Celebrate Diverse Independent Publishers: Opt In To Uplift Today

By now, you’ve probably heard some chatter about the exciting initiatives of our newly-formed Social Impact department. You might have even seen a press release or two about something called Uplift by Mediavine.

If you’ve been scouring the internet trying to figure out what Uplift actually is, you’re not alone. And we’re here to help!

What Is Uplift?

Uplift is our commitment to being champions of change in places where equitable representations of marginalized communities are lacking. Through events, education and our programmatic marketplace, Mediavine’s goal is to put more dollars into the pockets of diverse creators to make the world a more equitable place.

Why Did We Create Uplift?

When the universe puts you in a place of privilege, the best use of that advantage is to lift others along with you, and that’s what Uplift is all about. Mediavine cares deeply about allyship, fighting racism and finding equity in every aspect of life, and we know that when we join forces with our publishers we’re in a place to advocate for that in the ad tech industry.

While we have already worked hard at promoting our values internally, we recently learned from an independent industry report that Mediavine represents 77% of the sites owned by diverse publishers vetted by the study.

Since 2020, we have been increasing our efforts to use our voice externally to ensure that the publishers mentioned in that study —  and all of our publishers — know exactly where we stand. With you. Side-by-side in an effort to make the ad industry more equitable and inclusive.

Why is Uplift so Important?

As a voice for independent content creators, we want to ensure our industry pays attention to and understands the importance of diversity in site owners and their curated, engaged audiences. It is crucial that we support independent content creators and preserve an internet that is filled with varying perspectives and life experiences. We know that we have a platform to create space for solution-based conversations that address inherent problems like biased algorithms and advertiser blocklists. 

Media buying can make it easy for people to become numbers, meaning diverse creators are often overlooked and underrepresented.  Here at Mediavine, we not only know that these creators exist, but above all, we’re working to ensure all publishers are given equitable opportunities to build sustainable businesses. 

How Can I Opt In to Uplift?

It is simple — if you previously self-identified through our Influencer Marketing section of the Dashboard, you are already opted in! Data previously shared with us will continue to be used to bring direct deals to self-identified publishers. 

To verify that you have opted in, or to opt out of Uplift, visit the Uplift section of the Dashboard.

If you opted in to our Influencer Marketing program, double-check that your selections are still correct as we’ve recently made some updates to the Dashboard. For instance, publishers who have previously identified as “multiple ethnicities” will need to update their identification to select one or more of the available options.

Why Should You Self-Identify? 

Self-identifying is important in order to make your site eligible for Uplift. As you read this, advertisers the world over are creating budgets aimed at providing equity in their ad spend, but they have to know who you are in order to dedicate any of that money to being spent on your site and reaching your audience.

We know some of this information can be sensitive and want to be clear, no Mediavine publisher is required to self-identify. If you choose to self-identify, the information will not be used for anything beyond bringing your site more ad-spend opportunities.

If you have any questions about Uplift or self-identifying in the Mediavine Dashboard, we’re here to help.