How to use internet advertising to make money

Internet advertising, when used right, can be a great way of monetizing a website. After all, in a perfect world, everyone benefits from it. Web users get to view content for free, advertisers get exposure and internet creators get paid.

The problems come when good websites engage in bad internet advertising practices. Most of the time, this is due to a misunderstanding of how internet advertising should work. So, to make sure that you aren’t caught out by bad internet advertising, here’s how to use it properly to monetize your online presence.

Start by asking your audience about internet advertising

You’ll be hard-pressed to find an internet user who’s entirely against advertising. After all, without it, you can’t view free internet content. However, not all advertising is created equal. Some of it can seem seedy, some of it can seem spammy and some of it is uninteresting.

As such, it’s good to get an idea the sort of brands or advertising practices your audience agree with. Ignoring their concerns will feel like betrayal to them. By contrast, knowing how your audience feel is good business advice in general.

Ask your advertisers lots of questions, too

Communication is the key to good internet advertising. Your and your advertisers are trying to communicate with your audience and you and your audience should communicate with your advertisers.

At the forefront of your mind should be payment. Don’t leave anything to chance here; you need to know exactly how and when you’re going to get paid. Assuming that these details will work themselves out isn’t good enough. If you don’t like the way they do things with regards to payment, don’t be afraid to ask for things to be done differently or — if necessary — to go elsewhere. Remember that it’s your website and that you are in the driver’s seat here.

Once you’re clear about payment, you need to know what kind of adverts you’re going to have on your website. Are they safe? Are they relevant? Are they high-quality? Advertising is an extension of your internet voice and any advert you place on your website is an endorsement. With that in mind, you don’t want to just work with the first advertiser that comes knocking.

Approach internet advertising networks

Internet advertising through networks is a great way of cutting out the middleman when it comes to finding decent advertisers on a regular basis who will pay on time and who sell products and services relevant to your audience. Instead of contacting lots of different advertisers separately and negotiating countless separate payment methods, joining a network means that all of that work is done for you.

Though, while internet advertising networks have great benefits, that doesn’t mean that all internet advertising networks are great. Not every network can guarantee quality, safe, or relevant advertisers. However, when you find one that can, you can start making money instantly.

Reinvest the money in growing your business

Once you start earning money through internet advertising, your website becomes a source of income. If this is what you love doing, if you want to create great online content all the time, you will need to make your website grow. Before you know it, you’ll have a business on your hands.

Spend your advertising money on improving your website. In turn, this will attract more people to the website, which will generate more advertising revenue, which you can use to continue improving your website. This virtuous cycle needs to be started by taking that first step, and that first step means spending money on the very website which allowed you to make that money in the first place.