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How to Create Ads in a WordPress Sidebar

by Zanti
18 replies
I'm creating a new WP site using the latest Branford Magazine theme. The theme has in the sidebar, space for an advert 250 x 250.

I would like to place 4 125 x 125 ads in this space. Two of the ads is for my own e-books the others will be for affiliate products. My understanding is once I sign-up as an affiliate I'll get the codes for the ads to place. But how do I place my own ads?

I've been doing searches on wordpress for over an hour trying to find out how to place ads in the sidebar. It seems that there are widgets and plugins to make this process simple but I've not found any of them yet, only those for adsense.

Would someone kindly point me to the widgets/plugins that will accomplish this task and share with me what I would have to do to make it work.

This has frustrated me all evening, it's the only thing holding me up right now.

As always thanks so much for your help.
#ads #create #sidebar #wordpress
  • Profile picture of the author Jesus Perez
    In a perfect world, you would use really complicated CSS.

    To make it quick, use dirty old-school tables.

    Here's the code:

    Code:
    <table width="250" border="0">
  <tr>
    <td><a href="http://graphicriver.net"><img src="http://graphicriver.net/new/images/m...GR_125x125.jpg" width="125" height="125" border="0" /></a></td>
    <td><a href="http://graphicriver.net"><img src="http://graphicriver.net/new/images/m...GR_125x125.jpg" width="125" height="125" border="0" /></a></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td><a href="http://graphicriver.net"><img src="http://graphicriver.net/new/images/m...GR_125x125.jpg" width="125" height="125" border="0" /></a></td>
    <td><a href="http://graphicriver.net"><img src="http://graphicriver.net/new/images/m...GR_125x125.jpg" width="125" height="125" border="0" /></a></td>
  </tr>
</table>
    Paste it into the sidebar inbetween the proper divs. If you want more help than that, you'll need to provide a URL to your site. Keep in mind with the table above, there's no spacing between the pics.
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    • Profile picture of the author radhika
      If you are using default theme, use this file: sidebar.php

      If you are using a cuatom theme, look for a file where your sidebar elements are placed. Use that file.

      Another option is activating 'Text widget' to add to sidebar and you can add ads to it.

      .
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  • Profile picture of the author Zanti
    Thank you. Can't post the URL yet. Sorry, but I'm still kind of lost. Would I place this in the sidebar php in place of this <li>
    <h3><?php _e('Ads &amp; Sponsors','branfordmagazine');?></h3>
    <!-- I placed this advert here only to not let this place empty. You can remove or change it as you like -->
    <img src="<?php bloginfo('template_url'); ?>/images/Advert.gif" width="250" height="250" /> </li>

    Last newbie question, what is meant by no spacing btwn. the pics?

    Thanks.
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    • Profile picture of the author radhika
      Originally Posted by Zanti View Post

      Thank you. Can't post the URL yet. Sorry, but I'm still kind of lost. Would I place this in the sidebar php in place of this <li>
      <h3><?php _e('Ads &amp; Sponsors','branfordmagazine');?></h3>
      <!-- I placed this advert here only to not let this place empty. You can remove or change it as you like -->
      <img src="<?php bloginfo('template_url'); ?>/images/Advert.gif" width="250" height="250" /> </li>

      Last newbie question, what is meant by no spacing btwn. the pics?

      Thanks.
      I think that is default ad code. Replace it with your ad code.

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  • Profile picture of the author Zanti
    Ok, so just work with me a little, trying to learn the right way. Yes, that is the default ad code. What do you mean to replace it with my ad code. Does that mean the code that BlueSquares provided above? If not, I'm not sure what code. My book is a pdf on my harddrive. How do I create a code for that.

    Would it be easier for me to use the text widget you spoke of? If so how do I add the ads. I'm looking at the list of text widgets now, several to chose from.

    Thanks for your time and assistance.
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    • Profile picture of the author jon2009
      I want to do the same so thanx for this thread, it's gonna save me lots of strain and pain.
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    • Profile picture of the author radhika
      Originally Posted by Zanti View Post

      Ok, so just work with me a little, trying to learn the right way. Yes, that is the default ad code. What do you mean to replace it with my ad code. Does that mean the code that BlueSquares provided above? If not, I'm not sure what code. My book is a pdf on my harddrive. How do I create a code for that.
      My understanding is once I sign-up as an affiliate I'll get the codes for the ads to place. But how do I place my own ads?

      You said you will get the code once you sign up as an affiliate? That code. Use it to replace the default code.

      .
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  • Profile picture of the author Zanti
    You're welcome Jon. I just downloaded the Simple Image Link widget. I really don't know what I'm doing yet, but I will soon. Don't really know if this is the one I need or not.

    Best of luck to you, and me too in getting our sites the way we want them.

    Zanti
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  • Profile picture of the author Zanti
    Thanks Radhika, that's what I thought you were talking about. Now, how about the ad for my e-book? Any thoughts on that?

    Thanks
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    • Profile picture of the author jjpmarketing
      Your best option is to use a text widget. Use the code that BlueSquares provided for you as an example. If you just change out the href and img src code for your own link and image locations it will work perfectly.

      Go to w3schools and learn some basic html. Learn all you can about the "a href" and the "img src" tags. Also learn about the "br", "p", and everything to do with tables. This will make life a lot easier for you.

      There is a great book that is less than $10 that will teach you everything you need to know about HTML to do what you are wanting to do. It is called, "HTML in Easy Steps". You can get it at Barnes and Noble and possibly on Amazon.com too. It is short and to the point and will teach you what you need to know.

      Hope that helps.

      Dennis
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  • Profile picture of the author Zanti
    I'm feeling a little dense right now. I installed the Simple Image Link plugin (which looks like it's what I need) and now I'm feeling even more lost.

    When I go on the Blogwell site it looks as if I should be able to get this;http://



    The last part of the installation after activating the plugin is start adding "image link" widgets to your sidebar.

    Where do I add the "image link widget" and how. This is my first attempt at using widgets and I'm lost, oh, I guess you can tell that hey.

    Thanks,

    Zanti

    Hope this makes sense. Thanks.
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  • Profile picture of the author Zanti
    Thanks Dennis, I post my last question before I saw your response. I do know some really basic html, but I will pick up the book you suggest tomorrow. Thanks. I know it's just a learning curve, but I'm so close to getting my site up and running.

    Thanks again for your help.

    Zanti
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  • Profile picture of the author qiaodanliu
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    • Profile picture of the author jjpmarketing
      Zanti,

      This should help.

      Title - This will show above the image... usually highlighted depending on what theme you chose. It is optional and not required.

      Display Title - Check this box if you want the title you made to show up like mentioned above.

      Display Image... users - Leave this at the default so everyone can see the ads.

      Image Location - This is the URL location of the image you want displayed for the ad. It is required.

      Image Dimensions - The size of the image you are adding. Make this identical to the size of the image in pixels, otherwise you may cause the image to look distorted depending on how this widget/plugin functions.

      Image Alt Text - This is the text that shows up when someone hovers over the ad. This could be used to add keywords to the image, which is good for SEO.

      Text to Display After Image - This is what will show beneath the image. You could use this to provide further incentive for the users to click on the ad. Kind of like having a text ad beneath the actual ad. Or if it doesn't display the name of the site in the image, you could put the name of the site beneath the image.

      Break Between Image and Text - This could create a carriage return between the ad and any text if you are placing it in a post, if this widget allows that. I haven't used the plugin so I don't know for certain.

      Alignment - I would leave this at "Center" so your image stays perfectly centered in the sidebar.

      Link Location - I believe this is where you would put the target location for the ad. Ex: You have an ad for aweber. You could put your affiliate link in this box.

      Link Target - You will be able to set this so the ad either opens in the current window, or opens in a brand new browser window. I always create my ads so they open in a new window in case the user wants to keep browsing my site.

      NoFollow - This is so you don't lose PR to the site you are linking to in the ad.

      Shadowbox - A shadowbox is one of those web 2.0 looking kind of windows that pop up. This may be an option to display that ad in a shadow box instead of a full browser window. This may be useful if you are linking to a squeeze page or other page that is small like a download page or something. Or it could be used to link to an expanded version of the ad.

      Display Image Alt Text - This is another SEO option. I believe it will disable the hover option I mentioned earlier.

      Padding - This is how many pixels you want surrounding the image. If it is near text 5 to 10 pixels is usually plenty. 0 pixels would put it directly next to the text with no spacing. This can be useful if the image has an extended area surrounding the actual ad image, such as a white background or border.

      Basically after these options are set, it will display in whichever sidebar you added the widget to. Depending on what theme you have it could be the right sidebar, left sidebar, featured area, etc.

      I don't believe this will let you put multiple small ads in a group on the sidebar. They may display one on top of the other. However, if you make the alignment "left" they may just wrap and display as many images as will fit in a row and continue on to the next line once it reaches the max width of the sidebar.

      Hope all that made sense. I would have to install the plugin and play around with it to give more details.

      Dennis
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  • Profile picture of the author Zanti
    Thank you so much Dennis, and yes this will help as soon as I can find out how to get to the screen shot I posted. I've been trying everything I can think of to see the screen shot, and so far nothing. I know that it has to be something simple, and a lot easier than I'm making it.

    I so appreciate your time and effort in sharing the information. I have printed it out and put it in my folder for im business and WP. Working hard to organize and take action.

    Thanks,

    Zanti
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    • Profile picture of the author jjpmarketing
      Oh that's an easy one. The screenshot is from the widget itself. On the left hand side of WP Admin panel you will see "Appearance", click the arrow to drop down the menu if it isn't already displayed. You should see "Widgets". Click that link.

      This will display a list of widgets you can add to your sidebar.

      On the right hand side you will see another drop down. This will list whatever sidebars your theme has enabled. If you have multiple sidebars you will see them in that list. Choose which sidebar you want to view and click the "show" button.

      Keep looking through the sidebars until you see the "simple image link" listed on that sidebar. This is the one you added already. If you don't see it listed anywhere on the right, then it means you haven't added that widget.

      If that is the case choose which sidebar you want to add it to, and click the "show" button.

      Once you have done that, on the left hand side where the available widgets are listed, find one called "Simple Image". Click add.

      Don't modify the widget right away. Click "save" so it adds the widget.

      Then you can click on edit on that widget to modify its options.

      Dennis
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  • Profile picture of the author Zanti
    Ahh, thank you Dennis, that was the problem. So simple yet so frustrating. I will be so glad when I'm not a newbie anymore. One day I will look back at this thread and LOL.

    I can not get some sleep. I knew it was something simple.

    Thanks again.

    Zanti
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    • Profile picture of the author jjpmarketing
      No problem, Zanti. Glad I could help. I always intend to be in bed by a certain hour, but the WF sucks you in and before you know it, over 4 hours have passed since the time you intended to be in bed.

      I am very knowledgeable about WordPress so if you run into any more issues, don't hesitate to contact me on the WF.

      Dennis
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  • Profile picture of the author Zanti
    Thanks Dennis I will. I'm a happy camper again. Off to have great dreams of finding the elusive perfect niche. And tomorrow time to get busy again.
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