Hosting own advertising- where to begin?

Questions on how to host your own advertising network...

[stevegalgas]

I've got a new site that I'm currently using Adsense on. I've gotten horrible results with Adsense so far and in the past with other sites- it's just cluttering up the page for little return. Of course, since the site is so new, it doesn't yet have the traffic to really see any profits from Adsense. I expect the site to grow, but even if it does, I'm not sure I will want to stay with Adsense.

I think I could do better on my own, as my site has a really good niche that could benefit from some more personalized, targeted ads. If not right now, at least it's something I want to think about in the future.

So the questions are, how do I go about starting up my own advertising system?

How do I measure the click-through rate, or the number of impressions?

How do I deliver that to a client?

What about legal issues and contracts?

Can I display my own advertisements along with Google's? What do they mean when they say that advertisements can not mimic their contextual ad system?

Any help regarding starting up your own ad system would be appreciated.

[Drastic]

>since the site is so new, it doesn't yet have the traffic to really see any profits

First things first. Get the traffic.

You have no reason to advertise, and nothing to measure until you do.

[stevegalgas]

Consider me forward-thinking.

I still would like to know what it takes to start one up in advance. I would like to be prepared.

[Drastic]

> how do I go about starting up my own advertising system?
>How do I measure the click-through rate, or the number of impressions?
You'll need an ad-serving and tracking software or service. There are several off-the-shelf options or you can have one custom coded. For starters you might want to look at something like phpadsnew.

>Can I display my own advertisements along with Google's?
Yes, as long as they are not a contextual competitor of adsense.

>What do they mean when they say that advertisements can not mimic their contextual ad system?
They simply can't look like adsense ads. Make them look different.

[stevegalgas]

When you say they can't look like Google Ads... that's very vague. Can they have the same proportions? The Google banner (at least the small one) seems to be a pretty standard size. Or are they mostly referring to the sort of "Ads by Google" copy and frame for the ad?

[Drastic]

I think the question to ask yourself is, does this ad look like an adsense ad. If the answer is not an immediate and resounding NO, I'd change it.

When in doubt on something like this, just email adsense and get their stamp of approval.

[stevegalgas]

That phpAdNew was just what I was looking for, I think. Great thing is that my hosting package comes prepackaged with it. I've already begun to try it out, and it seems to work like a charm!

[lorax]

PHPAdsNew is a complicated dinosaur. IMHO of course. ;)

The one nice thing it does that I haven't come across in any other Ad engine is that it allows chained ads. e.g. one ad group meets it's delivery limit or is for some reason unavailable, the next one in the chain is attempted. If it doesn't deliver, then onto the next in the chain and so on.

Two things I wish it did - if it had I might have kept it - are to provide me a way to allow tracking of ads sold by other people. If you have one or two folks out there selling ads for you and you're giving them 20% of the ad spend then you need to know WHAT they sold. And No. 2 - allow my advertisers to buy ad space and manage their own ads as they wish - meaning ad new creatives and edit existing ones.

Be clear about your ad zones. Explain what they are and how much they cost and the cost model you use. Unless you're absolutely sure your audience understands the differences (and even if they do), don't be afraid to over explain things like CPM, CPC, CPD etc... Don't overlook the obvious either, in some cases it pays to explain what an Impression is.

Provide visual examples of the different types of ads you offer. Display ads (AKA banners, tiles, etc.), text links, logos, rich media, and any other creative you can put a link on and generate a click through with.

Walk the advertiser through the process. Give them a test drive and some free advertising. Make it easy for them to buy ads (preferably without having to contact you). Automate, automate, automate.

And for heaven's sake, be there when they have a question or a problem. Don't leave them hanging. Watch over the system closely until it's up and running smoothly and you have a well-oiled process. The advertisers will appreciate the attention and you'll be right on top of any glitches in the system when they happen.

Bottom line - the advertisers are like buyers visiting a shopping cart. Show them your selection and the value of your wares, make it easy for them to make a purchase, and be there for the after the sale service. Unlike most shopping cart sales though, your success REALLY depends upon repeat sales!