PPC Needs to Get In-Line: Why Publishers Should Heed this New Contextual Strategy
As the goal of maintaining site aesthetics and branding while effectively monetizing site traffic through advertising becomes more difficult for web publishers, using only traditional banners and pop ups is becoming a thing of the past. These formats have given way to alternative ad methods, namely Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising which tends to yield healthy revenues for publishers while being less intrusive to users.
There are various ways to integrate sponsored content. And, noting the differences between standard PPC and contextual PPC formats can be an important factor when determining which will work best for a website and allow greatest monetization of site content.
Standard PPC implementations come in two formats. One is search, where a search box is added to a site through use of a simple visual wizard or online guide. When a user types in a search query, both PPC ads and algorithmic search results can be returned.
Directory listings are another standard format. They facilitate the grouping of PPC ads into channels by certain topics. Users can browse through directories and click-through on ads of interest. This method is especially beneficial for industry-specific or “family friendly” sites that would like to ad more content to their site focused on a specific niche.
Both of these traditional options provide users with additional site resources and allow webmasters to bolster their site’s appearance and offerings. Most PPC providers offer co-branding of these standard implementations; however some promote the brand of the PPC provider, not of the web publisher. For example, the familiar “Ads by …” that tags the sponsored content on many web portals, bolsters the PPC providers brand not the publisher’s.
As the need to increase yield per page while maintaining brand equity has grown, so have the ways of adapting PPC ads to further monetize site content. Say hello to the in-line contextual PPC implementations. In this variation of the PPC model, ads appear in the same line as the existing site content. The format resembles a hyperlink, but when moused over by the user, it reveals a relevant PPC ad. In-line contextual PPC ads formats give way to some key benefits for webmasters. This method provides publishers with a way to earn revenue from existing site content without needing to increase the number of page impressions on their site.
Integrating text ads in this way complements site layout especially for informational or content-focused sites. Because no additional ad space is needed, the website can be seen as strictly a content focused outlet. Finally this method of ad integration fully maintains a site’s look and feel, ultimately retaining brand equity.
Overall, the optimum implementation method for monetizing traffic by using PPC ads is unique to each site. And one of the best ways for content-focused webmasters to monetize their website traffic, while maintaining branding, could be achieved by getting in-line.
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Reader Comments.
Very good article; I am believer in “in-line” pay-per-click. It can be a great way for publishers to monetize content rich sites. I find this technology particularly useful for web properties that focus on the entertainment and social industries, as compared to sites which are rich in scholarly literature. Entertainment and social publishers should seriously consider this technology.
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