Microsoft launches pubCenter, a Google competitor for small publishers

Microsoft this week announced the launch of pubCenter, a new ad platform designed for small publishers monetize their websites. A competitor of Google AdSense.

AdSense is a free Google program that allows website publishers to earn money by displaying ads on their websites. Advertisers pay Google to display their ads on AdSense publisher websites, and Google shares a portion of that revenue with the publishers.

The new Microsoft pubCenter is currently in pilot release in the United States, with global availability planned for the coming months.

Microsoft pubCenter is a code-on-page ad solution that makes it easy for businesses to get started with programmatic advertising. Businesses need to sign up for an account and place a single piece of code on their website. Microsoft pubCenter will then serve ads from the Microsoft Advertising Network, which includes advertisers from both Microsoft Invest (ex-Xandr/AppNexus) and the Microsoft Advertising Platform.

Microsoft pubCenter offers

• Flexible mediation: Businesses can use Microsoft pubCenter ads in the same units with Google AdSense, and Microsoft will only serve its ads when it can predict a higher bid.
• Control over ad placement: Businesses have the flexibility to decide how many ads go on their site and where they are placed.
• High-quality ads: Microsoft pubCenter serves ads that are relevant to the content on the business's website and the interests of its visitors.
• No sign-up costs or revenue minimums: Businesses can start using Microsoft pubCenter with no sign-up costs, revenue minimums, or volume requirements.

Microsoft pubCenter is an alternative to AdSense

Small publishers often report difficulty to join AdSense. There are a number of reasons why publishers might get disapproved for AdSense:

• Content quality issues: AdSense publishers must provide high-quality content that is original and informative. Content that is thin, copied, or spammy will not be approved for AdSense.
• Traffic quality issues: Publishers who use artificial means to generate traffic, such as paid-to-click programs or bots, will not be approved for AdSense.
• Policy violations: AdSense publishers must comply with all of Google's policies, including the AdSense Terms of Service and the Program Policies. 

Some examples of content or practices that can lead to AdSense disapproval:

• Copyright infringement: AdSense publishers are not allowed to use copyrighted content on their websites without permission. This includes text, images, videos, and music.
• Malicious content: AdSense publishers are not allowed to display malicious content on their websites, such as malware,phishing scams, and spam.
• Hate speech and violence: AdSense publishers are not allowed to display content that promotes hate speech, violence, or discrimination.
• Adult content: AdSense publishers are not allowed to display sexually explicit content on their websites.
• Illegal activity: AdSense publishers are not allowed to promote illegal activity on their websites, such as gambling, drugs,or weapons.