Social Networking | Turnip of Power: The CMF Ads Side Dish

Performancing Ads is a new advertising network from SplashPress Media. It works like a cross between an Ad server like Project Wonderful and a blog link exchange. Using a credit system and 125×125 ads, it reminded me of Entrecard, only without the social networking part. Bottom line: Both systems work very well together, as the page views from Entrecard earn you credits to use in Performancing ads.

Similarities and Differences

Both networks are based on 125×125 sized ads. In Entrecard, your ad points back to your own blog, in Performancing Ads, your ad can point to any page you want.
Both networks give you credits. Entrecard gives you credits for dropping and receiving cards. Performancing Ads gives you credit for pageviews and for people advertising on your site.
Entrecard pays you in credits when someone buys an ad on your site. Performancing Ads pays you in dollars when someone buys a weekly ad.
Entrecard allows you to spend your credits freely. Performancing Ads automates the credit system, so they can’t be traded or sold.
Performancing Ads has an affiliate program, paying $10 a signup. Entrecard doesn’t.

Here is how to add it to your site:

Signup with Performancing Ads. You only sign up once even if you have multiple blogs. Your password will be emailed to you immediately.
Click “Add a site” and enter your blog URL along with 3 categories that best describe it.
Click “Add a region”. Here you pick the number of ads you want displayed. Say you wanted a 2×2 grid of 125×125 ads. You can have as many as 7×7 125×125 ads. If you want space between each ad, specify the vertical and horizontal pixels. Check off “No Follow” if you don’t want Google to follow that link.
Download the file that contains the widget and upload it to your plugin folder. If you aren’t using WordPress, there are instructions for other systems like Drupal 6.x, and Joomla. Activate the plugin and add the widget to your sidebar. Alternatively, you can add the php snippet to your template directly. When you add the widget, click on settings and enter the code number for that ad space you receive in an email. Save your sidebar setting. It’s really very simple.
Now for the fun part. Click on “Exchange Ads” and “Create new”. Rather than being forced to display an ad for your blog, you can run any ad. Affiliate offers, contest offers, ads for Amazon, whatever you please! Your ad will run on other people’s blogs, and their ads on yours. For an example, see tech.turnipofpower.com. All the ads below the Entrecard are from Performancing Ads.

My advice: Run a single Performancing Ad right next to or under your Entrecard ad and you will benefit under both systems.