How to Drive Ad Spend with Pay by Invoice and Net Terms

Advertising platforms are at the forefront of empowering businesses to amplify their reach and achieve measurable success. While advanced targeting tools and sophisticated campaign features play a key role in attracting advertisers, payment options are often overlooked as a lever to drive growth. Offering pay by invoice and net terms is a powerful way to enable advertisers—from SMBs to global enterprises—to scale their campaigns and invest more confidently in your platform.

This blog explores how flexible payment solutions like pay by invoice and net terms drive ad spend, elevate the buyer experience, and enable your platform to attract and retain top advertisers.

Unlocking Growth Through Payment Flexibility

For advertisers, access to flexible payment options is more than a convenience—it’s a necessity. According to a report by Forrester, 48% of B2B buyers expect flexible payment options from the buying process. 

Pay by invoice and net terms provide the financial flexibility businesses need to scale their campaigns without being restricted by immediate cash flow limitations. Unlike upfront payments, which require advertisers to allocate funds immediately, these options allow businesses to invest in advertising today while deferring payment until a later date. This approach aligns payments with revenue cycles, offering businesses a practical way to manage their budgets and maximize ad spend.

Key ways pay by invoice and net terms drive ad spend:

1. Increases campaign budgets. Advertisers can commit to larger campaigns knowing they have additional time to settle payments. This allows them to align payment schedules with anticipated revenue and enables growth without disrupting cash flow.
2. Encourages testing and innovation. Flexible payment options like net terms make it easier for advertisers to experiment with new formats, audiences, or regions. This flexibility fosters innovation and increases overall spend.
3. Expands the advertiser base. SMBs and businesses with constrained cash flows can participate in high-value campaigns when immediate payment isn’t required, broadening the pool of advertisers who can afford to use your platform.
4. Strengthens long-term relationships. Offering pay by invoice and net terms signals trust in your advertisers, fostering a sense of partnership. Advertisers are more likely to return to a platform that supports their financial needs, creating opportunities for repeat business and increased spend over time.

By removing financial friction and offering terms that adapt to advertiser needs, pay by invoice and net terms position your platform as a growth enabler for businesses of all sizes.

The Role of Customer Experience in Ad Spend Growth

Advertisers have no shortage of platforms to choose from, making a seamless user experience critical to standing out. Payment processes, in particular, play a significant role in shaping advertiser satisfaction.

Flexible options like pay by invoice and net terms simplify financial management by aligning payments with cash flow cycles or internal approval timelines, reducing the stress of immediate payments. If they are offered with self-service portals, this further enhances the experience, empowering advertisers to manage invoices, credit limits, and payments on their own schedule without unnecessary delays or back-and-forth. 

A frictionless payment experience doesn’t just retain advertisers—it encourages them to scale their investment. Platforms that prioritize buyer experience see higher satisfaction, repeat spend, and deeper advertiser loyalty. In fact, a PwC report revealed that 73% of buyers consider customer experience a key factor in their purchasing decisions.

Strategies to Increase Ad Spend with Pay by Invoice and Net Terms

#1 Offer Customizable Payment Terms

Not all business buyers are the same. Customizing payment terms—such as offering net 30, net 60, or even net 90 days—shows buyers that you understand and respect their unique financial circumstances. This level of flexibility ensures advertisers feel valued and supported, which enhances their experience and encourages greater ad spend. For example, a retailer planning a seasonal campaign might benefit from net 60 terms to align payments with post-season revenue.

#2 Build a Simple and Transparent Credit Approval Process

Nothing frustrates buyers more than a complex, unclear credit approval process. To keep buyers engaged, make the credit approval process straightforward and transparent. Clear guidelines, fast processing, and regular communication help business customers understand what’s required and when they can expect approval, so they can plan their campaigns accordingly.

This clarity not only drives ad spend but also builds trust and retention by simplifying their journey with you. B2B buyers prioritize efficiency and are willing to switch platforms for a better experience. By offering a smooth, well-communicated credit approval experience, you position your business as a reliable partner, which is essential in a competitive advertising market where experience is everything.

#3 Drive Buyer Loyalty with Convenient Payment Methods

In addition to net terms, offering diverse payment options like ACH, wire transfer, or credit cards provides advertisers the freedom to pay in their preferred way. This buyer-first approach reduces the risk of late payments and keeps advertisers in good standing. A seamless and convenient payment experience reinforces loyalty and encourages advertisers to scale their campaigns on your platform. 

#4 Improve the Advertiser Experience with Self-Service

Advertisers increasingly expect self-service capabilities throughout their journey. Self-service tools for managing invoices, payment reminders, and credit limits empower advertisers to handle their finances independently, reducing the need for back-and-forth interactions. According to TrustRadius, 100% of buyers want to self-serve all or part of their buying journey. By offering intuitive self-service options, your platform reduces friction, enhances satisfaction, and encourages advertisers to spend more frequently.

#5 Enable Dynamic Credit Extensions for High-Spending Advertisers

Rewarding loyal advertisers with a history of timely payments by extending their credit limits or offering longer terms can significantly impact ad spend. For example, an enterprise advertiser looking to expand their campaign across multiple markets could be incentivized to increase their investment with the promise of extended terms. Dynamic credit extensions not only show appreciation but also provide the financial flexibility needed for advertisers to plan and execute larger campaigns confidently. 

Building the Infrastructure for Scalable Payment Solutions

To successfully implement pay by invoice and net terms at scale, platforms need a robust operational backbone. Here’s what it takes:

• AI-powered credit risk assessment. Use AI-driven risk management tools to quickly and accurately evaluate buyer creditworthiness, enabling more buyers to qualify for net terms with reduced risk.
• AR automation. Automation of AR functions—such as invoicing and payment reconciliation—supports efficient credit management, allowing you to extend net terms at scale.
• Third-party partnerships. Partnering with providers allows you to offer net terms without bearing credit risk, as they finance transactions and manage risk for approved buyers.
• White-label buyer experience. Provide a branded, white-label experience for buyers managing their accounts, payments, and credit terms. This maintains brand consistency and builds buyer trust, strengthening loyalty through a seamless interface.
• Personalization and predictive analytics. Establish personalization capabilities throughout the purchasing process, from flexible terms to individualized communications. Moreover, analytics tools track buyer behavior, enabling proactive strategies like offering adjusted terms to high-value buyers based on payment patterns.
• Results-driven, growth-oriented approach: Treat pay by invoice and net terms as a key growth initiative. Market them as a strategic advantage, track their impact on ad spend and user satisfaction, and continually refine implementation based on measurable outcomes. This ensures they deliver tangible business results and remain a cornerstone of your platform’s strategy.

Automated Net Terms to Scale Ad Spend

These strategies and components for  leveraging net terms to drive ad spend and enhance buyer experience can be seamlessly implemented with Balance. Balance enables advertising platforms to offer flexible terms, improve credit approvals, and provide convenient payment options—all with automated workflows from onboarding to payment completion.

Combining net terms financing, AI-powered credit risk management, AR automation, and 0 DSO guarantee, Balance allows you to deliver a scalable, buyer-first experience with less complexity and none of the credit risk. This comprehensive approach simplifies payments, reduces friction, and boosts buyer satisfaction, encouraging advertisers to increase their spending while eliminating the complexities and risks associated with offering credit.

Unlock the Potential of Net Terms for Your Platform

Pay by invoice and net terms are more than just payment options—they’re strategic tools for driving ad spend and enhancing the user experience. By offering net terms to build trust, provide financial flexibility, and streamline the payment process, your platform can position itself as the preferred choice for advertisers. With the power of AI and automation, you can further optimize your net terms strategy, ensuring a seamless experience that boosts advertiser satisfaction and maximizes campaign investments.

Whether you’re supporting SMBs in launching their first campaigns or partnering with enterprises on multimillion-dollar strategies, integrating net terms as part of your growth strategy can significantly impact advertiser loyalty, campaign success, and platform revenue.