Comments on: Finding Advertisers for Your Blog http://www.pureblogging.com/2008/03/17/finding-advertisers-for-your-blog/ Blogging News, Tips, & Tutorials Mon, 01 Dec 2008 18:11:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Steven Snell http://www.pureblogging.com/2008/03/17/finding-advertisers-for-your-blog/#comment-4597 Steven Snell Sat, 22 Mar 2008 15:21:28 +0000 http://www.pureblogging.com/2008/03/17/finding-advertisers-for-your-blog/#comment-4597 Tamara, For now I am just changing the sidebar.php file at the beginning of each month when the advertisers change. I may use a plugin like OIO Publisher (which David uses here) in the future to offer more flexibility and more stats for advertisers. At the moment I don't have any tracking details, although I know most of the advertisers track that from Google Analytics or something similar. There's no way for them to track impressions this way, and to be honest no one has asked me for anything more. Tamara,
For now I am just changing the sidebar.php file at the beginning of each month when the advertisers change. I may use a plugin like OIO Publisher (which David uses here) in the future to offer more flexibility and more stats for advertisers. At the moment I don’t have any tracking details, although I know most of the advertisers track that from Google Analytics or something similar. There’s no way for them to track impressions this way, and to be honest no one has asked me for anything more.

]]> By: Tamara Gielen http://www.pureblogging.com/2008/03/17/finding-advertisers-for-your-blog/#comment-4571 Tamara Gielen Thu, 20 Mar 2008 14:18:00 +0000 http://www.pureblogging.com/2008/03/17/finding-advertisers-for-your-blog/#comment-4571 Hi Steven, I have started to offer advertising on my blog as well and found your blog post very interesting. I have a technical question for you though: how do you technically implement the banner ads? Do you hardcode them in the template or are you using some kind of a plugin? Also, are you providing your advertisers with tracking details? Thanks! Tamara Hi Steven,

I have started to offer advertising on my blog as well and found your blog post very interesting.

I have a technical question for you though: how do you technically implement the banner ads? Do you hardcode them in the template or are you using some kind of a plugin?

Also, are you providing your advertisers with tracking details?

Thanks!
Tamara

]]> By: Steven Snell http://www.pureblogging.com/2008/03/17/finding-advertisers-for-your-blog/#comment-4564 Steven Snell Wed, 19 Mar 2008 23:22:44 +0000 http://www.pureblogging.com/2008/03/17/finding-advertisers-for-your-blog/#comment-4564 Hi Caroline, I'm pretty familiar with your situation from reading your blog. Personally, I put up some affiliate banners at first until I started to sell some ad spots, and I got poor results with affiliates. If you can consistently make decent money with affiliate ads, then I would certainly agree with your point of view. In my situation I feel like I could easily fill my spots at $X per month with little time invested, or I could spend many more hours to find people to pay a bit more. Personally, I'd rather take what I can get and still have my time for other efforts, because I don't think affiliate ads are a good option for me. Maybe I just need to look around for better affiliate choices. Hi Caroline,
I’m pretty familiar with your situation from reading your blog. Personally, I put up some affiliate banners at first until I started to sell some ad spots, and I got poor results with affiliates. If you can consistently make decent money with affiliate ads, then I would certainly agree with your point of view. In my situation I feel like I could easily fill my spots at $X per month with little time invested, or I could spend many more hours to find people to pay a bit more. Personally, I’d rather take what I can get and still have my time for other efforts, because I don’t think affiliate ads are a good option for me. Maybe I just need to look around for better affiliate choices.

]]> By: Caroline Middlebrook http://www.pureblogging.com/2008/03/17/finding-advertisers-for-your-blog/#comment-4552 Caroline Middlebrook Wed, 19 Mar 2008 09:22:06 +0000 http://www.pureblogging.com/2008/03/17/finding-advertisers-for-your-blog/#comment-4552 I actually disagree with the idea of keeping prices 'competitive'. The only reason to offer advertising is to make money and I see many blogs selling themselves short. When I first put up my advertising page I temporarily filled the slots with banners for affiliate programs I was promoting then I got sidetracked and forgot all about the advertising. For the first month I only had one advertiser but when I checked my stats I found that I was bringing in way more in affiliate sales from those banners than I had been charging! So I doubled my ad prices for next month! This month I have a mix of advertisers and affiliate banners, my banners are still doing well. I actually disagree with the idea of keeping prices ‘competitive’. The only reason to offer advertising is to make money and I see many blogs selling themselves short.

When I first put up my advertising page I temporarily filled the slots with banners for affiliate programs I was promoting then I got sidetracked and forgot all about the advertising. For the first month I only had one advertiser but when I checked my stats I found that I was bringing in way more in affiliate sales from those banners than I had been charging!

So I doubled my ad prices for next month! This month I have a mix of advertisers and affiliate banners, my banners are still doing well.

]]> By: Steven Snell http://www.pureblogging.com/2008/03/17/finding-advertisers-for-your-blog/#comment-4542 Steven Snell Wed, 19 Mar 2008 00:21:04 +0000 http://www.pureblogging.com/2008/03/17/finding-advertisers-for-your-blog/#comment-4542 Aaron, I've only had the ads up for 3 months. I have increased the price each month by $10. I figure I'll get to a point where I have to work harder to fill them and then I'll know that the price is about right. I think they're pretty fair now, but that's certainly not an exact science. Aaron,
I’ve only had the ads up for 3 months. I have increased the price each month by $10. I figure I’ll get to a point where I have to work harder to fill them and then I’ll know that the price is about right. I think they’re pretty fair now, but that’s certainly not an exact science.

]]> By: Aaron at FullTiltBlogging.com http://www.pureblogging.com/2008/03/17/finding-advertisers-for-your-blog/#comment-4541 Aaron at FullTiltBlogging.com Tue, 18 Mar 2008 23:53:25 +0000 http://www.pureblogging.com/2008/03/17/finding-advertisers-for-your-blog/#comment-4541 I was responding simply to a strategy to find new advertisers. But your response begs another question... If your ads are consistently sold out, maybe they're too cheap? I was responding simply to a strategy to find new advertisers.

But your response begs another question…

If your ads are consistently sold out, maybe they’re too cheap?

]]> By: Steven Snell http://www.pureblogging.com/2008/03/17/finding-advertisers-for-your-blog/#comment-4538 Steven Snell Tue, 18 Mar 2008 21:52:02 +0000 http://www.pureblogging.com/2008/03/17/finding-advertisers-for-your-blog/#comment-4538 OpenX is the popular open source option. It was called Openads and something else before that, phpads or something like that. OpenX is the popular open source option. It was called Openads and something else before that, phpads or something like that.

]]> By: Steven Snell http://www.pureblogging.com/2008/03/17/finding-advertisers-for-your-blog/#comment-4537 Steven Snell Tue, 18 Mar 2008 21:50:41 +0000 http://www.pureblogging.com/2008/03/17/finding-advertisers-for-your-blog/#comment-4537 I don't have a particular percentage in mind. I know they supposedly save time and everything, but I have hardly spent any time at all managing ads. It really isn't a headache or an inconvenience at this stage. The only thing I haven't like is trying to change the ads as close to midnight on the 1st of the month as possible. I don’t have a particular percentage in mind. I know they supposedly save time and everything, but I have hardly spent any time at all managing ads. It really isn’t a headache or an inconvenience at this stage. The only thing I haven’t like is trying to change the ads as close to midnight on the 1st of the month as possible.

]]> By: Steven Snell http://www.pureblogging.com/2008/03/17/finding-advertisers-for-your-blog/#comment-4536 Steven Snell Tue, 18 Mar 2008 21:48:02 +0000 http://www.pureblogging.com/2008/03/17/finding-advertisers-for-your-blog/#comment-4536 It's just a matter of being proactive. They may have forgotten that there ad was about to expire, but if you ask them they may want to renew. I've had it happen to me already. It’s just a matter of being proactive. They may have forgotten that there ad was about to expire, but if you ask them they may want to renew. I’ve had it happen to me already.

]]> By: Steven Snell http://www.pureblogging.com/2008/03/17/finding-advertisers-for-your-blog/#comment-4535 Steven Snell Tue, 18 Mar 2008 21:46:36 +0000 http://www.pureblogging.com/2008/03/17/finding-advertisers-for-your-blog/#comment-4535 Aaron, I think that's a good idea but if you're able to fill them without offering a free trial, why offer it? I guess it depends on the situation. I had someone email me the other day wanting a discount because the links are nofollow. My prices are still very competitive (at least I think so) and I haven't had problems finding takers, so I said no. Aaron, I think that’s a good idea but if you’re able to fill them without offering a free trial, why offer it? I guess it depends on the situation. I had someone email me the other day wanting a discount because the links are nofollow. My prices are still very competitive (at least I think so) and I haven’t had problems finding takers, so I said no.

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