Text Link Ads Review
ADVERTISEMENTSText Link Ads (TLA) are the text links that you can find on my sidebar under ‘Sponsored Links’, that link to the Advertiser’s site.
Advertisers will find Text Link Ads useful as these are static links without a nofollow and will therefore help them improve their search engine rankings and get them some traffic.
Text Link Ads makes it easy for Advertisers to choose which sites to advertise on by displaying all their publishers by category and ordering them by Alexa ranking and monthly price. Once you select the sites you want to advertise on, just tick the ‘Buy’ checkbox and click ‘Add to cart’.
As a new Advertiser on Text Link Ads you are eligible for $100 in FREE Links.
Publishers will find Text Link Ads useful as unlike other Ads they are just text links and won’t be irritating for their visitors. As a publisher you can choose how many ads you would like to display, and whether they will appear on a single page or sitewide. Be careful on what you choose because this will affect on how much each link on your site will cost. The more Ads you choose to appear, the lesser will be the price per link.
You can choose where to place the links on your site, but remember that certain places can get you more money. You can use the Text Link Ads calculator to see how much a link is worth on your site depending on where you put it and whether you chose to offer a single page or a site wide link. The left side of your page can earn you the most and the link worth decreases as you move to the right side.
Also Text Link Ads are sold at a flat price for a 30 day period. The price won’t fluctuate with your traffic nor will it depend on how many people click or view the Text Links but is based on factors like Alexa Rank and Google PageRank. So your site will have a higher link price if you have good Alexa Rank and Google PageRank.
I recommend everyone to try out Text Link Ads (aff) as it can be a good source of income depending on your sites ranking. New sites may not get accepted into TLA (my friend faced this problem), in that case you will have to improve your rankings.
Text Link Ads has an affiliate program that will pay you $25 for any referred visitor that is accepted into their publisher program and installs the advertising script on their site for seven days. If you refer an advertiser who purchases an advertisement, the referral will appear in your affiliate account within 24 hours. If you decide to sign up as a publisher, use this link.
If you wish to sign up as an advertiser or wish to buy a link on my blog, you can do so here. A text link ad on this blog costs $160 a month, but this link will give you $100 in FREE Links.
My Experience
In the beginning I was not that satisfied with Text Link Ads as they set my monthly price to $25 but later as my Alexa Rank and Page Rank improved, the link price got set to $160. But as Text Link Ads take 50% of the link price as their fee, I earn just $80.
In February, only 1 advertiser had bought a link on my site for $160, the rest 6 Advertisers bought links before the monthly price had increased. So my February earnings for Text Link Ads was only $91.89 + $25 (referral).
I expected a better earning for this month, but I noticed that this month too old advertisers were buying links on my site for the old price ($25). It would be nice if there was a way to cancel an Advertiser or raise the link price if they wanted to continue advertising.
Another thing I have noticed is that sometimes the advertisers who buy links seem to be a little off topic to what I blog about. For example: Champs Elysees Hotels.
Apart from these problems, Text Link Ads can be a good way to make money online and I recommend you to join it if you have not done so far and is interested in making money from your site.
Try out Text Link Ads and let me know how it works out for you. If you are already using it, I would love to hear how well it’s working for you.
Also read on how to make money online with Text Link Ads
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Posted on March 1st, 2007 | Category: Make Money Online, Reviews |
lyndonmaxewell
March 1, 2007 at 6:24 pm
Well, I do know that this comes up as one of the top programs for selection in making money for sites. The requirement that I have yet to meet is ‘high traffic’.
I guess it would take a little while longer. Well, good to hear that you are making money as well out of this!
Rhys
March 1, 2007 at 6:41 pm
So your price does increase? Mine has been static for a while, despite a huge increase in Alexa ranking, and an increase in Google Page Rank.
Maki
March 1, 2007 at 6:48 pm
I think TLA is good if you need convenience. I personally prefer private link sales because you get to set your own price and nobody takes a cut.
Several link sellers I know have experienced a drop in SERPs and some webmasters have indicated that openly listing your website on TLA leaves too much of a footprint in the eyes of search engines.
JohnTP
March 1, 2007 at 7:06 pm
Rhys- Try contacting them
Maki- I prefer private link sales too, but I find it easier to get Advertisers through TLA
lyndonmaxewell
March 1, 2007 at 7:17 pm
“too much of a footprint in the eyes of search engines.”
Well, that’s on the bad side, isn’t it? Of course it is easier for more popular, or famed sites to look for private link sales, since it is usually the customers that go looking for you.
TLA is a good go-between for starters.
Ryan
March 1, 2007 at 8:17 pm
I didn’t think TLA would sell ads that low. I’ve only had one site accepted to TLA, a blog I’ve had for some time now. They’re currently priced at $30, so it’s not a great deal of money but it works for now.
I think it’s a great service though.
Ashish Mohta
March 1, 2007 at 10:51 pm
TLA idea is good.But then again you have to depend on what kind of link is coming and you have less of choice.Sometimes you have to accept links as u said which have no relevence to your site…will people click it..i really doubt it.
The kind of readers you get is according to your niche, even from search engines.So if your text links are all irrelevant it might create a different impression.
I would also prefer to whom i am selling the links, more control but the constrain is how to find them
If you blog is good enough, you can wait a little more, its hard to avoid good money but if you take a overall look “You will surely find advertiser that fits your blog if the blog is good enough”.So i can suggest work hard make your blog noticeable enough that people come to as you , Hey I relate to your blog would u like to have my link on yours.
Define a strategy of getting link ads on your blog.Decide whom u want , what type you want.It will help in long run, because if i know you can accept any kind of links ( I am not talking abt too stipid ads) u will get too many link offer which will never fit on yours.
Decide, Define and Deal….thats one simple rule of business .I call it 3D rule….Any comments?
Garry
March 1, 2007 at 11:06 pm
John,
TLA is a great program. I recently signed up and I am participating in their programs. I also create a post about them. Very nice work, I think anyone who participates in the program have a great chance for doing well. The tools TLA offer are great.
Chris Lodge
March 2, 2007 at 12:56 am
They’ve just sold my first ad & I’m pleased with it. After the initial 10 minute setup, there is literally no work for you to do.
Peter
March 2, 2007 at 1:29 am
Because people buy links there only for PR, not for real traffic.
Sodhi
March 2, 2007 at 3:22 am
Google can penalize your website for participating in link selling program.
Google like natural links not paid links.
Also according to SEO, one should not link to irrelavent sites.
Links should not change with time.
What you think ?
Daniel
March 2, 2007 at 5:31 am
Private link sales are better for the profit, but I agree that sometimes TLA does a good job finding you unexpected advertisers.
lyndonmaxewell
March 2, 2007 at 5:57 am
If I had a choice, I would definitely opt for private link sales too. More control, and manipulation. More room to play around the ads.
Sometimes I agree that advertisers are going for the PR linking, and not really the traffic as well. Of course for paid ads, you would have to develop your own style in accepting and putting them on your site. And what else? Wait for the dollars to roll in.
Garry
March 2, 2007 at 5:59 am
@ Chris,
How long did it take for them to sell your first link?
Ashish Mohta
March 2, 2007 at 7:43 am
I dont think there is any style.You can do anything other than accepting or declining
Ashish Mohta
March 2, 2007 at 7:46 am
: It depends how you gonna define “irrelevence”.Google will only see how many links you have on a page and is that site can be trusted…doesnt matter even if you have a link to hotel site having a pr of 7 .
Zigire
March 2, 2007 at 7:47 am
I still haven’t got around to using TLA… I’ve been using LinkVault, however to quite some success.
Ashish Mohta
March 2, 2007 at 7:49 am
: Hey can you share your experience in few lines about Link vault? Will be interesting for people who cant get through TLA
Garry
March 2, 2007 at 7:51 am
@ Zigire
LinkVault… how long have you been using this program? For a site with a moderate amount of traffic (say 1000 unique visits per day) is this a pretty good program to use? I know that you haven’t gotten around to using TLA, but do you know enough about it to make a comparison between the two programs?
Garry
March 2, 2007 at 7:52 am
@ Ashish
LOL! You beat me to the question. I am with you though… I would love a compression between the two programs.
lyndonmaxewell
March 2, 2007 at 10:07 am
@ Ashish I guess what you mean is that there are only two choices - accept and go along with it, or reject and wait up for the next one.
Mr.Byte
March 2, 2007 at 11:42 am
Its a good option but not for the budding bloggers or new blogs. A blog has to at least 1 year old with good page rank. So, I guess I really have to wait a long time.
lyndonmaxewell
March 2, 2007 at 4:00 pm
@ Mr.Byte
One year is actually not a pretty long time. In the meantime, perhaps you can take to building up, improving and optimizing your blog. That is what most of us are doing, anyway.
Mr.Byte
March 2, 2007 at 4:15 pm
yeah that’s true. The new blogger should not concentrate about money factor and rather spend time thinking what’s new he can do to build the blog.
Ashish Mohta
March 2, 2007 at 6:44 pm
: yes thats what i exactly ment.Better wait for kind of ads on your domain that really fits than just run after money.Everybody needs money but sometimes you have to take care what impression your blog will make.Its not about just getting lot of hits from search engines..Blog is more like life and blogging is a karma..you do the right way you are paid well but at a later stage.
: yeah we need to know which one is better.However i saw the link vault thing.I really didn’t like the looks and its code is messy.But still we need some comparison.
: We are still waiting to hear from you!!!
Alex
March 2, 2007 at 7:38 pm
I wrote about TLA, but I don’t have personal experience with it, so I find yours much more informative. Great post!
wildbluff_matt
March 3, 2007 at 12:28 am
You have to be a year old, huh? Lyndon, you’re right about that giving you lots of time to focus on content development. I wonder why they’re so restrictive. Seems like it would limit potential.
Edward
March 3, 2007 at 12:43 am
havn’t try TLA as my blog only has a few visitors …
Mr.Byte
March 3, 2007 at 12:51 am
, who you referring as so restrictive? You talking about TLA? They work for this equation PR 0 = $ 0, so as your PR increases, your $ increases.
Ashish Mohta
March 3, 2007 at 12:58 am
:Yeah and not only that You need to have a good traffic at least some good amount if not too much
Sodhi
March 3, 2007 at 1:16 am
Irrelevence : Site about yoga linking to a software download site.
A user reading about yoga won’t be interested in downloading softwares.
You know theres a thing called “user experience” look it up.
It is one the main factor effecting the rankings in serps.
Sodhi
March 3, 2007 at 1:29 am
“They work for this equation PR 0 = $ 0, so as your PR increases, your $ increases.”
U know there are some ways to fake PR and sell links.
But i won’t recomment it.
Mr.Byte
March 3, 2007 at 1:40 am
, I am also not interested in getting fake PR, the new site I have is only 15 days old and the pagerank prediction shows PR4! So i’ll wait till the next pagerank update. BTW, it predicted correctly for my other site before the last update.
Ryan
March 3, 2007 at 2:06 am
TLA also uses Technorati and other resources to get a good handle on how much to sell links for.
Maki
March 3, 2007 at 3:23 am
“, I am also not interested in getting fake PR, the new site I have is only 15 days old and the pagerank prediction shows PR4!”
@ Mr.Byte.. oooh. Just to butt in on your conversation. Are you are referring to your Lyte Byte site?
And everyone else. Check out what Google’s Lasnki has to say about link buying and selling. Essential reading. Great discussion in the comments also.
Google’s Lasnik Wishes “NoFollow Didn’t Exist”
Paula Mooney
March 3, 2007 at 4:35 am
Thank you, John TP!
I, apparently along with John Chow ad above, love you too.
You’ve once again explained Text Link Ads in a way that I could wrap my mind around.
It gave me more ideas for buying links on specific blogs.
Happy weekend,
Paula
Mr.Byte
March 3, 2007 at 9:33 am
, Yes I am talking about my site
dan1el
March 3, 2007 at 10:41 am
Is there any conclusive evidence of a drop in SERP’s from using TLA? Either buying or selling? It might not be a big deal for a larger site but for the smaller ones it could be an issue.
Garry
March 3, 2007 at 12:06 pm
Text-Link-Ads Publisher Tips
I wanted to contribute an extension to John’s post here and offer a suggestion that may help you increase the changes of gaining advertisers a little quicker. First off if your site has been approved, then already you have one foot in the door. I believe that this program can make you decent money. Will it pay your mortgage? Maybe… but that could be seen as being far fetched. Can it pay for your hosting fees and ISP’s fees and maybe allow you some extra money for other things. Yes! Without a doubt… Text-Link-Ads will make you some money. In this comment, I want to point out a few things that will help speed up the processes.
I have a site that met the requirements and I have joined their program, I have installed their plugin, and my site is ready to go! Now the ball is in Text-Link-Ads court. They say that they do all the selling and all the work towards finding advertisers for your site. That is great! But I am not sure what kind of person you are… but I don’t like giving up control that easy. So, naturally for me… I want to work the sales deal as best as I can within my control and power. Obviously I can self promote on my own site, but that really isn’t the point of using Text-Link-Ads. If I wanted to self promote ad space on my own site, I would do it… but the issue with that is the fact that it can be very difficult to find advertisers willing to advertise on the site. Again, that is why we all turn to Text-Link-Ads to do it for you.
Having all that said, let’s look more closely at what Text-Link-Ads are doing to sell links for you. To be honest (and someone correct me if I am wrong) but it seems like the main way Text-Link-Ads attempts to sell ads on your site is by listing your site in their directory. It’s the advertisers who visit their site and search the directory who end up choosing to advertise on your site or not. So from what I can see, they really aren’t “Working The Deals” but more less just adding your site to a list with other sites where advertisers can search and decide on which sites to advertise on. In other words… Text-Link-Ads doesn’t really do anything for you other than allow you to participate by adding your listing in their directory. Again, I could be wrong… but I don’t vision their staff working the deals and being very proactive with selling links for you… So what does that mean? In order to be successful with Text-Link-Ads, you have to be proactive and you have to be in more control. If you want to increase your chances of success with Text-Link-Ads, you have to take charge and do the most you can towards working the deals yourself.
Submitting Your Site To Text-Link-Ads
I have spent quite a bit of time searching their directory. One common mistake I am discovering that people are making is in how they present their site to the potential advertisers. In most cases it looks like site owners are simply copying and pasting their meta description tags or their paragraph in their blog’s about me page. Now, you may be thinking, “What’s wrong with doing that?” The answer: A lot!
In order to increase your chances of picking up advertisers and hopefully quickly, you need to creatively write a description that targets the interest of the advertiser. I have many sites online and one of my sites focuses on SEO and optimizing search engine traffic. This site touches on various methods for gaining traffic through search engine result pages (SERP’s). But to be honest, this is nothing new… tons of people talk about SEO and search engine marketing (SEM). But what people are failing to realize with Text-Link-Ads, is the fact that the same principals of SEO need to be put into effect for your description and tags (or keywords) in your Text-Link-Ads listing. [And to actually be more specific, you need to utilize old fashion Web 1.0 SEO tactics].
In summary, in order to increase the chances of advertisers choosing your site, you need to carefully write a description that makes the advertiser feel that you are speaking directly to him. Same practices are used for successful blogging and gaining the interest in readers. Only difference here is you are not gaining the interest of blog readers… you are gaining the interest of the advertiser. So if you want to be successful with Text-Link-Ads, I suggest you write a powerful and compelling description about your site. You need to work the deal… you need to be in control. And also, if you want to be successful with the program, you need to come to terms with the fact that when you join, you are more less being given the opportunity to have your site listed in their directory. And again… use old fashion Web 1.0 tactics, no different than you would do back in the day when attempting to get your site listed in DMOZ or dir.yahoo.com.
I hope this document helps anyone who reads it. I really enjoy my time here on JohnTP.com and find it a privilege to be able to comment here on the site. It is my pleasure to have the opportunity to comment, contribute and help others. If you should have any comments or questions, I have subscribed to the post and will receive notifications of future comments.
Best Regards,
Garry Conn
Ashish Mohta
March 3, 2007 at 12:37 pm
: You have some good points garry in there.But honestly nobody will have time to read so long comments.It seems like a post in another post.Why dont u just make a post about it and link back to John.Then you can leave a link here of your post and we can all come to your post to read it.
Think about it!!
PS: You can talk to john , he might help u in editing the comment if you want .
Garry
March 3, 2007 at 12:46 pm
lol!! Good idea… didn’t think about that!
John, here is the post url… if you want to edit the prior comment, Ashish is totally right!
http://howdoimakemoneyonline.c.....sfully.php
lyndonmaxewell
March 3, 2007 at 2:40 pm
@ Mr.Byte
@ Ashish
Yes, definitely, new writers should concentrate on content. Basically, that is what writing is all about in the first place, isn’t it?
@ Garry
That is a nice readup.
lyndonmaxewell
March 3, 2007 at 2:42 pm
@ John
Just adding my personnel view. I guess it would be easier for commentators and readers to follow up with the discussion if the comments are in threaded form. Pretty hard to reply to earlier comments, in my opinion.
lyndonmaxewell
March 3, 2007 at 2:45 pm
@ Maki
Did you buy a domain name that already had a high PR? Sounds unlikely that it would predict a PR 4 so soon on its own.
JohnTP
March 3, 2007 at 3:19 pm
lyndonmaxewell- I tried Brians Thread Comments plugin a few days back, but it did not work well on this blog. I will try again.
Mr.Byte
March 3, 2007 at 3:32 pm
No, my domain is a new domain and it has never been used before by anyone else…I am posting regularly at an average of 2 posts per day…I just out of curiosity checked out the page rank prediction and it showed 4. I am clueless!
lyndonmaxewell
March 3, 2007 at 3:39 pm
@ JohnTP Will be looking forward to it. It should present a better layout, I believe.
@ Mr.Byte Gosh.. I am in particular clueless as well! Perhaps someone can address your concern?
lyndonmaxewell
March 3, 2007 at 3:41 pm
@ JohnTP Oh by the way, some plugins do not work well for some templates. For mine, the widgets could not work on the blog.
Mr.Byte
March 3, 2007 at 3:42 pm
@ lyndonmaxewell, I guess you are talking about my site and referring to Maki.
Mr.Byte
March 3, 2007 at 3:54 pm
@ lyndonmaxewell, Yeah more than being clueless I am stunned, actually i guess its been well received. My site has an average of 30 subscribers within 2 weeks and a page view of 250 per day. I seriously did not expect this but i am happy about these numbers. What to do, these magical numbers are need these days to do anything! Any idea when the next page rank update will be?
lyndonmaxewell
March 3, 2007 at 4:09 pm
@ Mr.Byte You are right! I got the wrong person. Gosh..
Both ways, it is good news for you. No idea on the next update though.
Maki
March 3, 2007 at 7:53 pm
@ Mr.Byte
Perhaps the PR prediction tool was inaccurate. It seems highly unlikely that you are currently a PR 4 but you just might be, when the next update comes around, which will be around April I think.
BTW, which PR prediction tool did you use?
Mr.Byte
March 3, 2007 at 8:09 pm
I use iwebtool, i dont have an PR4 now, the predicted PR is 4. April is not far, lets see how it goes.
chatca
March 3, 2007 at 10:20 pm
mybe first time to get is traffic then earning from adsense
Ashish Mohta
March 3, 2007 at 10:48 pm
: I will give a hi5 for you on that.For initial bloggers Tla is not a help.Better adsense for starting and adbrite does well too
Mr.Byte
March 3, 2007 at 10:55 pm
Yeah adbrite also works but I dont like their kind of ads which are in all cases very obtrusive and irrelevant to the site’s content
lyndonmaxewell
March 3, 2007 at 11:06 pm
@ Mr.Byte Ah.. A prediction. There should be a wonderful target to work towards to.
Yet I believe even for PR 1 or 2, it should take much time too.
lyndonmaxewell
March 3, 2007 at 11:08 pm
@ Ashish I agree on that. In fact, it would take seasoned bloggers to be even considered for acceptance into their scheme. Adsense is the user-friendly one for all sizes, and experiences.
Ashish Mohta
March 3, 2007 at 11:09 pm
Byte: There is a option that you can use to remove those ads.I am using it and i havent seen any kind of ads that can be obtrusive and irrelevant .If you have high page load its good
Mr.Byte
March 3, 2007 at 11:33 pm
, Oh is it, I didn’t know that feature was there for adbrite. i did look at adbrite after a long time, they have improved their interface also. will consider to put some ads from adbrite. Thanks for bringing up about adbrite
Mr.Byte
March 3, 2007 at 11:40 pm
, yeah I also believed that way but for my old blog it went from 0 to 4 in the one go and it did take 6 months for that.
Maki
March 3, 2007 at 11:56 pm
Hmmm .. Just to add some thoughts. I think Adsense will really make you some serious money when you have some serious traffic (1000+). At least that’s my experience with some of my websites.
If you really want to make at least $20 a day from a new blog with little traffic, try Payperpost.
Mr.Byte
March 4, 2007 at 12:03 am
, Does PPP accept new sites? I think it has to be more than 3 months for even submitting for review under their network so that they can approve your site.
lyndonmaxewell
March 4, 2007 at 12:29 am
@ Mr.Byte Well, that is some significant progress there!
Anyway yes, your blog has to be at least 3mths old before they even consider. Personally, I had been in the rejected crowd.
lyndonmaxewell
March 4, 2007 at 12:33 am
@ Maki Not really so, with the newer blogs, there is not so many opportunities due to issues with PR also. Besides the point, say if it is $5 an opp, you would have to do 8 posts (4 sponsored, 4 non-sponsored) for it to work, to earn $20 a day.
Adsense, among some others, are still the better revenue-earning options.
Mr.Byte
March 4, 2007 at 12:55 am
yeah I used to take posts from PPP for my old blog so I knew about it.
Maybe somebody (John or anybody here) can write an article on who are the best advertisers for a very new blog (say 0-3 months), and then budding blogger (say 3-6 months), blogs which are 6-12 months old, above 1 year with details like PR and alexa statistics on each category
Maki
March 4, 2007 at 11:43 am
I think Adsense needs traffic. And If you don’t have traffic, you can’t make a few thousand dollars a month.
There are ways to milk PPP for all its worth. Steps are pretty simple. Build multiple blogs at one time.. let them age while building links. Get them all approved by PPP and start doing multiple posts a day. Hire a cheap content provider from DP or anywhere else and you’re all set. The sheer volume will make you money.
That’s pretty much what I did and it does work. To earn big with payperpost networks, you need to diversify and outsource.
lyndonmaxewell
March 4, 2007 at 11:50 am
@ Mr.Byte Ah.. that would be pretty helpful for the newer ones in the scenes. If that can be done…
@ Maki That’s true. Well, it depends on how much time you have in hand too. For me, having two blogs already have my hands full.
Sodhi
March 4, 2007 at 11:54 am
I tried TLA affiliate, made no money.
Mr.Byte
March 4, 2007 at 1:36 pm
, yeah it would be helpful if someone can write on that but whoever writes should have had experience in all the spheres to talk about it…
lyndonmaxewell
March 4, 2007 at 3:37 pm
@ Mr.Byte Yea, someone who were down in the dumps on that one. Or rather, a pretty ‘unsuccessful’ blogger.
@ Sodhi Seriously, not even a single cent? Care to share with us?
Ashish Mohta
March 5, 2007 at 7:17 pm
: Me 2 i never tried it seriously as by blog is yet to be accepted and affiliation doesn’t work unless you write some article on money making and say to use it
Chris Lodge
March 7, 2007 at 12:03 am
Sorry I didn’t come back to you Garry:
They took about 2 weeks after approval to sell my first link, and then a week later they’ve sold a second
My blog is 4 months old with a PR 4, so you certainly don’t need to wait a year.
Mr.Byte
March 7, 2007 at 12:25 am
, I can imagine myself being there in the next 4 months! So iwebtool’s prediction of my site might be true
lyndonmaxewell
March 7, 2007 at 7:40 am
@ Chris & Mr.Byte 4 mths to work to that level, that is indeed some inspiration. Now, I have to work my way up there somehow..
Ashish Mohta
March 7, 2007 at 7:42 am
I still goto make it work it always says your site is under review…since 2 mnths WTH lol
Chris Lodge
March 7, 2007 at 8:36 pm
Mr Byte, I made PR4 in just under 2 months so you’ll do it easy.
Ashish, that’s weird, may be time to give them a reminder?
Ashish Mohta
March 7, 2007 at 8:38 pm
lol seems like they dont like me like digg doesnt .I have reminded them for so may time may be 3-4.
lyndonmaxewell
March 7, 2007 at 10:35 pm
That shouldn’t be the case. This is just plain ‘weird’.
antrs
March 12, 2007 at 9:47 pm
it’s hard to get advertiser to place their ads until my blog get good position
but perhap some time i can!