The biggest ad spending quarter is here! Increase your revenues by implementing our Tips and Tricks to optimize Kontera across your sites.  Follow these tips and tricks which will help you maximize your earnings during the end of the year and holiday season.

• More Page Views Yield Greater Revenues: Add Kontera tags to all pages and as many sections of your site as possible, to earn maximum revenues.
• Seasonal Relevance Wins: Having interesting content that is relevant for through October-December advertising pay dividends. Keep in mind the type of advertisers that spend during this time of year. For example, a holiday season shopping guide or thoughtful opinions on the latest automotive models will probably yield greater results than planning for next summer’s vacation. Having seasonally relevant and fresh content will increase coverage, CPC, and CTRs resulting in record busting eCPMs.
• Consider Changing Link Color: New color usually makes In Text links more prominent to your users resulting in higher CTRs and greater revenues.
• Use Zone or Filter Tags: Keep our analysis and links targeted to your content and away from outlying areas like headers, sidebars, footers, etc.
• Keep it Clean: Avoid producing content with profanity or sensitive topics as quality brands avoid this type of content and our technology screens the content.
• Revisit Maximum Link Parameters: Limiting links to 1, 2, or 3 per page can hinder CTR and prevent you from monetizing to your sites’ full potential.
• More Sites: The easiest way to make more money is to add more sites to the Kontera program.   If you have more sites then let us know and we will get you additional tags.

The holiday season is the best time to try out new things.  If you’ve been considering joining Kontera, there’s no time like the present.

To help get the ball rolling, we have a new holiday sign-up offer for you:

Reach $75 in earnings, and we’ll round your balance up to $100

That’s an extra $25 on us!

How to do it?
1.    Join Kontera by Jan 15th.
2.    Sit back and relax.
3.    Reach $75 in your account, and we’ll send you a check for $100!

As a Kontera publisher you’ll benefit from:

• Quick and easy integration;
• Higher CTR & revenues;
• Adsense compatible ads;
• Multiple payment possibilities.

This offer is available for sign-ups through Jan 15th 2009. So, the sooner you sign-up with Kontera the sooner you can start earning.

Happy Holidays!

Become a Kontera Publisher Now!

* You must register through the sign up link on this page in order to be eligible for the bonus.

*Terms & Conditions

We’ve decided to aggregate some of the questions we receive regarding payment terms & methods. The extended versions of the answers below can be found in the Kontera knowledgeBase.
If you’re left with any payment questions after reading this post and the knowledgeBase, let us know, and we’ll gladly expand our guides to include more information.

When do I get paid?

Kontera’s payment terms are Net 30, first week of the month, when balance meets or exceeds US$100.  In plain English it means that payment is issued 30 days after the month in which the revenue was earned, when an account balance reaches $100. For example, if your account balance reaches $100 in October, we’ll send the payment to you in the first week of December.

What if my account balance is less than $100?

If your account balance is less than US$100 at the end of the month, earnings over US$5 (for all your sites combined) is rolled forward to the following month, until the payment threshold is reached.
You can view your account status at any moment by logging into your Publisher Center account and clicking on the reports tab.  Reports date back up to 180 days and any data prior to this time frame can be sent to you upon request.

Can I set a higher limit of when payments are released to me?

Sure.  Some of our partners prefer a payout amount which is higher than $100.  If this is the case for you, simply change the settings by logging into the Publisher Center and selecting the “My Account” Tab. Follow the ‘Payment Method’ link and enter the amount of your choice in the appropriate field.

What are the available payment methods?

Kontera’s available payment methods are as follows:

US Publishers
•    Check
•    EFT
•    Paypal

Publishers from Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland,  and the United Kingdom
•    Check
•    International ACH
•    Paypal

All Other International Publishers
•    Check
•    Wire
•    Paypal

And how do I change my payment method?

To change your payment method, login to your account and go to “My Account” tab, then click “Payment Method” to select your preferred option.  Click to find out more about changing your payment method to PayPal.

In a previous post we’ve defined Link Density as “the concentration of ContentLink ads within a publisher’s content; the higher a site’s link density, the more ContentLinks are presented per page.”

Now we’d like to answer the question: What determines a site’s link density?

Generally, it has to do with the amount of text a site has.  ContentLinks, being in-text ads, are a perfect fit for text rich sites.  So the more textual content you have on your site, the more ContentLinks will appear.  Another factor has to do with the topic of a site.  Let’s face it, not all site topics were created equal.  Popularity of topics is interchangeable and may also vary throughout the year, as does the advertisers’ demand of a particular keyword.

To define link density through a more mathematical approach we’ll say the following:  a link density of 10 would mean a maximum of 10 keywords out of 100 words will be highlighted on a page.

Link density can be changed by Kontera’s optimization team.  To change the link density on your site, login to kontera’s Publisher Center and click on the help tab to contact support with your request.

Building a site or a blog is no simple task but maintaining it is no child’s play either… Like in any other professional undertaking, this occupation requires you to learn a whole new language, a set of new definitions.  Unlike any other professional undertaking, the online world is the fastest growing fastest changing industry existing today.  And so to be in touch with it, one has to keep up with the lexicon.  If you’re a website owner/online marketer, you definitely know what I mean.

Taking this into account, we thought it would benefit our partners if we presented a short glossary of basic terms revolving around Kontera and online advertising in general.  We hope to make some aspects of Kontera more accessible through these definitions.

Kontera Online Advertising:

• Pay Per Click Advertising- an advertising model in which Kontera pays publishers according to a pre-determined amount each time a user clicks on an ad; the amount is determined by the advertiser and is known as CPC.

• Contextual Advertising- an advertising model in which advertisements on a site are targeted to users based on the site’s content.  Kontera’s contextual advertising is highly specific as it recognizes the meaning of a particular sentence and matches it to the highest paying ad of the same topic.

• In-Text Advertising- a form of contextual advertising in which ads are served within the content of a site through highlighted keywords.  Kontera’s algorithms analyze content and extract keywords in order to match them to ads.  The ads appear as the user hovers over a highlighted keyword with his mouse.

Revenue Model:

• Revenue Share- the percentage of a click’s revenue which is received by the publisher.

Kontera Metrics:

• Impressions- the number of times a website is loaded by internet users; this is calculated by totaling all loads of all pages within the specified site.

• Net Impressions- the number of times a website is loaded by internet users, calculating only those pages on which at least one ContentLink was present.

• CTR- (Click-Through Rate) the average rate at which a site’s users click on an ad; this is calculated by dividing the number of clicks by net impressions to yield a percentage.

• CPC- (Cost Per Click) the dollar amount that an advertiser offers for a click on a particular ad. CPC isn’t a fixed rate and varies from one advertising campaign to the next according to advertiser’s specifications.

• eCPM- (Effective Cost Per Thousand)- the revenue for each 1,000 net impressions that a publisher’s site generates; a key tool in estimating revenue projections based on impressions.

Kontera Optimization Terms:

• Optimization- the process in which a Kontera team analyzes a site to identify its ideal ContentLink settings for reaching optimal performance and revenue potential. Click to learn some optimization tips.

• Link Density- the concentration of ContentLink ads within a publisher’s content; the higher a site’s link density, the more ContentLinks are presented per page. (e.g., a link density of 10 would mean a maximum of 10 keywords out of 100 words will be highlighted on a page).  Link density is a scale that Kontera’s optimization team can easily control.  Contact support@kontera.com for more details.

• Zone Tags- publisher-initiated Javascript code that specifies which areas of a site Kontera’s algorithm should analyze to generate ContentLinks; not to be used with Filter Tags.

• Filter Tags- publisher-initiated Javascript code that specifies in which areas of a site Kontera’s algorithm should not generate ContentLinks; not to be used with Zone Tags.

• Metrics Fluctuations – Many factors may influence one or more of your metrics and be reflected in your site’s overall performance. Fluctuations may result from changes in your site’s settings, ContentLink attributes, your site’s traffic sources and visitor trends, available relevant campaigns and advertisers’ specifications and more. It’s therefore very important to remember that when you analyze performance you should keep track of all the values above as well as take a look at your site’s stats as reflected in Google Analytics or any other tracking application you may be using.

We hope this helped in gaining a better understanding of Kontera’s advertising and how to analyze your site’s metrics. Stay tuned for an upcoming post on better understanding Kontera through the use of Google analytics.

Do gigantic spreadsheets of stats creep you out? They do me. Kontera analysts on the other hand, love them.

Stats are useful for many reasons; my own favorite use is for the purpose of getting insightful information about Kontera partners. Today, we’ve asked our analysts to gather the information that would answer an essential question: what do Kontera’s top earners have in common?

Here’s what we came up with:

1. Over 55% U.S. Traffic – Online advertisers tend to allocate the majority of their resources to the U.S. market granting it the highest ad spending per internet user. This inclination explains why publishers who experience an increase in their U.S. traffic, will also benefit from increased revenues.
   
2. High percentage of Search Engine Traffic – Search engine traffic is characterized by being more targeted.   If much of the traffic that comes to your site arrives through search engines, chances are that you get focused, targeted users to come through the door.  These users visit a website with an intention to find specific information and are therefore more likely to click on the ContentLink ads you serve.
3. Returning Visitors – Another thing Kontera’s top earners have in common is a high percentage of returning visitors.  You may say, “big news flash! Returning visitors are valuable for my site, duh! didn’t know that…”  Well, there is a news flash regarding ContentLink ads and the visitors on your site.  Returning visitors are already familiar with the Kontera layout, the ads and the information served on your site.  Having experienced the advantages ContentLinks provide, these visitors tend to generate CTR which is higher than that of new visitors.
4. Cross-browser website compatibility –  There’s a variety of browser options available today and the market is always on the move.  With Google ‘s release of Chrome beta, there’s no telling where or how fast things are going… Why limit yourself to one browser?  Your site’s visitors use many.  If you want to maximize your site’s earning potential make sure your site is well supported in all browser and browser versions.

   

5. Content Rich Sites –The more textual content on your pages the better. Kontera top earners all have implemented the Kontera tag on pages that have ample textual content for our algorithm to analyze. However you should note that it’s not only the length of your content that comes into play, but also its quality (Are your pages keyword rich?Is your content fresh and original? Is it SE optimized?).

This is what we found so far through our stats.  Any questions? Suggestions? We’d love to see your comments.

By Emily Wallace, Business Development Manager

So you have decided to try a new revenue-generator for your site or blog.  But Kontera ContentLinks seem a little too good to be true—they don’t use up any of your space, they bring completely additive revenue and they only require one-time implementation.  Decidedly skeptical, you drag your feet; you never get around to putting the ads up, or you only install the Kontera code on a few pages to test it out.  Maybe your Kontera rep even lets you know that you can start small if you prefer.  It is your website, and of course we want you to feel comfortable.

However, if you are looking to earn some real money, this is what you should do:  the moment you receive your Kontera code, install it across your entire site.
Then watch.

For the first one to two weeks, the algorithms behind Kontera ContentLinks are going through an automatic optimization process to “learn” all of your existing content.  Every time the algorithms encounter new content (your latest blog post or article), they analyze it in real time and perpetually ensure Kontera is serving the best ads possible.
After the first couple of weeks, your metrics will hit their stride; in the second half of your first month, you will see the true revenue opportunity with ContentLinks.  If you had started the month by only implementing ContentLinks on a small portion of your site, then the metrics wouldn’t be as meaningful.  With more coverage (ideally 100% of the pages) on your site, you will see the clearest revenue picture for long term monetization.

One of Kontera’s top publisher partners, Tim Carter of AskTheBuilder.com, shared some sound advice, “It’s really important for those who are testing ad products to look at the big picture.  If possible, have [ContentLinks] run site wide for at least a month . . . If you are testing just a small part of a website, be sure to extrapolate the revenue out to all pages of the website.  Finally, understand that different pages of a website might make far more revenue than other pages.”

Because certain areas of your site may perform stronger than other areas, site-wide data will be the most accurate. Whether you have just received your Kontera code or implementation has long been on your to-do list, I encourage you to immediately begin maximizing the revenue your site or blog is capable of earning.  If you have been wading in the Kontera pool, I encourage you to swim with us and soak up the revenue you deserve.  And if you haven’t signed up for a Kontera account yet—what are you waiting for? Become a Kontera Publisher.

Over the past few months we’ve been busy developing and updating different tools to enhance and simplify the use of ContentLink™ ads.

With our new Publisher Center, KnowledgeBase, ContentLink plug-ins and additional customization options, we figured it was high time to tie all these tools together and to remind you of all the great options available to you.

So here are a few useful tips to help you make the most out of your Kontera PPC ads:

• Plugins for quick ContentLink implementation- we’ve simplified the Kontera integration and customization even more. If you’re using Blogger, we have a widget that will distribute our ad code to all your pages in one-click! For WordPress, Joomla or Drupal users, our easy to install plug-ins simplify ContentLink’s integration and customization and provide you with maximum control over the ads’ placement on your site or blog.
• Optimization Tips- many factors influence ContentLinks’ performance on your site or blog – their color, number, density, location on a page and more. Check out the ‘Optimization’ category in the Kontera KnowledgeBase and find out how to customize ContentLinks to best suit your site’s design and content.
• Advanced Reporting- Use the Keyword Report , available through the Publisher Center.  Identify your top performing Keywords, add them to more pages on your site and increase your revenues. Use the URL report in a similar manner, identify your top performing pages and then try to implement their attributes on more of your site’s pages.

And one last useful tip; did you know your SEO efforts can go hand in hand with ContentLink optimization? Find out how

We’d love to hear your feedback on any one of these tools so feel free to leave your comment.

On July 1st Kontera launched a hot deal for new publishers:
Sign up* with Kontera during July 2008 and get 100% REV SHARE for the month!

We’re here to remind you that summer is at its peak and so is your chance to earn big cash.  You don’t need to do much, just sign up to Kontera, add ContentLink ads to your site or blog, and we’ll take care of the rest…

With 2 weeks left for the offer, what are you waiting for? Sign up* today and get 100% Rev Share till the end of July!

*Offer is valid only for sign-ups through the promotional page.

July is a hot month, in more ways than one

Kontera is launching a scorching hot deal for new publishers:

Sign up* with Kontera during July 2008 and get 100% REV SHARE for the month!

This is a one month offer, so don’t waste any time!

The sooner you sign up*, the sooner you can start earning 100% of all revenue generated by your site! That’s twice the normal 50% terms.

Sign up* now and take advantage of this amazing limited-time offer!

*Offer is valid only for sign-ups through the promotional page.