How to Place Ads Online

By Andrew Uhacz

Placing ads online is a great way to boost traffic to your website. There are many ways to place an ad online, but the most common and effective method of advertising online is through search engines. A majority of Internet users use search engines to find what they are looking for, so it makes sense why so many website owners use Google and Yahoo to promote their site.

Placing an Ad Online

Start by using the Yahoo Publisher Network or Google Adwords. Both work basically the same, and the type of traffic you will receive is virtually the same. The only big difference might be you get noticed through Google's ability to drive more traffic. This also means higher costs in the long run because it charges you per click.

Set up an account and follow the step-by-step wizard to create an online ad. Each program has a slightly different process, but they all require you to write an ad. Look at the search engine ads in Yahoo and Google. They can be found at the top and the side of the search engine results. Type keywords you plan to target and look at the ads that come up. The ads will have the phrase "Sponsored Links" or "Sponsored Result" next to them. Look at your competitors to see any room for improvement.

Create your ad by putting a catchy title in the title box. Then come up with a short description to attract visitors. Use the main link of the Web page you're sending them. Then once your ad is complete, you will want to add which keywords you want to target. Each advertising company will have different rates so make sure to research various phrases to get the most for your money. Try to pick unique search phrases. The more common the phrase or keyword the more it will cost to advertise and the more competition you will have. To get your ads to display in front of other ads, you can set your daily limits or cost per click costs higher. Google and Yahoo give you an idea of what price you need in order to be at a certain place. So if you pay 10 cents a click and someone else is willing to pay 20 cents a click, then their ad will be shown more often and in better places than your ads.

Remember to follow all of the steps they ask when creating your online. Some require a waiting period or approval process. If the ad doesn't get approved, it will not be displayed. Follow the advertisers' guidelines and you should have your ads and keywords approved. If you need help find keywords to promote your site try using WordTracker or the Google Adwords Tool.

Set your daily limits to a manageable amount. Many online advertisers allow you to set daily limits. So you would set your daily limit to $15, meaning you're only willing to spend a maximum of $15 a day. It is possible your cost exceeds that slightly or for it to go under, but once that amount is reached, then your ads will not be displayed until the next day. This limit also determines your rank. Again, like setting the cost per click, this will be something you'll need to manage daily to learn what other advertisers are paying. It can change daily.

Try to mimic other advertisers' ad styles but don't copy. Make them original and directed toward your website. Be brief, but make sure to include all vital information. Think of it like a billboard, and use descriptive words that pull in the readers' attention. The idea is not just to get them to see the ads but to click on them.

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