How To Earn From WordPress

The WordPress WordAds program is great, but back in the day, earning some extra money from your blog was more like a dream.

Today, becoming an online entrepreneur is not that hard if you consider the many possibilities and media out there. This includes the WordPress WordAds Program.

However, with all these options, figuring out how to work with each one of them can prove a real struggle. Moreover, except for established advertising solutions like Google Adsense, almost every platform ultimately feels like a waste of time.

However, the WordPress WordAds Program (also known as Automattic Ads and the most popular platform for WordPress.com websites) comes to save the day.

Let’s explore how.

What is the WordAds Program?

The WordAds Program is the number one advertising platform on WordPress.com. It helps bloggers generate some revenue by monetizing their blogs. Although WordAds mainly addresses websites hosted on WordPress.com, there are a solution for self-hosted (WordPress.org) sites as well.

If you own a self-hosted WP site, simply download and install Jetpack on the Premium or Professional plan, and activate WordAds. Click here to learn more.

The process is not like Google Adsense. To get accepted, you need to take some factors into consideration:

1. You must have a decent number of visits to your blog.
2. Don’t expect to turn into a millionaire in a day.
3. Monetizing does not mean reducing your content production.

Program Requirements

Unfortunately, WordAds does not welcome just anyone with a WordPress blog to the platform. However, the requirements are not that hard to meet since they are only limited to the following criteria.

1. Custom Domain

Owning a custom domain website either you on WordPress.com or a self-hosted alternative is the number one rule. Even if you have a regular WordPress blog, you should have connected it with a custom domain name.

2. Jetpack

This is important. Since we are talking about the same company here, installing Jetpack and connecting it to your WordPress.com account is essential.

Make sure you download this popular plugin, and you are (almost) ready to work with the WordAds Program.

3. Traffic

Although we don’t know exactly how much traffic you need to be accepted, there is a threshold. WordAds website mentions that you should have thousands of monthly page views.

However, after some research, we have found out that the company does not require huge numbers. This is something that you will not notice in other advertising programs like Google Adsense.

To see some actual results, though, you should work on your content. After all, this is what engages your audience. Get some great tips in the article 5 Organic SEO Tips to Increase Your Traffic

Application Process

To apply for the WordAds Program, you first need to submit a form on the website. Of course, you need to be logged in to your WordPress.com account to signup.

Select the blog you want to apply for and request an invitation for the program by filling in your contact information.

If your website meets the requirements, you will receive an e-mail welcoming you to the program plus some extra details to get started.

Just a little disclaimer: To see your ads live on your website, you still need to install the program and adjust the settings. Here’s how:

Installation

After you are accepted, there is another plugin you need to install and activate to place your ads: AdControl. This tool does a simple but important job. It helps you determine where your ads will show.

After you accept the Terms of Service, you will need to set an e-mail associated with your PayPal account, and PayPal is the only payment method WordAds allows. Please note that if you are a U.S. resident, you need to include some additional tax reporting information.

Under the settings panel, you now need to configure the settings and make your ads work. You will find them in Settings > AdControl. From there, you can control who will see your banners, when they will see them, or even disable them.

Tada! You are ready to go, but wait! You still need to do something extra to get the whole experience.

Add Some WordAds Widgets

By default, WordAds features banners in your header and right under your posts. However, you can always play with them and make them appear in your sidebar or any other position that allows widgets. This usually depends on your theme.

Go to Appearance > Widgets, drag the AdControl Widget, and drop it wherever you want. The ad will appear immediately.

However, to determine where the advertisements will go, you need to know the formats available. Again, we are right here for you!

Ad Formats

If you are looking for many different sizes, expandable advertisements, or, rich media, this program might not be the right one for you. Unfortunately, WordAds focuses on just three ad types.

• 300×250 Rectangle
• 720×90 Leaderboard
• 160×600 Skyscraper

That’s all you can get with the WordAds Program. However, no bugs have ever been reported, so it appears that the fact that the company has put all its weight to these three types is good for you and your website’s performance.

However, Automattic (the company behind the WordAds Program) has said that they are expanding to new ad types as well, so get ready for some more action!

Payments

We’ve saved the best for last. After all, we know that this is the main reason that you came here. Monetization means money and WordAds is a pretty decent income medium — only if you work for it and get quality ads.

The revenue someone can generate isn’t that different to the amount someone can generate through Adsense, but there is a huge difference: WordAds does not work with PPC (Pay Per Click) at all and has implemented only CPM (Cost Per Thousand Pageviews) solutions.

There is also a $100 limit which you have to reach to initiate the payment process so don’t believe that you will instantly have cash no matter the amount. After all, just seeing the number going up will only make you feel more confident with your efficacy.

The best part is that, if you want to check your earnings, you don’t even have to leave the WordPress environment. Just go to the AdControl tab and look at the number right before you.

Final Thoughts: Using WordAds

Have you ever used WordAds? We’d love to hear what you have to say.

Let us know in the comments below whether you would suggest WordAds Program to a content creator who wants to succeed! Do you have any other tips and tricks for optimizing the experience? Share those too!

AnitaEzema

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