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Text ads FAQ

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Setting up text ads

Q: What is the process for setting up text ads?

A: Our usual approach is for customers to supply the text and links for the text ad. We will set up a test page to review and approve, including a link to our booking form. All payments are handled independently through PayPal. Once the payment has cleared, the text ad will be uploaded to the relevant service areas.

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Q: How much text and how many links can I include in a text ad?

A: We accept up to 3 lines of text with 2 hyperlinks, which is between 8 and 11 words. If your text is too long, we can help you cut it down to length.

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Q: Can I place my text ad right at the top of the page?

A: The Code Style text ad service visually separates text ads from the main body of the page, but if you look at the source HTML you will see the ads appear between the page heading and main page content in the markup sequence. That means that search engine indexing spiders will see the text ad content as a prominent part of the document.

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Q: Can I use a target attribute on my ad to open in a new window?

A: Hyperlink target attributes are not necessary and are not supported by the XHTML strict format used for the Code Style site.

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Q: Can you remove the underlines on my text ad links?

A: The Code Style site policy is to underline links to improve clickability, see Guidelines for visualizing links by Jakob Nielsen.

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Q: How can I track text ad referrals from Code Style?

A: We can add a custom query parameter to your text URLs if you want to monitor click-throughs on your side or offer special deals for Code Style readers, e.g. http://example.com/?source=codestyle.

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Q: How do I use the text ad booking form?

A: Just choose the text ad service areas you want, the payment period you want and click the Update Selection button to add to your order. When you are happy with your selection, click the Continue with PayPal button to make the payment in your preferred currency. Payments are charged to Metacentric Internet Limited.

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Text ad campaign planning

Q: What are the most popular topic areas for your site?

A: Apart from the main subject areas of the site itself, our advertisers have helped raise our search engine ranking for keywords and phrases to do with disk data recovery and web hosting.

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Q: Where will my text ads appear on the site?

A: Text ad are placed on the site in one or more service areas that roughly match the topic areas of the site. The two main exceptions are the font sampler area and FAQ pages. Our text ad placement guide outlines the main features of each service area.

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Q: Can you confirm text ads will be directly linked to our site?

A: Yes, there is no redirection, no Javascript. Text ads are placed throughout the site using server side includes, so all text ad links are part of the markup of the page.

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Q: How do you ensure the Code Style is top of the search engine results pages?

A: The Code Style site is reviewed and optimised every week for performance with Google, Yahoo, Lycos, AltaVista, AOL, MSN and other search engines. The site has top 5 positions for literally hundreds of keywords across 16 focus areas. Search engine saturation, referrals and in-bound links climb steadily and visitor numbers are many times greater than web development sites of a similar size according to Google Analytics benchmarking.

Our Alexa listing shows rising traffic rank and many quality sites linking in.

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Q: Can you advise me on search engine optimisation?

A: Our search engine optimisation article provides good basic advice on optimisation but we do not provide any search engine optimisation services. We can put you in touch with other agencies that should be able to help you.

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Text ad campaign management

Q: What if I have problems with my website during my text ad campaign?

A: If your Web site hits problems during your text ad booking, we can temporarily suspend the text ad or switch it for another until you are ready to resume. We will extend your booking to cover the days you miss.

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Q: Can I change the contents of my text ad in the middle of a booking?

A: Yes, it will need to go through the same approval process as new text ads, but that is normally very quick.

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Q: The text ad I just booked on the home page is not showing!

A: This is because your browser has cached the previous version of the page. Requests for the URL http://www.codestyle.org/ are forwarded to the index.shtml page, but your browser still displays the original URL and caches the page by that address. It can be quite difficult to clear cached copies of these index pages by simply forcing a reload, though it will happen in due course. You may have to empty your cache and close your browser to force it to load the page afresh.

Alternatively, look at the other aliases for the site, which may not be cached. They all refer to the same virtual host:

• http://www.codestyle.org.uk/
• http://www.codestyle.net/
• http://www.codestyle.co.uk/

The URL, http://www.codestyle.org/ and http://www.codestyle.org/index.shtml do refer to the same page, but your browser will cache them as different items. When you reload your browser it will seem that the cached copy of the http://www.codestyle.org/ URL is still fresh and will not change. That is why all the hyperlinks on the site refer specifically to the relevant index.shtml page (it also means less work for the server).

To confirm this for yourself you will need to empty your browser cache. For Internet Explorer go to the Tools menu > Internet Options... > General tab > Temporary Internet files panel > Delete files....

Rest assured that all newcomers to the site will not have to do this, they will see the current version of the page, not a cached version.

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Text ad prices

Q: Can you offer a better price?

A: Perhaps we could discuss your text ad campaign objectives and strategy, we may be able to help you plan a more focused campaign or suggest other ideas. Our Highest rank search engine queries may help guide your selection, or use our Google site search to check for the highest ranking pages with your keywords.

Our text ad placement guide outlines the prime features of each service area.

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Q: Can I get a referral fee for introducing new customers?

A: Yes, existing Code Style customers get a 10% cash back payment through PayPal for text ads booked at standard rates. Annual subscriptions will be rewarded with a single one-off payment. Rewards for monthly text ad bookings will be paid quarterly.

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Working with PayPal

Q: Can I control when PayPal subscription payments are made?

A: No, when you submit our booking form, the PayPal page should include a note: "Your subscription will automatically renew at the rates stated above unless you cancel prior to the end of the billing period." You can cancel this subscription when you choose through PayPal, but please let us know too.

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Q: Do I have to do anything for my next subscription payment?

A: No, you shouldn't need to do anything to make further monthly subscription payments, PayPal will complete the transaction automatically. Funds will be drawn from your account first and only fall-back to your primary funding source (your bank account, credit or debit card) if necessary. If there are any difficulties, the subscription payment should be attempted a number of times. In this case PayPal will probably notify you of the problem.

Please let us know if there is likely to be a delay in payment and we will keep your text ad running while it is cleared.

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Q: How can I cancel my PayPal subscription?

A: To cancel your subscription, log in to the PayPal site at the usual address. Click on the History link and go straight to the Advanced Search option on the left menu. Copy your subscription ID into the Search for field and choose Transaction ID from the drop down selector next to it. Check the box next to the Within selector and choose The Past Year.

On the subscription details page, click the Cancel Subscription button at the bottom of the page and confirm.

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