Ad networks provide affiliate marketers the ability to reach numerous merchant offers through a single provider, providing affiliates a centralized login, program comparison features, and unified reporting functions. Advertising networks serve a variety of offers, including not only revenue share, but also pay per lead, pay per click, pay per impression, and other forms of payouts. Ad networks provide affiliate marketers a level of financial security as well, because the ad network manages the financial relationship between all merchants and all affiliates. Since ad networks work with both affiliates and merchants, you get a leg up on your competition. If you are a merchant you get access to a database of affiliates and if you are an affiliate you can choose from prescreened merchants. Most ad networks also facilitate exclusive relationships with specialized merchants, so make sure to take advantage of exclusive network-specific offers wherever possible.