Splitting advertising space

SafariMan · #1 (**permalink**) 12-19-2005, 03:15 PM

Hi,

Other than Google Adsense, I have not had any experience with selling advertising space, so I need some advice on what my ad space is worth and how to handle competitors who want to advertise on the site.

My site, www.pspsoftware.co.za , gets around 900 unique visitors per day (includes robots etc) and is mostly just a forum for the Sony PSP and other gaming stuff.

I was only interested in Adsense on the site until someone asked me if they could sponsor the site. I gave them a banner on each of the topic pages on the forum (ie. http://www.pspsoftware.co.za/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=158) in exchange for sponsoring 1-2 games each month, which I give away to my members in competitions. As a freebie I've also put their banner on the homepage, but that was not part of our original agreement.

Now another advertiser, whom I spoke to a while back, has come back and also want to advertise on the site - but obviously the two are in direct competition to each other.

How do I handle this and what is fair in terms of online advertising? With 900 uniques per day is it fair to split the ad space by rotating their adverts?
Is that ad space worth anything or is 900 uniques per day too little? Keep in mind it's costing them 1 game per month (+/- US$50).

I have no commitment to either of them and the first advertiser has only commited to this month to see how it goes.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Dirk

mtheory · #2 (**permalink**) 12-19-2005, 05:39 PM

You first need to realize what you've got to offer.

Your ad space is in demand so you have your own little "seller's market" going on.

It may not be good to allow both to advertise on the site if they are in direct competition, but remember, that's what it is, a competition.

Increase your price and offer first right of refusal to the first advertiser.

SafariMan · #3 (**permalink**) 12-20-2005, 12:09 AM

Hi MTheory,

Thanks for the feedback.
I've actually had a third advertiser showing interest as well, but they don't seem to be that serious yet. Maybe I must just become a better salesman. Great that three people have contacted me within a month without me having to lift a finger.

It feels a little strange asking for more when both these advertisers are South African and most of my traffic is from the US, despite the .co.za domain name (weird).

I think you're right though, I'll give the first advertiser first choice.

Any guess as to what that ad space is worth? Is $50-100 fair?

Thanks,

D

ireneherz · #4 (**permalink**) 12-23-2005, 01:02 PM

Take a look at http://linkadage.com/ or linkworth or one of the other sites that brokers ads. That will give you a better idea of what your site is worth.