Chitika eMiniMalls Contextual Ads a serious Adsense alternative [Archive]

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mdcom

10-01-2005, 07:19 AM

It is with excitement I signed up for and introduce the new Chitika eMiniMalls contextual advertising program still in Beta -- with webmasters boasting of income/clicks ranging from $1 - $13.

If you display Chitika's ads on the same page as Adsense, then to stay within Google's TOS, it is essential to only elect the Chikita's eMiniMalls option from the choices offered to new Publishers.

Please read on to the end of this thread which provides the entire correct javascript code to use for "eMiniMall" ads - Chitika have not as yet provided all the required options which must be included in the javascript to ensure you stay within Adsense' TOS.. and is it any wonder why?

Chitika eMiniMalls are "striking" image type ad blocks which allow the option of typing in the product you want to "push" via a simple line in the Javascript code -- I wasn't too impressed with their choices, when I left the "ch_query" field blank.

I am confident they will be a big hit with CTRs as images placed around ads have always shown an increase in CTRs.

The Marketing Defined blog (see signature underneath) has a Post on the requirements for acceptance by Chitika and other TOS.

An example of a live Chitika eMiniMalls Ad is in the sidebar of the blog, alternatively the main Marketing Defined website(at marketingdefined.com) has a small eMiniMalls block slap bang in the middle of its home page (it is intended to remove all advertising from the home page, as soon as remodelling of the website is finished, but I will definitely use Chitika's ads on all other pages of the website and the Blog). It has been included on the Home Page to test out how effective their service is.

Naturally, like Adsense, a lot of testing needs to be done to locate best placements and sizes etc. and unfortunately Chitika's customer service advised we have to wait a short while until "channel" testing is introduced.

Using colours that blend in with the rest of the webpage is recommended as is the case for Adsense.

Has anyone used Chitika's service with success? -- they are at http://www.chitika.com/ (http://chitika.com/mm_overview.php?refid=jcomm) (and no that is not my affiliate link -- instead I will leave that up to Joel:-)

Cheers
Roseanne van Langenberg
PS. I would like to add that at no stage had I put my own affiliate link in this nor any other Forum post. Affiliate links are usually reserved for Forum owners to apply, and that is just fine by me.

Although, I must admit that a few other Adsense Chat members have been abusing this commonly known Forum rule. I hope Joel has the good sense to give them a public flogging. It would be sad to have the credibility of the new Adsense Chat Forum with the enormous potential to really help new Adsense users, diluted with Posts of little value apart from transparent attempts to sell Affiliate products.

nick

10-07-2005, 02:18 AM

marketingsyndrome

10-07-2005, 04:21 PM

I also use chitika and very satisfied. My clicks worth 0.70 cents +

Joel Comm

10-07-2005, 04:33 PM

I just posted an article about Chitika at

http://www.adsensechat.com/showthread.php?t=990

Joel

mdcom

10-10-2005, 07:22 AM

It is good to see that Joel has decided to confirm my views on what I am positive will be an additional/excellent source of income for hardworking webmasters.

To end the confusion on whether you will breach Google Adsense TOS - the answer is no you will not (in spite of a "confusing" opinion voiced elsewhere).

Simply put: You are allowed to run "eMiniMall" ads on the same webpage as Adsense and Google "Search", but only "eMiniMall" ad blocks and not any of the other choices offered by Chitika, and as long as you specify in the code the ads are "non contextual" and the "search facility" or tab is disarmed

Just be sure to add "ch_nosearch = 1;" to the block of javascript supplied by Chitika for "eMiniMalls" if it is included on a web page that also contains Google "Search" for content.

Likewise add the line "ch_non_contextual = 1;" if Google Adsense ads are shown on the same webpage.

Heck, to make it crystal clear, I have included the entire correct Javascript code block to insert for the "eMiniMall" ad blocks , which also allows you to select the exact products you wish to Advertise.

<script type="text/javascript"></script>
<script src="http://scripts.chitika.net/eminimalls/mm.js"
type="text/javascript">
</script>

The above block of Chitika "eMiniMalls" code makes sure you are in complete compliance with Google Adsense' TOS.

Just make sure to:

insert your unique publisher name in the "ch_client" field
insert only the products you wish to advertise in the "var ch_queries" field
change the colors for border, title and text to blend in with the colours on your domain.

But you know what, I would still write and seek Google's permission and stipulate you only intend to run Chitika's "non contextual eMiniMall" ads -- this way you are absolutely covered.

Hope this clears up any doubts on the correct required format for Chitika eMiniMalls javascript code -- I have also written a comprehensive Post here on Tips, Codes, Hacks and Optimizing for Chitika eMiniMall Ads (http://www.marketingdefined.com/blog/2005/10/chitika-eminimall-ads-tips-code-hacks.html) which will answer concerns on:

correct coding
formatting
Wordpress plug ins for auto. installation of eMiniMalls into Blog posts
coding for Movable Type and Wordpress users
how to specify your own Fonts in the Chitika ad URLs and text
best Placement options and tips ...and more

I welcome the addition of coding hints and hacks to this Blog post via the Comments section.

Roseanne

Joel Comm

10-10-2005, 10:52 AM

Great post, Roseanne!

Furthermore, Chitika is implementing channels. Even though you can't set them on their site, you CAN make the appropriate changes to your code.

Simply include this line...

ch_sid = 'XXXX';

where XXXX is whatever channel name you want to use to identify your site.

Joel

mdcom

10-10-2005, 06:35 PM

sigh! I just spent a few good hours implementing Chitika ad blocks into my "slowly" coming together main website. Shall have to master SSI sooner than later!

Many thanks Joel for this extra line of "channel" or tracking code.. certainly makes Chitika even more attractive.

Roseanne

mdcom

10-11-2005, 02:12 AM

I just started running a few tests on one of my high traffic site to see what the impact is.

http://www.cebuys.com

The homepage had two google adsense ads before and are doing very well. I've replaced them with 4 chitika ads. I'll report back in a week to see how it goes...

I noticed that MS IE sometimes only show 3 of the 4 ads and firefox always show all 4. MS IE also had a fadding-in effect that firefox does not have...

nick

Nick, what an attractive layout of the "eMiniMall" ad blocks, and what clever use of those 4 blocks together -- I shall definitely give that a Go.

I also noticed the fading-in effect on IE - but have resigned myself to all the display problems I experience with only the IE browser (have tried unsuccesfully to get the right answers for some 3 months, as to why no background nor border colours show up in my IE browser only. Including writing to the IE Blog run by their very own senior tech staff, but got no help there. I cannot remove IE from Add/Remove nor from the Programs folder, from within my XP installation so I might reinstall - and have tried all the usual settings in the "Options" tab, but nothing works -- this Forum seems to have an unusually talented bunch of folks Posting -- so I just might get lucky with the right answer)

Anyhow, this was just to express how attractive your application of the "eMiniMall" ads are -- they blend in perfectly and would certainly warrant a click if I was an "innocent" visitor to your site.

.....best
Roseanne

haakonu

10-13-2005, 03:30 PM

nick

10-14-2005, 11:06 AM

i've removed them from product related web sites as they generate lower clicks than google adsense ads...

for those sites without product focus (like content sites), chitika works well...

i've been getting about 40 to 50 cents per click with chitika but CTR is VERY low for my cebuys.com web site. i've removed them from that site and added back adsense...

i'll start addding more chitika ads to my content only sites in the next few weeks and see how much better it is performing...

nick

irishman

10-19-2005, 01:05 PM

I've also been trying Chitika and have been getting very low click throughs - although I need to try more positioning of the ads. Still - it's looking good... you can check out their deals here Chitika.com (http://www.adsense-secrets.com/chitika.html)

Jim

lee

10-19-2005, 01:14 PM

I've also been trying Chitika and have been getting very low click throughs - although I need to try more positioning of the ads. Still - it's looking good... you can check out their deals here XXXXXXXXXXX

Jim
I don't believe posting a referral ID is allowed here.

mdcom

10-19-2005, 07:39 PM

I don't believe posting a referral ID is allowed here.

They will try Lee.. I guess it is up to Joel to take out these referral id's, although it doesn't seem obvious to the uninitiated, that "Irishman" has used a redirect script.

Why don't folks just get it that Forums are there to educate and learn from others, not just another avenue for SPAM posts and affiliate sales.

Using your signature to promote a genuine business, might be a more positive use of your time.

Roseanne

gamiziuk

10-25-2005, 06:08 AM

Can anyone tell me how this "chitika" program works?

The ads look very nice, but how do they pay? Is it a ppc program that just pays pennies, or can I make big buck$ by creating a Chitika online store selling plasma televisions?
:confused:

mdcom

10-25-2005, 09:52 AM

Chitika eMiniMalls is similar to Google Adsense and brings life to product promotion on the web... however, they have been paying 3 - 10 times more per click than Adsense.

Automatically targeted to the content of your webpage, eMiniMalls selects the best product and provides your users with robust comparative shopping information to make an informed buying decision - before they leave your site. As users click, you make money... in a nutshell no, you cannot make an online store selling Chitika plasma televisions, simply because Chitika is not an online Wholesaler.

In real-time, eMiniMalls selects the top products for your web page and displays interactive and robust information such as product ratings, descriptions, reviews, related Blog content and even where users can get the best buy on the net. All of the information needed for comparison shopping - all in one place.

To make decent income with programs like Chitika the aim should be for a number of "niche" websites with both Chitika and Google Adsense on the majority of pages in each website.

Please refer to my Blog Posts at the Marketing Defined Blog for details on Chitika, if you need comprehensive information to set up and use this income stream.

I have just added a new Wordpress Blog to my income stream Improve Memory Tips Blog (http://improvememorytips.com/blog) (which shows careful placement and optimizing of Chitika and Adsense)and plan on adding another five carefully chosen niche Blogs over the coming weeks...

... then connecting them together with careful SEO and linking strategies, the aim is for decent targeted Search Engine traffic. It is very possible to earn an excellent recurring monthly income using this system of connected niche Blogs and websites.

For example, the Marketing Defined Blog is only 11 months old and has a healthy daily readership of around 3,000. As you know, decent "targeted" traffic, means high click throughs, and excellent recurring monthly income.

Here is a free download of an excellent ebook on easily applied SEO strategies (http://marketingdefined.com/seo_made_easy.zip) for those who need to brush up on this important avenue -- these strategies, together with the SEO tool within are the very same I have used to gain and retain the high search engine rankings and associated increase in targeted website traffic I feel blessed to enjoy.

Good luck and here's hoping the ebook helps somewhat.
Roseanne

ezymoneyathome

11-11-2005, 06:27 PM

Hi MD

I just wondered if you could check to make sure this correct before I add it too my pages. My Motto check twice cut once.

<script type="text/javascript"></script>

Thanks Ezy

sundance86

11-12-2005, 08:41 AM

What you have looks right to me - although I wondered why you left the ipod in your string with all the instruments? I have also used their code like below where I could pick a specific keyword/phrase and then select the specific model that I wanted as specific items I was familar with for a group I knew was coming to the site: http://www.tactrading.com/tradinghardware.htm

<script type="text/javascript"></script>
<script src="http://scripts.chitika.net/eminimalls/mm.js" type="text/javascript">
</script>

nyfalcon

11-12-2005, 12:40 PM

Although I was holding out I just signed up. Of course I went through here so Joel gets the $10 or whatever it is. This will fit nice on my cell phone site for starters. Now I need to win the Ebook! (shameless plug)

Joel Comm

11-15-2005, 01:47 AM

And of course, the Chitika Secrets ebook is now available at www.chitikasecrets.com.

Did someone just say "shameless plug"? ;-)

Joel

nyfalcon

11-15-2005, 05:59 PM

I got rejected after waiting all weekend. I am so mad too bad their loss.

mdcom

01-02-2006, 02:24 PM

I got rejected after waiting all weekend. I am so mad too bad their loss.

Vinny,

I wouldn't take the rejection to heart. It might have something to do with the lack of "volume" or "content" in your site, and posibly the lack of physical products. It would have perhaps presented a problem for Chitika to serve up appropriate ads.... mind you these are only my views and should not be taken as final.

There are so many other ways to earn an income on such sites. For example joing a program like Commission Junction, and examine the many possibilities they offer, including selling "leads" for mortgage programs, which pay a handsome $35 or so per "lead" you introduce.

I am doing a post in the MD blog shortly on the topic, just as soon as I return to Melbourne in early January 2006

Best
Roseanne