Case Study

FUNKE Digital Increases RPM by Over 50% with Outbrain’s Optimization Engine

52%Increase in RPM

47%Increase in Paid CTR

Introduction

The digital heart of the FUNKE Media Group, FUNKE Digital is a pioneer in the online publishing space.

The Challenge

Since collaborating with Outbrain in 2017, FUNKE Digital has achieved a three-digit percentage revenue growth each year. In addition to effectively monetizing its site, FUNKE also grew its organic click-through rates by 69%.

FUNKE was the first media company in Germany to introduce Outbrain‘s in-feed and in-article placements. FUNKE was also one of the first publishers in Germany to implement Smartfeed, a customizable and personalized feed allowing for unlimited discovery on the open web. Thanks to its innovative technology implementations, FUNKE Digital has been able to achieve impressive revenue growth.

The Solution

To increase revenue on existing ad space, FUNKE used Outbrain’s Optimization Engine. Outbrain‘s technology automates the visual design of native recommendations based on different user groups. For example, the format of an image or the size and color of a headline changes dynamically for certain user groups. FUNKE Digital first tested the optimization of in-article placements on Google AMP pages.

Quotes Icon

Outbrain‘s optimization technology is an excellent lever to increase revenue on existing native inventory. Instead of forcing consumer attention with intrusive ad formats, we can adapt the look and feel of our Native ads to our users’ preferences. We were able to improve the user experience, which is reflected by the higher CTR. The automatic optimizations are also an important step to enable a true personalized experience for our users on our website.”

– Dennis Burow, Manager Monetization & Revenue Growth, FUNKE Digital

FUNKE Digital Increases RPM by Over 50% with Outbrain’s Optimization Engine