Lots of Traffic? Sell Ad Space!

Monetization

Are you planning to sell advertising space on your well-established website? Advertising rates vary widely among niches. A site about finance or investing can demand a higher ad fee than a site about novelty gifts.

If there's no "set standard," how do you calculate the value of an ad on your site? Here are some suggestions...

1) Over and above your niche consideration, take into account factors such as...

• PageRank of page (when linking out)

• Your site's Alexa traffic rank

• Traffic numbers for the page where the link will be located

• Keyword value (both the keywords the advertiser wants to use in the ad and keyword value of the page where the ad will be located)

• Age of your site (a well established site vs. a new and not as virally connected site).

2) Use the Google Adwords Keyword Tool to find out what advertisers are paying for each of your important keywords.

3) Do a search for advertising rate sheets available from other sites. You will get a good idea of what your competition is charging for ads.

Once you finalize your rate structure, move on to the next step...

Create an Advertising Page

A dedicated advertising page, linked to from every other page of your website, provides the following benefits...

1) It's a simple way to leverage your existing traffic, which may consist of a few potential advertisers.

2) You can send online and offline advertising prospects to a professional, thorough resource.

3) This page highlights the benefits of advertising on your site and all of the different advertising options you offer.

4) It takes advertisers through to the next step... the inquiry, or the order!

Provide the Details

Your advertising page should clearly spell out these particulars...

• Details of each setup option you offer and your rates (if you wish) -- you can either lay your rates out on the page, or have potential advertisers contact you to inquire about prices.

• Any restrictions on ad type/placement (ex., maybe you'd prefer not to link out from your home page, or provide a site-wide link to an advertiser).

• Payment expectations (when/how).

You may wish to include some of the following terms on your advertising page...

• Reserve the right to decline any advertising inquiry you don't feel would fit your site.

• Assure potential advertisers that if, at any time, they're not satisfied, you'll refund the balance of their payment and remove their ad.

• Mention that prices are subject to change upon renewal.

You now have a PREselling tool to monetize the traffic you're building. Advertisers can see exactly what you offer and why they should invest their advertising dollars in your site.

What if you want to be more proactive? Rather than waiting for advertisers to come to you, consider...

Another Way to Sell Advertising

Here are several tips for finding and approaching advertisers...

1) Search for your important, high-paying keywords on Google. Look at the advertisers who are served up as sponsored links in the Search Engine results pages. Ignore the "big guys" (ex., tripadvisor or expedia if you have a travel site). The "small guys," trying to sell something, are your target.

2) Contact the "small guy" business owners. You already know they're advertising, so it's not a stretch to think they might be interested in exposure to your targeted traffic.

Approach your prospects through their sites or find their contact details using BetterWhois. Explain your business in one short paragraph. Make it good.

Mention your traffic (include URL, Alexa rank, and number of visitors). Explain that this is highly targeted traffic, perfect for their business/product/service/etc.

3) Direct these potential advertisers to your advertising page, which outlines all of your ad placement details.

Next step?...

Tips for Getting the Sale

1) Offer a "low, introductory price" or a "free promotion" once per calendar year in your e-zine to help entice advertisers.

2) Reinforce the benefits of advertising on your site. Talk up your PageRank, your Alexa score, your daily traffic... all of the same factors you consider when deciding on your ad rates. Tell advertisers about all of it. These are tangible measurements of your site's strength as an advertising vehicle.

Use the above advice to launch a whole new stream of income! Your site has quality content pages, which please visitors, Search Engines, and potential advertisers alike. You have a solid, growing traffic base. Now, it's time to drive your sleek, powerful, advertising vehicle.