I’ve been messing around with displaying ads on the site recently. I have no hopes of getting rich - just curious how they work and wanted to test out the various services available. If ads would cover my hosting costs I’d be happy.
Currently I have a few Google AdSense things running. These were easy to setup - Google provides a helpful interface and you end up with snippets of code that you place on your site. Using Wordpress widgets - this was trivial.
I’ve also heard good things about Text Link Ads and decided to try them out last week. Their interface is nice - I don’t think it is as user friendly as Google but it works. So I setup my account - submitted my site and unlike Google - they provide a Wordpress plugin you can download - which activates a widget with a snippet of code in it. 
While you are setting up your site - they have an “Editorial Approval System” in order for you to approve ads that will be placed on your site:
Approval System A
Allow TLA to editorial approve advertisers to your website. Reminder: TLA will not publish any adult, pharmacy, gambling or any site we feel is inappropriate.Approval System B
Receive an email notification every time an advertiser purchases a link off your website and have the ability to reject that advertiser. If advertiser approves the ad then the ad is immediately placed. If we do not hear back from you in 24 hours the ad will be reviewed by our TLA editors.
I selected System A since as long as it wasn’t porn I didn’t really care what they put on the site.
I waited a few days and then got an email stating someone had purchased ad space on my site! So I clicked over to my site, noticed the link, clicked it and OMG - it’s a porn site!
&$#@^$%@*
So I immediately disabled the widget, and then fired off a rather terse email to Text Link Ads. Over 12 hours later I get this reply:
Jim, sorry about that. This has been removed.
Nice. Thanks. But I’ve re-enabled the widget and switched my approval system to System B.
I just wanted to post this in case anyone else was considering using this service. System B is still problematic - if I’m on vacation when they email me about an ad - they still may skip my approval and post an ad to my site if I don’t respond.
You May Also Enjoy Reading:
8 Comments
Whats wrong with porn?
Kidding…
I have to keep in mind my younger audience
I of course had to investigate the site to make sure it WAS offensive…
Wow, thks. I also have TLA at http://www.beedigital.net/blog and i choose the System A. Still no porn yet. But i must be carefull with that….
Thanks for the warning…
I was thinking about signing up with them… thanks for the heads up.
Hi.
If you prefer to manage your own text ads campaigns and pay no commissions, do try WP Text Ads.
I’m the developer of this free plugin, and it lets you sell ads for the home page, blog-wide and per post.
Alex
Jim, thanks for the heads up. So their in house ad filter system sucks. I guess they’re more geared towards the dollars than customer service.
OK - as a follow up to this - I’ve disabled this plugin and will be contacting Text Link Ads to remove my account. So far I have had no other ad placements - and today I get an email stating “Jim, you have made money from Text Link Ads this month…”
But when I login to my account I see: “Grand Monthly Total * $0.00″
So IMO these folks have some work to do in regards to customer communication, proper ad placement and ad reviews.
Bummer it didn’t work for you. I have to say it has worked really well for my blog thus far. I had two new sign ups this week while I was on vacation. Though I have sent them probably 5 emails with customer issues for one other site and only after the 5th email did they reply and fix the issue. Certainly they have room for improvement.
One Trackback
[...] Porn links served via TLA [...]