What is a makegood in advertising?
When publishers owe a makegood, how it is usually settled, and how better planning and data keep makegoods rare.
Written by Samhub with the help of AI·Updated 13 Oct 2026·3 min readA makegood is compensation a publisher gives an advertiser when a campaign does not deliver what was sold, usually as free extra ad placements rather than money back.
When a makegood is due
Under-delivery
Fewer impressions or less reach than the insertion order promised.
Wrong placement or timing
The ad ran in the wrong section, format or period.
Technical errors
Broken creatives, missing tracking or an ad that did not show.
Missed targets
Guaranteed audience or viewability levels were not reached.
How makegoods are usually settled
Most makegoods are extra impressions in a similar placement, run soon after the campaign. The terms are often set in the insertion order, so both sides know what happens if delivery falls short.
16 pages for publishers, with a checklist for data, programmatic and direct sales.
How to avoid makegoods
Sell what you can deliver. Forecast inventory per audience before you book, monitor delivery during the campaign, and report afterwards. When reach is planned from real audience data, delivery matches the promise.
More ad sales with data at Stampen Media, using Samhub.
Frequently asked questions
No. A makegood is usually extra delivery, not money back, though some contracts allow a credit instead.
It is agreed between publisher and advertiser, often following terms in the insertion order.
Mostly to guaranteed deals. Open auction and PMP buys have no promised volume.
Track delivery against the plan daily during the campaign and adjust targeting or placements in time.
Related terms
The signed order for a direct ad campaign.
Choosing channels, audiences and budget for a campaign.
Your list prices for ad formats and packages.
The team that sets up, runs and reports campaigns.
Plan, report and validate campaigns on your own audience data, and win back direct deals.
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