I registed for Google Ad Manager account as soon it as lunched, but I didn’t have any clue about Ad servers and Ad Manager. Just before Google Ad manger was launched, I was trying to get my hands wet with Openx and I really hated using it. After a month or so, I gave a shot to configure the Google Ad Manger in self hosted wordpress blog. Then again, I couldn’t get it to work.
Last night, I decided to give it another try on Wordpress hosted blog. But, this time, I spent atleast 1 hour watching to the basis of GAM video tutorial. with little determination, I got it to work.
Google Ad Manager in Wordpress
Following tutorial came in very handy and long with some thinking from my part. Follow the steps listed in the tutorial, you shoule have GAM serving ads in less than 30 minutes.
Once you have the first ad to work, it should be easy to play with other settings. I was trying to display Commission Junctions affiliate product. So, I created Ad Product Type set to Exclusive (CPD). Having Ad Product make things very easy while creating a new Order.
Google AdManager for Dummies
There is 2 different path you have to configure to display the ads in your site
Path A
- Create a new ad slot
- Create a new placement
- Include the ad slot within the placement
- Create a new ad product. Include the above created placement into the ad product
Ad Product is the the one that will define your inventory to external advertisers. So, lets assume you sold a ad product. To display that ad, you will have to create a new Path B.
Path B
- Create new Order for that customer
- Create New Line Item. this line item will be included within the above order.
- Make sure you import the ad product you created in Path A into this new Line Item.
- Upload the creatives to the Line Item
- Approve and Activate the Line Item ( Status should say Ready)
- Order ( status should say Approved)
Display Ads in Wordpress
To display the ads in wordpress you have to insert the code into wordpress.
- Click on Generate Sample HTML in Inventory
- Select the Ad Slot for which you need the code
- Copy the head section of code and insert into the Header.php file (code between PUT THIS TAG IN THE head SECTION and END OF TAG FOR head SECTION)
- Copy the code to be inserted into place where ads have to be displayed
In less then 10 minutes, you should see the ads being served in your site. To have more control, I’m using Adsnse Deluxe plugin to insert the code into article and template file.
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