Best way to make money hosting free sites

[Needhosting.net]

I currently host 10-20 free site for friends and I was wondering how everyone is making money hosting free sites.

I realize it's via banners and google ads, but can anyone point out the best way to go about it and provide some links.

[Plead]

Well, I know you said that you realise that it is by banners and Google ads but I guess I will reinforce that.

I have been using Google ads for sometime now and it has been great.

I let users place the banner where they want to on their page, freedom helps.

If you have a dedicated server, I think your best bet would be to get mod_layout which lets you modify automatic headers and footers.

I just make sure I enforce that people are placing banners on their pages but I tend to be very lenient.

Good luck!

[maxhest]

I would possibly use just a text link at the bottom of the main page. That way - you really don't have to hassle with mod_layout, and you could get some hits.

[Plead]

If you are after hits, don't offer domain parking, addon domains or the use of their own domains.

That way you will also get publicity with the subdomain or you might even goto the lengths of not allowing subdomains and offering http://www.yourhost.com/~username

[LP-Trel]

Use the age old method of placing advertisements on their websites. That way you can be paid for the advertising revenue and they can still get their free webhosting. :)

[Needhosting.net]

Very good info so far.

Yes I have several dedicated servers.
I would purchase a new one for this venture (just in case)

I could just make everyone insert an include into their page and cron a bash script to check *.html *.htm *.php in /home/free/* and email me the results, of course I would force the footer with mod_layout.

I'm just wondering where to start with google ads.. I poked around googles website but I cannot (perhaps for lack of time) find information on hosting their ads and getting paid for it.

[nick]

http://www.google.com/adsense :thumb

[Plead]

If/when you do sign up for Google AdSense, make very sure that you always follow the rules. They are VERY strict on their rules.

[LP-Trel]

Well that goes for any service of any type, always follow their terms of service unless you want problems. ;)

[Plead]

Well that goes for any service of any type, always follow their terms of service unless you want problems. ;)
Heh, I guess you're right. Google is extra strict though, when in doubt just shoot them an email, they usually reply quite fast.

[LP-Trel]

That is one good thing about Google, they respond to support requests within 12 hours usually which is surprising considering the amount of email they likely receive.

[Plead]

That is one good thing about Google, they respond to support requests within 12 hours usually which is surprising considering the amount of email they likely receive.
Well, we are technically their customers.

I emailed them about a general Google question and they replied in 2 weeks, they also apologised for the delay :P

[LP-Trel]

True enough that we are their lifeblood but, that still doesn't mean they have to reply fast like they do. Google is awesome because they are Google, nothing more needs to be said. :)

[Xoopiter-Jeff]

I have just been giving away some space to friends and my fellow gamers and I use adsense some where on there site. They don't usually mind. I also put an adsense banner on a large forum I host and I think the clicks pay me more then if the people bought the space off me for regular price which is good. I noticed you need to have a large number of traffic for adsense to be worth it.

Jeff

[Plead]

I have just been giving away some space to friends and my fellow gamers and I use adsense some where on there site. They don't usually mind. I also put an adsense banner on a large forum I host and I think the clicks pay me more then if the people bought the space off me for regular price which is good. I noticed you need to have a large number of traffic for adsense to be worth it.

Jeff
That is definately true.

You do need quite a large amount of traffic otherwise you will be getting beans in the mail.

I can't really expand on that though as thats Googles rules heh.

[E_man3]

Well google doen't allow pop-up ads.
Which advertisers do?

[Plead]

You should try Comission Junction - I think their website is http://www.comissionjunction.com/

[Jamesc]

I personaly belive that the best way to make money is not to plaster your users sites with adverts but to only place adverts on your site. Google Adsense is ok but you could earn more by selling banner impressions.


Jamesc

[LP-Trel]

I personaly belive that the best way to make money is not to plaster your users sites with adverts but to only place adverts on your site. Google Adsense is ok but you could earn more by selling banner impressions.


Jamesc

Definately right, selling your banner inventory to private advertisers can make you good money too. Its all about balance. :)

[freerackspace.org]

I recommend getting something like AdRevenue or phpAdsNew and selling your own advertising, that would make some good money if you could pull in some advertisers :)

[Azn_Chic]

I've read through the other posts in this thread, so if I am correct, Google won't let you force pop-ups on the free hosting accounts but will allow you to place them via mod_layout and what not? Would a free webhosting guru please clarify this for me :)

[batcavenet]

Try sending your 404 to searchfeed's 404 generator page - has worked pretty well so far for me

JDT

[wcoolnet]

when you start a free web hosting business, is it best to get pay per impression ads and once you get a lot of traffic, you switch to google adsence? Or can you start out with google ads? Do you get tons of costumers right away?

[rackley]

I like Google to bad that they are so strict. Putting ads on user pages in a good thing .. because if they get visitors you get money, you get money for every so many visitors.

[Needhosting.net]

Well since i started this post I have generated 60 bucks via adsense.. I am thinking about giving searchfeed a shot on some other projects. I also started a free image / forum hosting service with adsense, This is something I just started about a week ago but it's looking up.

Thanks for all the input the img host site is www.imgarchive.org if you want to take a look at it. It's very basic right now as I haven't spent much time on it.

[SlitheryImp]

I am hosting for a few friends at the moment, but would also like to make free hosting available to the general public.

How would I get the Google ads on their pages? Would it be possible to make a 'Footer' for instance and force it onto every page, or would you have to give customers the adsense code and hope they put it onto their pages?

[captureroftyme]

I have had google adsense on all of my free accounts (about 20 or so) for about 2 months now, and have yet to earn a penny. I think google adsense is a waste of time.
As for the advertising revenue, how do you make money from that? I have affiliates ads on my personall site, do I just require them to put them on their sites as well?

[ORiN]

I have less than 20 free accounts but I am already generating enough profits to get me a dedicated server. Its not the amount of free accounts but the quality of the websites hosted that matters the most if you are going to put ads on them.

[captureroftyme]

Thanks, I do need to be a bit more strict as to who I approve for free hosting. I just hate to tell prople no, im a sucker I guess! :rolleyes:

[aminkorea]

I have a hosting company and would like to add a free hosting option and use google as my ad source, but I have a doubt that perhaps someone here can answer. According to Google's TOS you cannot run ads from your google account on a domain that is not yours. So, if I offer free domain hosting, how do I get around that? Also, what if the client wants to run google ads as well, then you have a conflict, right?

I also wonder if someone can point me to some documentation on mod_layout. How exactly does this work?

Thanks in advance.

[ORiN]

Generally, Google don't like people putting their ads on free hosting websites as that will not be efficient since many free websites don't generate enough traffic and clicks. For my case, I only manually accept webmasters that I screen. It is not possible to have both parties to have their Adsense code on a same website.

[spyro187]

I have a hosting website that is free for It/Technology related site only. I am looking to get it out to the masses. Do you think that web advertising works?
Josh
www.TechFoozle.com
www.ErrorCodeForum.com

[Wide]

aminkorea: It is allowed to post ads on other sites aslong you have been approved to do so (by the webmasters). Just make them accept adding ads to theire sites before approval.

[tschee]

Hi,

Sorry for this newbie question: how to force header/footer with mod_layout?

Thanks guys!!

[x10host]

I plan to open a free hosting BIZ soon.

I have yet to open, and I have earned 40 dollars. Google = Rocks.

[tschee]

x10host keen to know more how google paid u $40.

[x10host]

It hasn't paid me yet .. I think you need 100 dollars before the actual payout.


I guess past customers have been clicking my google advertisements? I'm not completely sure.

[ORiN]

Yes, you need at least $100 to get a payout. I am still processing my cheque from Google. It takes up to a month for a US cheque to clear in my country.

[Wide]

Im from Denmark and it takes the bank about 30 days to clear the cheaue, however I get payed instant so that it nice :)

I just wish Adsense will start on Direct Deposit or use paypal.

[captureroftyme]

In one of these replies, I noticed someone mentioning some thing about selling banner space. I am interested in how I would start this. Wouldnt I need to have a good pagerank before I could start to sell banner ad space?

[nyunyu]

im interested of knowing how to start a free web hosting. like mod_layout thing. and also what is the program to let user manage his site? something like file manager. cpanel? is there someone can hel pme?

[nyunyu]

i let my user customer use cpanel for managing their site.

and also, althou im on ded server, i just let them choose either adsense, clicksor or adhearus to use. and let them place the ads.

if youre going to start a freehosting, dont set a file limit and your site is 1 step forward. make more bandwitdh available and your site got another step higher.

my 2 cents