Deciding to monetize your website with ads can be tough especially when there is so much conflicting information about how they may impact your website in either a positive or negative way.
Here are some general things you need to know about monetizing your website with ads.
1 – What Are The Ads Called On Websites?
The ads that are most commonly seen on websites are referred to as banner ads or display ads.
They can be placed in different locations on a webpage but the most popular locations are above the main content of the page, in the sidebar, within the main content of the page, at the end of articles, and floating at the bottom of the viewer’s display.
2 – Do You Get Paid For Having Ads On Your Website?
Publishers who decide to display ads on their website will receive payments from the ad broker that they choose to provide ads to their website.
3 – How Much Do Ads Pay On Websites?
The amount of money that a publisher will receive from ads placed on their website is not a fixed amount and will vary for each website.
The factors that determine the amount of money that a publisher will get paid for ads placed on their website are the following:
- The ad broker that they choose to provide ads on their website.
- The niche in which their website targets.
- The amount and quality of traffic that their website receives in a month.
- The region in which most of their traffic comes from.
- The amount of time that visitors spend on their website.
- The locations where ads are on each webpage on the website.
- The demographic of the visitors viewing the website.
4 – What Are The Best Performing Display Ad Sizes?
Display or Banner ads can appear in various sizes however the top-performing sizes are the following:
Leaderboard ads: These ads have a size range of 468px x 60px, 728px x 90px, 930px x 180px, 970px x 90px, 970px x 250px, 980px x 120px and are displayed horizontally across the webpage. They are commonly seen above the main content of the page or floating at the bottom of the page.
Skyscraper ads: These ads have a size range of 120px x 600px, 160px x 600px, 300px x 600px, 300px x 1050px and are displayed vertically down the webpage. These types of ads are commonly seen displayed in the sidebar on a webpage.
Square and Rectangle ads: These ads have a size range of 200px x 200px, 240px x 400px 250px x 250px, 250px x 360px, 300px x 250px, 336px x 280px, 580px x 400px. These ads are commonly placed in the sidebar as well as in between the content of a webpage.
5 – Is It Worth Having Ads On Your Website?
Yes, it is worth it to have ads on your website. This is because ads will provide you with additional income without requiring your visitors to purchase a product or opt into a service.
However, it is important to keep in mind that if your website is new and doesn’t receive a lot of traffic then the loss in website performance and user experience will outweigh the benefits of having ads on your website.
If this is the case then it would not be worth it to place ads on your website.
6 – Do Ads Slow Down Websites?
Yes, a website with ads will load slower than the same website without ads. However, if ads are placed strategically on a website and in a reasonable quantity then the reduction in page speed would not be as noticeable and would not negatively affect the website.
The reason why ads slow a website down is the same reason why CSS, JavaScript, and media files do. Similar to these essential building blocks of a website, ads also make HTTP requests to a server and the more HTTP requests that a website has to make the slower it will load.
It is also important to remember that overall site speed is dependant on more factors other than just the amount of HTTP requests that a website makes. So it is also possible for a website with ads to load faster than a website without ads.
7 – How Many Ads Should I Have On My Website?
The ideal amount of ads that you should place on your website should strike a balance between user experience and revenue.
However, it is entirely possible to put as many ads on your website as your ad broker allows. Even though this is an option, it is not a good idea in practice because having too many ads on your website will slow it down, decrease its visual appeal and user experience.
8 – Can Display Ads Affect Keyword Rankings?
Display ads would not affect keyword rankings as long as a good user experience is maintained when the ads have been placed on the website.
If ads are placed on a website and the user’s experiences start to diminish then you can expect lower rankings in search engines.
9 – Can I Run Ads From Google Adsense On My Website WordPress?
Yes, you can place Google Adsense ads on a WordPress.com website however you will first need to subscribe to the $25 per month WordPress.com business plan.
On the other hand, If you are using self-hosted WordPress (wordpress.org) you will be able to place Google Adsense ads on your website at any time you please.
10 – Should I Put Ads On My Website?
The answer to this question depends on the amount of traffic your website currently receives at the moment.
In my opinion, you can get started with at least 1000 monthly visitors. The income you make from ads at this point won’t be that much but it can be enough to motivate you to continue publishing more content and working on your blog.
If your website or blog meets that criteria and you are ready to place ads on your website you can get started by following along with my tutorial on how to place ads on your website.
