Best Practices for Selling Ads on Your WordPress Site

Selling ads is just one of many ways to monetize a website. But it’s not the right solution for everyone. Repeat: It’s not the right solution for everyone.

In fact, it’s a downright bad idea for some and can detract from your site’s content. Still, when ads work, they work great and can bring in some great side income to cover site expenses and more.

Getting started with ads can be tricky though, especially if this is brand new territory for you. There are a lot of options to consider and determining which is best for your situation is tough. Thank goodness we’re here to walk you through it all though, right?

Today, expect to learn about the pros and cons of selling ads on your website, what you need to consider before getting started, and the top solutions for integrating ad spaces and ad management into your WordPress site. 

The Benefits of Selling Advertising

Selling advertising carries with it numerous benefits. I can’t possibly go over them all here. But for our purposes, I think it’s important to note the following four key benefits:

You can build relationships

When you reach out to potential advertisers, you’re building relationships for the long haul. Especially if you take care with how you approach them. Michael Hyatt, author and prolific blogger, suggests contacting a few people you know already (or you are at least acquainted with) and pitch them an ad spot for free for 30 days. If the relationship is mutually beneficial, you can offer to keep the ad running for a fee.

You can leverage your site’s traffic

If you’re receiving a fair amount of site traffic already, it would behoove you to take advantage of it. While you may already sell products, use affiliate links, or strive to build your email list, it’s also a good idea to sell ads. You diversify your revenue streams and make the most of every single visitors.

You increase your site’s professionalism

Having ads on your site can lend it the appearance of being professional. That is, visitors will have certain assumptions about you based on the ads you display. They may assume you have an advertising budget, that people want to advertise on your site, and that what you offer is in demand. All of these assumptions go a long way toward increasing the perceived validity of what you do/sell.

You have control over your income

Seriously, you set the terms when you sell ad space. You can get the money upfront for a set period of time that the ad will run. You’re not earning based on ad performance here. Rather, you’re selling space on your site, just like you would for space in a magazine. And that means so long as people continue to renew their advertising contracts with you, there will always be a set amount of money coming in each month. Fixed income for a website is a pretty sweet deal.

But There Are Drawbacks, Too…

Offering ad space on your site can be great but it’s not without its problems. This is especially the case if a) your site just isn’t ready for advertising yet or b) you go overboard. Let’s spend a little time now going over the reasons why maybe selling ads isn’t the right choice for you.

They increase bounce rate

While selling advertising can increase your site’s income, they can also cause people to skip out on your site before they fully realize your content. That’s because if an ad is effective, it’ll cause a visitor to click away from your site. Kind of an odd catch-22 there, but definitely something to think about, especially if you run a newer site. If your site’s new, you’ll need to keep every visitor you can for as long as you can. You can’t afford to lose a single one.

They reduce site speed

This really only applies if you’re running a ton of ads on your site at once. But if you are, chances are your site’s speed is going to slow way down. And that’s a problem when you’re trying to appeal to your visitors and make a pleasant user experience. A slow site is one with a high bounce rate. So, not good.

They can ruin your design

While many ads are attractive, not all of them are. And if you take on an advertising contract that provides unattractive ads, you’re stuck with it for however long the contract lasts. If it totally clashes with your site’s theme, the ad can have a negative impact on the visitor’s impression of your brand.

They can look tacky

This applies, especially if you have a lot of ads on your site. If you display ads all over—not just in designated areas—you’re conveying that you don’t have very high standards and will accept any old ad from anybody. While it can make you look high in demand, it more often than not shows a lack of discernment and taste. Read also: desperation.

They often don’t perform very well

Selling ads can bring in regular, steady income, but only if a buyer continues to renew their contract with you. Otherwise, you’ll always be scrambling to find a new advertiser. If your site doesn’t have the traffic to drive traffic, it’s unlikely the ads will pay off for the advertiser in the short term, or you in the long term.

It might seem like I’m painting ads in a bad light. But really, I just want you to have a clear idea of what you’re getting into before offering space on your site for sale. It’s not a decision you should make lightly. In fact, I’ve put together a brief list of things you should consider before doing so.