By Delynn Ho, VP Sales
BuzzCity has passed an important milestone: our advertising network now averages over 10 billion impressions every month, thanks in part to a growing number of small individual publishers.
Take Indonesia, for example. As in all our markets, the average cost per click is a function of advertiser demand and publisher supply. At the moment, the average CPC in Indonesia is about 4 US cents. So if you figure a site gets 5000 clicks -- a decent amount for an entrepreneur or hobbyist -- that's US $200.
So, how do YOU cash in? Well, in my last article, I wrote about the mechanics of how to become a publisher. This week, I'd like to share some tips that will help you make money and best practices that will keep your readers and visitors happy.
1. Don't piss off your users.
2. Be strategic.
Mobile users are generally impatient. They want to find what they are searching for quickly and easily. On average, they view 1.5 pages before moving on. Only 33% of consumers make it past the first page. If you place ads correctly, visitors to your site will appreciate it and keep coming back. At the same time, you'll maximise the number of clicks and your revenue.
Best Practices
1. Place ads on pages where user activity is high.
2. But don't place ads in spots that will annoy users.
3. Avoid distracting visitors from your site's intended activity.
4. Graphic banners and text ads should be placed in spots clearly meant for advertisements and arranged so that users can choose whether to click on them.
Consider starting with a single banner ad on your home page, like this:
You could also try 1 graphic banner + 1 text ad:
In both cases, you'll note that the ads are at the bottom of the mobile page, a spot that doesn' t distract and where consumers are used to seeing ads.
5. Keep track of the ads' Click Through Rates. A healthy CTR is between 1 and 1.5%. In some situations, it's best not to show any ads on a page. BuzzCity's online reports show you the average CTR for campaigns on your site, indexed by market.
So in the example above, the publisher is receiving more exposure in the US, but a higher click-through rate in India.
Remember . . .
Placing more ads on your site does not necessarily mean you'll make more money. Most ad buys are based on CPC, the cost per click. Additional ads may or may not lead to more clicks. In a chat room, for example, users don't click ads so much– regardless of the number of ads on the page -- they're more focused on chatting. On a search page, though, the odds are higher as the user is already looking for something.
If you're running a community site, too many graphic banners could lead to short-term gains (as users click) but long-term losses (as users leave your page and don't return). In this case, best to focus on a single text ad per page.
Once a flag is raised, a site is placed on probation. During this period, if a user clicks on an ad, she will be directed to an Ad Page, like the one below, rather than directly to the advertiser's url. Only if she then clicks again on the ad will the click be counted.
In addition, during a probation period, unpaid earnings are forfeited, but new clicks will be credited to the publishers account. For more details, please take a look at our Publisher Fraud FAQ.
Of course you'll need to advertise in the right places and perhaps make some adjustments to your site to keep users happy. Here are a few tips and strategies:
Keep in mind that an effective marketing strategy is a continual process. To be successful, you can't promote one day, then stop the next. But you'll also need to update your ads from time to time.
BuzzCity has passed an important milestone: our advertising network now averages over 10 billion impressions every month, thanks in part to a growing number of small individual publishers.
Take Indonesia, for example. As in all our markets, the average cost per click is a function of advertiser demand and publisher supply. At the moment, the average CPC in Indonesia is about 4 US cents. So if you figure a site gets 5000 clicks -- a decent amount for an entrepreneur or hobbyist -- that's US $200.
So, how do YOU cash in? Well, in my last article, I wrote about the mechanics of how to become a publisher. This week, I'd like to share some tips that will help you make money and best practices that will keep your readers and visitors happy.
The Golden Rules
As a publisher, you determine where ads appear on your mobile site. As you do this, consider two golden rules:1. Don't piss off your users.
2. Be strategic.
Mobile users are generally impatient. They want to find what they are searching for quickly and easily. On average, they view 1.5 pages before moving on. Only 33% of consumers make it past the first page. If you place ads correctly, visitors to your site will appreciate it and keep coming back. At the same time, you'll maximise the number of clicks and your revenue.
Best Practices
1. Place ads on pages where user activity is high.
2. But don't place ads in spots that will annoy users.
3. Avoid distracting visitors from your site's intended activity.
4. Graphic banners and text ads should be placed in spots clearly meant for advertisements and arranged so that users can choose whether to click on them.
Consider starting with a single banner ad on your home page, like this:
You could also try 1 graphic banner + 1 text ad:
In both cases, you'll note that the ads are at the bottom of the mobile page, a spot that doesn' t distract and where consumers are used to seeing ads.
5. Keep track of the ads' Click Through Rates. A healthy CTR is between 1 and 1.5%. In some situations, it's best not to show any ads on a page. BuzzCity's online reports show you the average CTR for campaigns on your site, indexed by market.
So in the example above, the publisher is receiving more exposure in the US, but a higher click-through rate in India.
Remember . . .
If you're running a community site, too many graphic banners could lead to short-term gains (as users click) but long-term losses (as users leave your page and don't return). In this case, best to focus on a single text ad per page.
Safeguarding Against Fraud
We have several policies to protect both adverstisers and publishers from fraud. Several key things to note here: - do not change the Ad Codes
- don't try to beat the system by clicking on ads on your own site
- don't place ads in a spot where touchscreen users will accidentally hit it, for example, too close to another link on your page.
Once a flag is raised, a site is placed on probation. During this period, if a user clicks on an ad, she will be directed to an Ad Page, like the one below, rather than directly to the advertiser's url. Only if she then clicks again on the ad will the click be counted.
In addition, during a probation period, unpaid earnings are forfeited, but new clicks will be credited to the publishers account. For more details, please take a look at our Publisher Fraud FAQ.
Marketing & Promotion
To maximise revenue and get the most out of your mobile site, publishers need to attract users. And the best way to do this is simple: advertise ; ) Of course you'll need to advertise in the right places and perhaps make some adjustments to your site to keep users happy. Here are a few tips and strategies:
- Use tools and analytics to measure your site's performance
- Make adjustments based on the analytics
- Identify your key markets and understand the user base there
- Use marketing channels to develop a solid user base
- Submit your site to search engines
Keep in mind that an effective marketing strategy is a continual process. To be successful, you can't promote one day, then stop the next. But you'll also need to update your ads from time to time.
Related Article
"Earning Money as a BuzzCity Publisher"
