team

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