What Is Google MCM? Multiple Customer Management Explained

If you have researched AdX access, you have run into the acronym MCM. Google's MCM overview explains that it stands for Multiple Customer Management, the official framework that lets one company manage ads for another.

The basic idea

Google describes MCM as a feature that lets parent publishers manage inventory and accounts for child publishers. The parent is usually an ad tech company or monetization partner. The child is the website owner. The parent sends an invitation, the child accepts it, and Google records the relationship.

MCM is an Ad Manager 360 capability, so the parent needs that level of account. The child can be a standard Ad Manager publisher.

Why publishers use MCM

For many independent publishers, applying for AdX directly is not realistic. MCM gives them a supported route to premium programmatic demand through a partner that already has the access, tools and experience. In return, the partner earns a share of revenue.

The two delegation types

MCM relationships come in two forms:

• Manage Account. The parent works inside the child's own Ad Manager network. The child keeps its tags and its settings.
• Manage Inventory. The child delegates inventory to the parent, which monetizes it from the parent's own network using the parent's tags.

How payment works

When payment runs through Google, both sides receive their agreed share automatically. Google says payment information is generally ready around the 15th of each month.

What the child must do

To become an active child publisher, publisher readiness checks require:

• Accepting the invitation within 90 days, or it expires
• Completing identity and address verification
• Account approval

Site approval is reviewed separately and can run in parallel.

Responsibility stays with the publisher

MCM does not move policy responsibility away from the site owner. Google is clear that publishers are ultimately responsible for the traffic on their ads. Choosing a partner that monitors traffic quality protects both sides.

We at SAN1GO help publishers move from AdSense to Google Ad Manager and AdX, then optimize with dynamic floors and header bidding. Is your Ad Manager account verified and free of invalid traffic? Then you can apply for a free MCM account review.