In out last post, we discussed about what direct ads are, and how to find advertisers . Direct ads, or sponsored ads are ads that you put up...
In out last post, we discussed about what direct ads are, and how to find advertisers. Direct ads, or sponsored ads are ads that you put up directly when an advertiser contacts you, and not through, or with the help of an Advertising network. There are lots of advertisement options you can choose for your blog. But direct advertisements are one of the best. And in this post, we will discuss why. Getting a sponsored ad might be the best thing that ever happened to your blog. And you'll soon know why. I would just recommend that you read yesterday's post linked above as well to get a better idea of what we are talking about.
One of the most profitable outcome of using direct advertisements is, your blog will gain credibility. Sponsors don't choose websites to advertise with just like that. They are looking for quality, and authentic information. This means that when other people visit your site and see a sponsored advert, they know immediately that you server quality and authentic information. So direct advertisements will bode well for your website's credibility and popularity.
Direct advertisements are also harder to get. These days, most websites, no matter the quality, seem to get approved by advertising programs such as Google AdSense or BuySellAds etc. But getting a sponsor is the real deal! Sponsorships also contribute towards branding your blog. So getting one gives authority to your website.
More profits
Not going through an advertising network might seem difficult, but believe me, those feelings will vanish when you get your first pay cheque. The great thing about not having a network is, you don't have to share any of your earnings. Ad networks will deduct 30% or 50% or some part of your earnings as commission. But with Direct Ads, you don't have to give a dime to anyone! You get to keep 100% of your earnings!
No rules to follow
AdSense users are constantly bugged by the though of their accounts being banned due to some reason or another. Users also have to abide by the rules of Google, which define things like the maximum number of ads you can have per page, fixed ad sizes, no pop ups, no clicking on one's own ads, and so on. With direct ads, you don't have to worry about any such thing. You can do as you like. Put ads wherever you want, and however you want. You might, however, need to give the sponsors a decent spot where they are visible.
More control
You also get more control over your own ads. You can use more flexible ad sizes. Google AdSense restricts you to a few set sizes only. But you can make custom ad spots and sizes. Besides, you can use as many ads as you want.
Some disadvantages
Direct advertising might be cool and charming, but there are some problems you need to be aware of. This is a heads-up of what's to come.
Many requirements to fulfill
Yesterday, we talked in some length about the requirements you need to meet in order to get approved by a sponsor. These requirements include a decent amount of traffic such as 1000+ daily unique visitors, a professional looking design, visibility for the advertiser, a clearly defined niche, a professional looking About Us page, and more. See our post for more details. But I think you get the point. These requirements are not ordinary AdSense like requirements. Your blog will be manually checked by willing sponsors, who are not ready to easily give you their money. So to fight for that, you will need to have some good perks under your belt. These requirements are often hard to meet, and it takes a lot of time and effort to get things going.
Takes a lot of time
Like I just said, it takes a lot of time to meet all the requirements. Not only that, it takes a lot of time to find potential advertisers. Even harder is to convincing them to advertise with you. Even if you get a sponsor, there's no guarantee when you'll get the next. It might be weeks or months.
These ads also need more time to set up. For ad networks, you only have to insert a piece of code and the network will do the rest for you. But here, you have to do all the management and administrative work yourself. You will also need to set up and use an Adverser which logs all clicks, impressions, and controls ad rotations and stuff.
Not dependable
Direct ads are not dependable. You never know when you will get the next sponsor. For all you know, it could take months to find another one. And that might not pay as much as you'd like. So depending upon revenue from direct ads for a living might not be a good idea.
Insecurity
There's a lot of insecurity centered around direct ads. Sponsors rarely sign long term contracts. Most sign short term contracts, which expire after a few months. They will then move on to other websites, and you'll be left searching for a sponsor once again. For all you know, you might not find one for months.
Besides, dealings with some advertisers can be unsafe. Ad networks normally have protection against spam and fraud advertisers. But here, there is no protection. You can be ripped off easily. Also, there is no guarantee the advertiser will pay you. Then, there is the payment transfer issue. Advertisers might have to pay extra to send you payments, which is the one thing they don't like. Hence, there is a lot that can go wrong here. It'd be wise to step carefully.
Getting your first sponsor is one of the greatest feelings in life. Here at MBT, we already have a sponsor, and if you'd like to put your ads directly, feel free to contact us. We are currently accepting text link ads only which will be shown on the top. If you are a publisher, like us, then we wish you luck in getting your first, or your next sponsor. Good luck :)
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