Curious discussion going around about how ‘most bloggers don’t deserve ads‘. All I can say (all I have time to say) is that every site deserves and can obtain ads – at the right price. Questions of advertiser reach, differentiated content, favorable demographics and so forth have all been solved through technology, so there’s a right ad (at the right rate) for everybody.
You certainly don’t need a thousand impressions a day to pay for your hosting costs given the right platform and the right targeting. This site does under two hundred impressions most days, and generally pays for itself by the 10th – because the platform puts the right advertisements in front of the right people.
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Obviously, the question is “what platform do you use and what kind of CPMs do you get?”
That’s great! You’ve managed to be one of the few who can make money from it without overwhelming traffic. That’s part of why I put the word “Most” in the headline. I know there will be exceptions. So good job.
Brent – straight-up Google AdSense, which as far as I’m concerned is still the market leader to beat for small-site monetization. Has been doing about a $4.50 CPM since the last time I tweaked in in January, so it requires a little more than 2,000 impressions to pay for my $10/month hosting plan here.
Louis – although I’ve been interested in (and therefore written about) some high CPM topics, you might be surprised at how, properly positioned, AdSense performs vs. a banner network. The only other strategy that pays as well is paid text links.
Of course I don’t write here for the money.
Of course I decided to mix it up and take the 180 on the entire deal. Rather than people advertising on my blog, I advertise on the Goog. For less than $5 per click, I get people to search for things that would already return my blog, but I get the pleasure of having people see my ad in what is usually the blank sponsored links section.
But, aha! This is where the fanciness comes in. If I put ads on my blog, or just turn my blog into one big ad – say $20 CPM, then I make a profit! I’m surprised people haven’t tried it before. It is the most awesome of ideas.
Just thought I’d share it with you, because its a warm happy Friday.
josh, that’s called arbitrage and it’s essentially what many big media players are doing.
Heh – Bosko, Josh is an old friend of mine who’s goofing around a bit. We know arbitrage.
i feel so pwned
*blush*