How Should You Use Ads For Your Site?

The question of when and how to use ads in your web based business is such a tough one! I have struggled endlessly with it myself over the last few years. I have read what other blog owners have to say about the issue, and I've found that there are many schools of thought on this. After considering all the angles, it seems to me that nobody is really wrong. It really all depends on what works for you and for your site, and you can't figure that out until you try a few things, can you?

I have heard from people who think it's best to start with lots of ads, right from the very beginning.

Some readers don't mind that at all, realizing that the blog owner has to finance the blog somehow

Some readers don't mind that at all, realizing that the blog owner has to finance the blog somehow and that ads are a necessary part of that. Unfortunately, I have noticed that quite often these readers also have sometimes trained themselves to completely ignore the ads, and will certainly never click on them or consider a donation to the blog. 

Other website owners think that it is worth skipping the ads completely in the beginning because they are afraid of running customers off. Well, I do understand that way of thinking and it is quite true that some people will see one ad and run. However, if you begin with no ads at all and then suddenly put them on your site, it can drive customers away equally as quickly. Starting off with no ads will not work too well in my opinion, because after all we all need to make a living!

I have found that a good way to deal with the question of ads is to use them, but to do so wisely and at a measured pace. Of course plastering your site with ads from day one will be a bad idea, especially when you think about the fact that we all want our sites to be inviting and friendly. My favorite way to do this is to put just a few select ads on my site, choosing the more unobtrusive ones in the beginning. I have found that 
partnership ads, or "sponsor" ads, are a really good way to dip your toe into the blog ad pool without having to dive in all the way. You could even consider putting up a few reviews or slight inline links that your blog readers are well suited to.

Another way to get financial support for your site is a donation button, accompanied by brutal honesty. 
I think that a donation button that just says something like "Please help defray my costs with a financial contribution" is not the tone that most readers respond to. For one thing, it is a little boring. It is also not that personal, and as most site owners know, it is really important to have a connection to your readers. When your readers feel as if they are your friends, they are much more likely to offer financial support. Maybe a brightly colored donation button that says something along the lines of: "I need money to feed this blog - it has taken over my life!"

"I need money to feed this blog - it has taken over my life!"

Another great little trick to get some quick income is by making it relevant to your readers.
After all, they come to your blog for your unique content. Maybe you can tell readers that you will be able to provide more content and options if they contribute one dollar per month. I know, you are thinking it is not enough to really help. But, before you say that a dollar is not enough to accomplish anything, consider the volume of customers the web offers. A brick and mortar business may have 1000 customers who are regular buyers. With the Internet, that number is usually tripled or more. Those small donations can really add up when you are dealing with thousands of customers.

It can be a little bit tricky to determine exactly how to use ads with your site. I know that it took me a while, but I finally got there. If you can hit that middle ground, you will get the same results that I do: Happy customers who donate regularly, and a popular site.