How Valnet Supercharged Gaming Campaign Performance with CPMStar’s High-Impact Ad Units

Valnet, a digital media powerhouse operating over 27 authoritative brands, including TheGamer and GameRant, reaches more than 3 billion monthly impressions across entertainment, gaming, lifestyle, and tech verticals. With deep expertise in programmatic monetization, Valnet sought a reliable partner to support direct IO campaigns, particularly those focused on performance marketing and player acquisition.

The Opportunity

Valnet primarily monetizes through programmatic channels, and its internal sales team focuses on medium-to large-scale brand campaigns from mid-market and top-tier companies. However, performance-driven and lower-funnel advertiser opportunities—especially from mid-market gaming clients—required scalable support without compromising on results.

While Valnet’s sales team manages numerous direct advertiser relationships, they also rely on trusted third-party partners, such as CPMStar, to fill gaps for specific niche opportunities. The challenge was to effectively activate these opportunities while maintaining the high engagement and performance standards that Valnet is known for.

The Approach

Already integrated with CPMStar through header bidding, Valnet extended their partnership to include direct IO campaigns. This unlocked new revenue opportunities, with CPMStar bringing in campaigns that aligned well with Valnet’s gaming audience while also offering premium placements unavailable on the open market.

Outstream Video Campaigns

For MMORPG and Action RPG game titles, CPMStar leveraged outstream video placements across Valnet’s gaming properties. Thanks to highly engaged users and smart placement strategies, Valnet achieved:

• 90% video completion rate for an MMORPG game launch
• 70% video completion rate for an Action RPG game update

Premium Skins Campaigns

To promote both game launches and updates, CPMStar deployed high-impact Premium Skins—ad formats reserved for Valnet’s most valuable real estate:

MMO/RPG Game Launch

• GameRant.com: 1.32% CTR
• TheGamer.com: 1.26% CTR

Hack and Slash Action RPG Game Update

• GameRant.com: 0.84% CTR
• TheGamer.com: 1.23% CTR

These results far exceeded typical CTR benchmarks for the industry, thanks to 100% viewable placements and user affinity for the gaming genre.

The Results

By partnering with CPMStar and utilizing Valnet’s high-impact and video units, we were able to:

• Fill performance-focused direct campaigns without taxing their internal sales team
• Deliver CTRs up to 10x higher than standard units
• Achieve exceptional video completion rates—with up to 90% VCR
• Unlock new revenue streams while maintaining high user experience standards

Client Feedback

"CPMStar’s great technical support, high-impact units, and ease of execution make them an ideal partner. Their ability to bring in campaigns that fit our audience and deliver on performance KPIs helps us scale without sacrificing quality."

Key Takeaway

By extending their relationship with CPMStar beyond header bidding, Valnet unlocked new opportunities to monetize their gaming properties with high-performing, direct-sold campaigns. From outstream video to premium skin placements, CPMStar helped Valnet deliver incredible results for gaming advertisers, boosting campaign performance and revenue in the process.