How many ads work best?

[mawells]

I've just signed up for an affiliate program end of last month for my regional website. It's a site where visitors can post events that take place in New England. I currently have about a dozen affiliate ads that rotate - 4 ads show at a time.

I'm just wondering if there's an optimum number of ads I should have so that all of the advertisers get proper coverage? My site gets a little over 7000 Unique Visitors/month and it's a PHP site so the ads rotate as the visitor changes pages to post or view events.

Is there some formula that others have used that works well?

(If you need to view the site, it's nenightandday.com.)

[incrediblehelp]

It is not the number of ads, but how and where the ads are positioned

[rickanderson]

Originally Posted by incrediblehelp

It is not the number of ads, but how and where the ads are positioned

incred

the how and where is only half the story...its also important for someone spending money for the ad to know the frequency the ad will run...also..are the times of all the advertisers split evenly during peak hours of traffic. another important thing is with whom are the advertisers sharing space with....do they really want to share advertising space alongside everyone else if theres a chance one of the associations can bring their own business into disrepute.

rick

[mawells]

The affiliate program is through an affiliate program provider (LinkShare) so I'm assuming that all the advertisers there, once they have approved the site, have agreed to be shown alongside other advertisers from the same venue.

I just don't want to have so many advertisers that none of the ads show often enough for someone to take advantage of the offer. So, I was wondering if there was a formula like:

1 rotation ad for each 1,000 visitors or something.

There are 3 ads at the very top that rotate 3 ads in each of the 3 ad boxes (9 ads) and one large banner in the top-middle section that rotates about 6 ads. Just looking for some experienced input here. Thanks.

[chrisJumbo]

If the ads are CPA type programs than keep an eye on your conversions. I took a look at the site and didn't think the ads were obtrusive and as I clicked through the pages they changed enough times. One thought, I've at times been interested in a banner ad that rotated away and no matter how many times I refreshed, I couldn't get it back. It may be helpful to have an advertiser page where all of the ads are shown.

If the ads are CPM, then do some calculations and make sure that what ever you are charging is a fair price. In my research $20 CPM would be on the high side. If you have 4 ads rotated evenly and 10,000 page views that would be 2500 for each one. If you are charging $20, that would be $8 CPM and would seem fair.

[linnetwoods]

Originally Posted by chrisJumbo

If the ads are CPM, then do some calculations and make sure that what ever you are charging is a fair price. In my research $20 CPM would be on the high side. If you have 4 ads rotated evenly and 10,000 page views that would be 2500 for each one. If you are charging $20, that would be $8 CPM and would seem fair.

LinkShare affiliation doesn't work like that - you get paid on results only, sales, leads or clicks, depending on the deal you have agreed with the merchant through the LinkShare interface.

[lawrephord]

have the adds in the corners of the window 1/8 of the window in size and as the window is read move in the next 4 adds

[mawells]

An "advertiser page" is a great idea! Thanks, ChrisJumbo. One more question....

Does anyone know what an average CTR would be for these types of ads? Right now I'm at less than 1% but that may be because there are 4 ads showing simultaneously, bringing up the number of impressions per view.

Also what's an average conversion rate?

(Just want to see if my program is working up to par or if I need to do more with it. Thanks all.)

[tombstoneweb]

Originally Posted by mawells

An "advertiser page" is a great idea! Thanks, ChrisJumbo. One more question....

Does anyone know what an average CTR would be for these types of ads? Right now I'm at less than 1% but that may be because there are 4 ads showing simultaneously, bringing up the number of impressions per view.

Also what's an average conversion rate?

(Just want to see if my program is working up to par or if I need to do more with it. Thanks all.)

I used to run affiliate ads from linkshare. I think in 3 months I made 1.00. I have always had more luck with putting google ads on my pages then anything I ever had from linkshare. Plus my pages don't look so busy.

Just my 2cents.

[mawells]

Well, in the past tombstoneweb I've never even made $1 from LinkShare or Commission Junction or any affiliate program, but in all honesty I didn't work it (just placed the ads and forgot about them), didn't promote the site (this site is being promoted through AdWords) and didn't have a consumer-oriented site. So I thought I'd give it another try.

I did try Google AdSense at another site - made $100 once in the first 3 months, haven't made a dime since and it's been nearly 3 years.

This site was designed to earn revenue from advertising, so I thought I'd give it another try. My main goal is to get enough traffic to the site so that regional advertisers would be interested in placing their ads here at a flat monthly rate. The affiliate programs are to try to earn some $$$ in the meantime.

In any case, since I've never been successful at affiliate marketing, I'm open to any suggestions from experienced and successful marketers.

Thanks.

[Dinghus]

Your ctr will be very low no matter what you run on there. AdSense, Linkshare, CJ. I thought it was funny that I was getting over a 1000 clicks per month for CJ but only about 1 sale every 3 months. So they canceled my account for inactivity. Huh?

It takes a LOT of views to get even 1 click. The best I ever did was 4% ctr but the conversion rate was less than 1% of those.

Banner ads etc just don't work very well anymore. You have to come up with some way of drawing attention to them or other ads.

[varun8211]

Hey,
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V

Originally Posted by mawells

I've just signed up for an affiliate program end of last month for my regional website. It's a site where visitors can post events that take place in New England. I currently have about a dozen affiliate ads that rotate - 4 ads show at a time.

I'm just wondering if there's an optimum number of ads I should have so that all of the advertisers get proper coverage? My site gets a little over 7000 Unique Visitors/month and it's a PHP site so the ads rotate as the visitor changes pages to post or view events.

Is there some formula that others have used that works well?

(If you need to view the site, it's nenightandday.com.)

[travis@ecomleads]

Originally Posted by Dinghus

Your ctr will be very low no matter what you run on there. AdSense, Linkshare, CJ. I thought it was funny that I was getting over a 1000 clicks per month for CJ but only about 1 sale every 3 months. So they canceled my account for inactivity. Huh?

It takes a LOT of views to get even 1 click. The best I ever did was 4% ctr but the conversion rate was less than 1% of those.

Banner ads etc just don't work very well anymore. You have to come up with some way of drawing attention to them or other ads.

I disagree. Banner ads still work great for our affiliates. Its all about positioning. Making sure you have the right ad for your site. True, the days when you could have any banner up and get sales is done. You can't have a site about shoes and banners about dating or education that work.

But if you have the right banner for your site, you will get traffic.

[Dinghus]

Not quite. Now to get a banner to be effective your whole page needs to be a pre-sell for that banner. Rotating banners is a waste of time unless you have total control over the banners rotated. CJ does pretty well with their rotater since you can pick exactly which banners go in it.

The biggest factor is the niche you are in. If it is a hot niche then you will get lots of clicks. If it is a dead niche, nothing you do will get a click.

Think of it like a physical place of business with people wandering through. Some have come for what you are offering, others are just crusing with nothing in mind. Meanwhile you have poster ads up. Sure, placement will have an impact, so will the art work, the wording etc, but the number of people who just wander by and it never registers is a lot.

[mawells]

I think you're all correct - I can't tell you how many banners I "see" at various sites and never click on them. I'm relying heavily on "impulse buying" right now.

Overall, the number of clicks is not bad - and growing. I have full control of my rotating ads. My main objective was to show "national advertisers" using an affiliate program until I can entice more regional adverisers to spend their money. My site is a great place for local banquet faciliites, catering services, DJ's, etc. to advetise since it's all about local events. I'm hoping once the traffic becomes great enough, I can convince some local companies to purchase ad space for a flat monthly fee.

Thank you all for your input.

[sangkaisar]

my earning still zero, nothing people click my ads .. why? i think position its good... top and right top