Text Link Ads Review
I recently came across a service called Text-Link-Ads, which offers exactly what it implies. I haven't given it that much of a try on this site (because I'm happy enough with how my AdSense are performing at the moment), but I've signed up with them and have spent some time figuring out how a cartoonist can benefit from them.
Back in the ancient days, if you came across a site that you liked and wanted to exchange links with, you had to e-mail the site owner and ask them about it. Then, assuming they agree, you both had to upload each other's links on your sites and constantly make sure the other doesn't pull a cheap trick by quietly taking the link down. Ah yeah, those were the days.
Text-Link-Ads basically serves as the "middle man," or an agent of some sort. Website owners (you) can submit their website information, and advertisers (other website owners) pay a monthly fee to have their link on your site. There's no point in making is sound more complicated than it is, so I'll just leave it at that.
Here are my thoughts on their service:
Pros:
1. There's practically no effort on your part. All you have to do is submit your site info and a small bit of text on your site.
2. When somebody buys a link on your site, it's updated automatically, unless you choose to approve all ad offers (to reject competitors or tasteless sites).
3. The links are almost entirely customizable, so they fit in your site perfectly (unlike AdSense).
4. You can control how many link spots you're offering.
5. Since the ads are not contextual, they can be used along with Google AdSense without violating Google's policy.
Cons:
1. For their service, Text-Link-Ads keeps 50% of the amount you receive from advertisers. So if somebody pays $20/month for a link on your site, you actually receive $10. After all, they are offering a heck of a service, but I think 50% is a bit high.
2. You do not get to set your own price. The price is automatically set based on factors like your PageRank, Alexa rank, number of pages indexed by search engines, the number of pages the links will appear on, and the amount of link spots you're offering (the more spots you offer, the cheaper each one will be).
3. Although the "middle man" eliminates any effort on your part, it also eliminates the chance for you to talk personally with advertisers and make your own offers.
So those are my two cents on the service. It doesn't cost anything to sign up, so it's worth at least taking a look at and submitting your site… It can't hurt to earn a couple of bucks to pay for your hosting or tall lattes.
