Selling ads is one thing; finding advertisers is another. To get advertisers to sponsor your blog, you have to set a fair price and have great content, but you should also definitely consider ad placement. After all, advertisers buy your spots to get clicks for their websites and sales for their products, so you have to sell spots where they’ll get what they’ve paid for, otherwise they won’t continue advertising on your blog.

In this article, I’ll show you different ad placements and discuss their pros and cons.

Sidebar

The sidebar has always been a popular place to display ads on a blog. The advantage of sidebar ads is that people notice them when they land on your website. The disadvantage is that many people are so used to seeing ads there that they tune them out.

Best ad size : the sidebar is definitely the best place to display 125×125 pixel squares. 250×250 and 300×250 pixel spots are also very popular. 125×125 spots are usually a must, though, because almost all advertisers already have ads in this format.

Header

Depending on your blog’s design, the header might be a good place to display advertising. This location is usually considered premium placement and is one of the more expensive spots on a blog.

Best ad size : 728×90 or 468×60 is probably best. Of course, depending on your header’s design, you may want a custom size, but many advertisers already have 728×90 and 468×60 ads ready for publishing.

Above Content

As you know, on blogs content is king. And where better for advertisers to put their ads than just above the content? The location is becoming popular: it sells quickly, and advertisers stay in that spot longer than in any other. If your design allows for it, this spot is a must to attract advertisers and earn revenue.

Best ad size : I’ve always used 468×60 and gotten good results from it. Although I have seen websites display custom sizes here, which would work as well.

In-Post Below Title

This is the spot on your site that will generate the highest click-through rate.  It doesn’t look great, since  it’s breaking up your post, but it performs very well for advertisers.  If your site receives a lot of search engine traffic on older posts, it is common to display a 300×250 ad or similar in this placement.  Certainly, if you have an ad above the content, you might not want to also have this ad below the post title.

Best ad size: 300×250 will generate the best results.

Below Content

Another great location is below the content. The reason is simple: what do users do after having finished reading a post? If an interesting advertisement is displayed, chances are they’ll click on it and visit your sponsor. The disadvantage, though, is that ads in these spots get fewer views than those displayed above the content.

Best ad size : For this location, 468×60 pixel ads seem best. Another option is to display a custom-sized ad tailored to your content’s width.

Beside Related Posts

To maximize page views and retain visitors, most bloggers display related posts at the end of each article.
Ads displayed beside such lists generally receive a lot of clicks because visitors have finished reading your post and are looking for something new. This spot on my blog WpRecipes has been taken by the same advertiser for three months now, so he must be happy with it.

Best ad size : This is the perfect place to display a big square, such as a 250×250 or 300×250 pixel ad. A series of 125×125 spots might also work for high-traffic websites.

Conclusion

So, where is the best place to display ads on your blog? Well, there are many “best” places. Finding the ones that work for your website can be tricky, which is why you should experiment with the suggestions mentioned here.  As we all know, our visitors will criticize us for each ad zone we place on our sites.  It is important to select your ad locations wisely by making sure that they flow with your content and are not too overbearing for your visitors. I hope this article has given you some ideas on how to monetize your website, and I wish you much success with your ad sales!