

Ask HN: Can AdMob (or any other ad network) be used for Desktop Apps? - soapdog

Hello HNers,<p>I am building cross-platform software that works in the desktop (mac &#38; windows) and mobile (iOS &#38; Android). I am thinking about making it ad supported but while we have a lot of solutions for mobile, I could not found any solution for the Desktop. I am thinking about using AdMob and loading its web code in a little webview in the program. This would work on both mobile and desktop but I don't know if it is allowed. Anyone knows better?<p>Any developer using some Ad solution for the Desktop? Anyone knows if loading the web code in a web view inside a program is allowed? (I don't see any info about this in their terms)<p>I know this is not a coding question but a developer strategy question. As many developers look forward to create multiple sources of income, I'd like to know more about what developers here are using for servings ads in mobile and desktop space.<p>cheers andre
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patio11
Most advertising providers I am aware of, including the biggie (Google),
specifically prohibit this because of widespread misuse of it in the late 90s
and early 2000s. Specifically, bad actors frequently distributed malware with
unwanted advertising or, even better, malware with invisible advertising which
used user behavior to simulate realistic-looking patterns of clicks.

There exist ways to get paid money for installing desktop applications. In
case the above paragraph wasn't enough of a clue, you don't want to be
associated with them.

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gyardley
I doubt any mobile ad network will tolerate this - it sounds technically
possible, but they'll catch you and boot you. The advertisers are buying
mobile inventory, not desktop app inventory. If you do this, you'll likely
need two different ad providers, one for mobile and one for desktop.

The hard part will be finding an ad provider willing to do desktop apps at all
without getting into something sleazy like toolbar bundling (aka peddling
spyware). I know BuySellAds launched a solution but don't know about its
quality. The Deck Network and Fusion Ads are both willing to put ads in
desktop apps but are very picky about publishers. Microsoft's done some
experimenting but I don't know if they have a real product here.

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toddynho
We have a Cocoa framework: <http://buysellads.com/sell/developer>

However, it's not incredibly popular in the sense that we have 100's of
desktop apps using it. We do have some that use it successfully though. And
it's mainly used as a way to help get people into the paid versions of their
apps, by putting ads in the free version :)

Anyhow, just wanted to point out that at BSA, putting ads in a desktop app is
OK with us.

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braindead_in
I don't know about AdMob, but AdSense and others prohibit the ad URL being
opened in another tab in their TOS. Basically when the ad is clicked the user
should be led straight to the advertiser's site in the same browser
window/session. That can become an issue if you're using a web view.

CPM based ads might work better.

