Making money on your site. - UK Web Hosting | Dedicated Server Windows and Linux VPS Forum

**borninblood** · #1 (**permalink**) 10-05-2007, 20:07

For people that own website hostings that don't make money directly from selling a product or service, how have you found the best way to make your website hosting pay for itself?

I currently sell banner space on my forums for £5.00 a month (I know that is very little, but the forum isn't that huge (only maybe 200 unique a day))

And I also have google ads about the place, making me about $1.50 a day on average, it gets me enough to keep the website hosting ticking over, but does anyone know any better ways to convert visitors into capital?

**DPS Computing** · #2 (**permalink**) 10-05-2007, 20:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by borninblood

For people that own website hostings that don't make money directly from selling a product or service, how have you found the best way to make your website hosting pay for itself?

I currently sell banner space on my forums for £5.00 a month (I know that is very little, but the forum isn't that huge (only maybe 200 unique a day))

And I also have google ads about the place, making me about $1.50 a day on average, it gets me enough to keep the website hosting ticking over, but does anyone know any better ways to convert visitors into capital?

Concentrate on building your traffic as high as possible, by providing as much good quality content as possible.

More traffic = more advertisers wanting to buy advert space on your website hosting.

Also More traffic = increase in value of advertising space.

If you double your traffic you can double the charge for advertising!

The more people you are going to reach with the advert the more interested advertisers will be and the more willing they will be to pay that little bit extra.

Apart from that, there is no better way other than selling products, which obviously makes you quite a bit of money if you do it right.

If your non-profit and what you provide is free you could also ask for donations via Paypal.

Hope those ideas help

**borninblood** · #3 (**permalink**) 10-05-2007, 20:17

Cheers!

I actually forgot to mention that I have a donate button, but it has never ever been used (don't really blame people, I have only donated once to a free service myself).

When you talk about growing my traffic will increase the value of my ads, do you mean the google ads? I have taken off the feature which allows people to sign up to advertise on my website hosting with them, as I think it looks a bit garish.

**DPS Computing** · #4 (**permalink**) 10-05-2007, 20:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by borninblood

Cheers!

I actually forgot to mention that I have a donate button, but it has never ever been used (don't really blame people, I have only donated once to a free service myself).

When you talk about growing my traffic will increase the value of my ads, do you mean the google ads? I have taken off the feature which allows people to sign up to advertise on my website hosting with them, as I think it looks a bit garish.

The donate button is a good start, people might not have donated yet, but it always gives people the oppertunity to if they want. And as you get more popular, your donate button might get more popular!

No I am refering to the £5 banner ads you said you were selling on your website hosting. As your traffic increases advertisers will be more than willing in most cases to pay more for the same space, therefore increasing your revenue.

Don't forget, the more traffic you get, the more valuable you are to an advertiser, and the more they don't want to lose there advertising space on your website hosting.

Do you mind me asking which forum is in question?

**borninblood** · #5 (**permalink**) 10-05-2007, 20:30

The forum in question is..

http://www.borninblood.co.uk/forum

**DPS Computing** · #6 (**permalink**) 10-05-2007, 20:33

Cool, looks good! Good luck with increasing your traffic!

**borninblood** · #7 (**permalink**) 10-05-2007, 20:34

Cheers! and thanks!

**flesso** · #8 (**permalink**) 10-05-2007, 20:40

I use affiliate networks like TradeDoubler and CJ these days, after being kicked off AdSense twice for too many clicks from the same IP (it wasn't me!)...

**borninblood** · #9 (**permalink**) 10-05-2007, 20:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by flesso

I use affiliate networks like TradeDoubler and CJ these days, after being kicked off AdSense twice for too many clicks from the same IP (it wasn't me!)...

Same thing happened to me before, I was told I was clicking on my own links, when I wasn't at all - but this time around everything seems to be fine.

**DPS Computing** · #10 (**permalink**) 10-05-2007, 20:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by borninblood

Same thing happened to me before, I was told I was clicking on my own links, when I wasn't at all - but this time around everything seems to be fine.

The systems for detecting click fraud arnt perfect and are prone to mistakes. But I suppose from Googles point of view they would rather be too cautious than too lax, which is to the detrement of some geniune participators

**Hallief3** · #11 (**permalink**) 10-05-2007, 21:38

Google has some new thing where clicks have to be followed through with orders to be counted, or whateva path you set before click fee is paid.

http://services.google.com/payperaction/

**DPS Computing** · #12 (**permalink**) 10-05-2007, 22:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hallief3

Google has some new thing where clicks have to be followed through with orders to be counted, or whateva path you set before click fee is paid.

http://services.google.com/payperaction/

Interesting. I hadn't heard of this before. I am going to go a check it out now. Cheers Hallief3!

**Hallief3** · #13 (**permalink**) 11-05-2007, 08:01

No problem, i was a little intreaged as it means you can't really lose out, as this should seriouly reduce click fraud...however may increase fraud signups.

**avatari** · #14 (**permalink**) 13-05-2007, 10:06

sadly guys, currently only for advertisers in the usa - so that's most of us left twiddling our thumbs for the moment.

**DPS Computing** · #15 (**permalink**) 13-05-2007, 16:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by avatari

sadly guys, currently only for advertisers in the usa - so that's most of us left twiddling our thumbs for the moment.

Yes, but as with most things Google, it normally starts off on a US a based trial before they make it a world wide service.

If I remember correctly Gmail (or Google Mail here in the UK) was a US based trial before it was rolled out worldwide.

**Eidolon** · #16 (**permalink**) 13-05-2007, 17:58

Speaking of affiliate schemes...
http://www.eukhost.com/affiliate/

**DPS Computing** · #17 (**permalink**) 13-05-2007, 19:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eidolon

Speaking of affiliate schemes...
http://www.eukhost.com/affiliate/

Didn't know about that one. Am going to take a look at it now!