Profit From Advertisements: 1 2 3
One source of hardship that every webmaster eventually has to face is that of funding the ever-increasing expenses that their sites incur. Everyone loves to dream of one day being a high-profile webmaster, the owner of sites that draw thousands of visitors every day. Most, however, are not aware of the added responsibilities that will be thrust upon them with the realization of their dreams. What may have started out as a fun hobby, a humble thread in the fabric of the internet, may not be so small anymore. A high-traffic site, especially one that makes good use of all the great technologies out there such as PHP, ASP, databases, etc, runs up quite a hefty bill (hundreds or even thousands of dollars a month). Also, some types of sites require constant (daily) maintenance and attention... and after a while it even becomes like an actual job - a job worth getting paid for.
It's Possible, but Not Easy
You may have had an experience or two posting some "affiliate links" on your site in the past... and if you're like most people, you probably didn't make much money, if any, doing that. I'll tell you up front - it's not easy to make advertising profits on the internet. It's definitely possible though. This article won't give you the "magic bullet" that will make you an instant success - but hopefully it will give you some guidance to make sure you start out on the right foot. I consistently realize an ad profit of between $1000-$2000 each month with my sites (which is not enough to make a living of course, but it certainly pays the bills and then some... and with increased effort I'm certain I could multiply that many times), so hopefully you'll be able to consider my advice to be sound. It's taken me years to figure out through trial and error how to consistently and successfully make advertising profits... but I want to save you from that struggle by sharing what I've learned.
Not Just Banners
Banners used to be the big thing. Not anymore. They are still marginally effective, but nowhere near the level that they used to be. Whatever you do, do NOT simply plaster the banner an advertiser provides you with on your site and then sit back waiting for the dough to roll on in. It won't happen. Instead, you need to utilize a healthy balance of banners, textlinks, bigger and smaller ad graphics, popups (used sparingly if necessary), and personal endorsements (which I will discuss in detail below). It's important that you be innovative in how you choose to promote your advertisers or affiliate programs.
Most Effective - Personal Endorsements / Preselling
Posting an affiliate link or banner to the product you are advertising is not enough. To be truly effective you should also consider becoming a personal promoter of a few products which are highly targeted towards your specific audience (can consist of physical products that are ordered online, services, informational products, etc). You should buy the product yourself, learn to use and appreciate it, and then share your personal experience and recommendation of the product with your website's audience in a conversational manner (by which I mean, not in a way that comes across as a shameless advertisement). Sure, that's a lot more challenging then just pasting a few little links or banners on your site... but believe me, it will work MUCH better for you in the end (in fact, using this method, some people are able to carefully select a perfectly targeted product to promote to a niche audience, and make tens of thousands of dollars per month in commissions, even though they only receive relatively small quantities of traffic). Your PERSONAL recommendation to those people who enjoy your site and find you to be a credible and trustworthy human being is worth vastly more than any run-of-the-mill banner ad or link could ever hope to be. This however carries a serious and distinct responsibility - never give your personal recommendation of a product unless you can honestly stand 100% behind it... and to do that you have to buy it and use it first yourself. It's crucial that you do not skip that step - you can not give your heart-felt recommendation if you have not used the product yourself. Your hard-earned good reputation is on the line. If it is out of your budget-range don't despair... try contacting the business, outlining your desire to give your audience a personal recommendation, and see if they will accommodate you with a demo or free copy/product. It would very well mean more sales for them, so it's conceivable that they may agree.
Another reason it's important and effective to "presell" in this manner, is because many times the advertisers themselves may not do a stellar job of selling their own product on their site. If the visitor had simply clicked a basic link on your site out of mild curiosity, and then experienced even a slight bit of trouble figuring out how the advertiser's site works or understanding the value of the product... they're as good as gone. Conversely, had they read your glowing review and developed a genuine interest in the product, then they would be much better prepared to go on and make the purchase, regardless of any issues or problems the advertiser's site might introduce.
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Profit From Advertisements: 1 2 3
