Google has just announced it will discontinue a number of features of its DoubleClick Ad Planner on September 5, 2012. Among the changes, Google is dropping “domains or ad placements that are not part of the Google Display Network (GDN).”
Some are unhappy with these changes because they’ll no longer be able to use the tool for direct sold premium placements. These placements are outside the GDN and still comprise the majority of online display media spending today.
That’s the bad news. The good news is there are alternatives to help you through the transition.
For non-GDN site and placement information, you can use the IAB Digital Advertising Directory. It’s a free tool with virtually all the top sites indexed found here: http://directory.iab.net/ You can also use free tools from Alexa, Compete, and Quantcast for site discovery.
As an alternative to Ad Planner’s phased out “Publisher Center,” publishers can create and maintain their own listings in the directory with NextMark’s Data Card Publisher – also a free tool found here: http://nextmark.com/media-sales/publisher/
Finally, if you need a new way to create media plans, you can use NextMark’s new Digital Media Planner. It’s a low cost and easy-to-use alternative for non-GDN sites and placements. It’s currently in private beta, but you can get free access here: http://nextmark.com/dmp