Believe it or not, there are plenty of Google AdSense ("enables website publishers of all sizes to display relevant Google ads and earn") alternatives out there. If you run a successful website, then advertisers may be interested in placing ads with you. Here is a quick guide to a potential revenue stream and what it takes to get started.
STEP 1
Review any eligibility requirements your site (content) must meet. Some advertisers demand high quality content and traffic statistics; others may not be as particular. All advertisters will look for the following:
- Site is not under construction or incomplete
- Meets in-house quality criteria
- Site delivers a minimum monthly page/unique views
- Content is current and regularly updated
- Ads placed above the fold (or visible without scrolling)
- An active, publically stated privacy policy is linked from the home page
STEP 2
Once your site is ready, it's off to select a partner that best fits your own set of criteria. Review the terms and conditions for each potential advertising partner, along with the design/technical details on how to implement advertising code within your site. Also, be prepared to provide a site descrption, a sense of your target audience and how the site content could be categorized.
Here are some to consider:
- AdBrite http://www.adbrite.com/mb/
- Bidvertiser http://www.bidvertiser.com/
- YPNO (Yahoo Publisher Network Online shuttered their self-serve platform for small publishers on April 30, 2010).
- Chitika http://chitika.com/
- Kontera http://www.kontera.com/
- Commission Junction https://www.cj.com/
- ADEngage http://www.adengage.com/
- Blogads (Currently not accepting new publishers)
- Tribal Fusion http://www.tribalfusion.com/
- Burst Media http://www.burstmedia.com/
A few notable items from the list above:
- Both Kontera & Commission Junction provide a link or button to download a PDF or print the license agreement. Anything to make it easier to review the legal stuff is a plus in my book.
- Chitika conducts a review of your site prior to account activation.
- Tribal Fusion requires least 500,000 unique users per month!!
Thankfully, not all sites are appropriate or suitable for displaying ads. However, if your site meets advertiser's criteria, then it's a revenue stream worth considering.