In the battle for ad revenue, publishers love to define themselves as premium. The word implies quality content, a reliable user experience, and a distinct brand identity that sets them apart from MFA (made-for-advertising) junk sites. But who calls the shots when it comes to the premium publisher label? Where is the line between good and premium? Read on to find out.
What are Made-for-advertising websites?
Made-for-advertising (MFA) websites are a growing concern in the digital advertising landscape. These sites, primarily created to generate ad revenue, often feature low-quality or even scraped content, intrusive ad placements, and questionable user experiences. While they may offer advertisers seemingly cheap impressions and clicks, the lack of genuine engagement and brand safety concerns pose significant risks. For publishers, MFAs devalue the entire ecosystem by driving down ad rates and diverting ad spend away from legitimate, high-quality content creators. Overall, MFAs are detrimental to both advertisers and publishers, undermining the integrity of the digital advertising industry.
After the cookie
As with all things advertising, the third-party cookie (or rather its demise) comes into play. After more than a decade of selling audiences, the industry is now reshaping around selling access to premium environments. Think logged-in users, first-party data, and loyal subscribers. In that sense, a premium publisher could be defined as one that builds an identifiable brand and community where users spend time and attention. Users gravitate to high-quality content (which is more expensive to produce than junk) and strong brands (which take time and conscious effort to create).
The value of trust
Another aspect of premium is trust and brand safety. A recent scathing article by Steven Brill highlights how many large consumer brands unwittingly advertise on sites promoting dis-and-misinformation, due to opaque programmatic supply chains. With increasingly vocal and activist consumers, brands simply can’t afford to keep buying inventory from these untrustworthy sites. Premium publishers and premium inventory are the antidote.
Experience first
A great indicator of quality publishing is UX that is designed with the actual user in mind, not just maximising ad space and lead generation. The age of intrusive pop-ups is over, and messy crowded websites won’t survive a battle with AI summaries and quick, clear answers. Check out the examples below to compare the layout of a premium publisher vs a junk site. Users aren’t stupid, and they know the difference.
Don’t cut corners
Along with UX, the quality of visual assets is hugely important. While access to low-cost AI tools means that anyone can create a large quantity of mediocre imagery, premium publishers distinguish themselves by maintaining consistent design philosophy, high-res photography and branded assets. Cutting corners on quality is a short-term strategy with long-term negative consequences.
Several years ago, Digiday posed this same question to leading publishers. Paul Rossi, then-President of The Economist Group, said: “I don’t believe consumers think in terms of a publisher being “premium.” If there is a definition, I think it relates to the commitment a consumer gives to a publisher. Today with more and more media consumption across multiple platforms that commitment is not just money, it’s time… the focus should be on the content from publisher brands that audiences spend a disproportionate amount of time with and advocate for.”
Fundamentally, a premium publisher isn’t just about flashy ad placements or impressive traffic numbers—it’s about delivering exceptional content tailored to a genuine human audience. While seemingly simple, in an increasingly saturated market rife with low-quality content and misleading tactics, this commitment to quality, brand development, and the cultivation of meaningful relationships with actual readers sets premium publishers apart. Such publishers understand that fostering a loyal and engaged readership is the foundation of a sustainable business model that benefits both the publisher and their advertising partners.
Check out some examples below!
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The Atlantic, a premium publisher.
Astrology Daily, an MFA site. Note the clunky layout and overexposure of advertising.
