Using adverts to subsidize your website

Selling ad space to subsidize associations is nothing new.  In fact, selling ad space dates back before the digital age.  Paper publications have been selling ad space for ages.  With that being said, many are either reluctant to utilize adverts, or don’t know how to properly use them in the first place.  Here are some tips to help get you started.

1: Know your member base: the most successful ads will be those that align with your members interests.  Ads for products that they may find offensive (such as an ad for a meat product if your association promotes a vegan lifestyle) should be avoided.

2: Know what advertisers expect: Understanding the advertisers expectations can help you to maximize your earning potential for the ads you chose to place on your website.

3: Don’t deceive your members: Always make it clear when an ad is placed.  If you have an ad that looks like an actual page of content, make sure it clearly states that it is an ad.  Your members may feel deceived if they discover something they thought was a piece of content from you turned out to be an ad.

4: Don’t make them intrusive: Advertisers may demand that their ad be seen, but resist the temptation to make the ads an overwhelming presence, such as making them cumbersome pop-ups.  They should be neatly integrated into the design of your website.

5: Design with ads in mind: Designing your site with a plan for where ads will be placed will help them to stand out in all the right ways.  You don’t want ads to interfere with your content, and you also don’t want the ads to be so marginalized people won’t see them.  If you design with ad-spaces in mind, then you can make sure they fit in to the overall aesthetic of your site.

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