So about five months ago, I decided to jump the sponsorship broom and put up some ads on the site. I’m currently working with a cocktail of three different ad servers (Google, AVN and Text Link Ads). Based on my experience, I have to say that hands down, Text Link Ads is the easiest to set up and delivers a substantial payout with no muss or fuss. Not to say that the other two companies aren’t good, but I have yet to get a payout from Google Adsense or AVN, and I’ve already gotten three checks from Text Link Ads — enough to pay for BGB through the end of the year with enough left over to buy a Nintendo DS Lite.

You do the math. I already have. I’ll break down each of the services and their pros and cons.

Google Adsense is well-known and an option touted by many get-rich-quick “professional bloggers” and offers a large amount of customization. However, your sites have to fall within a certain content parameter to get accepted. How they let my foul-talking ass through is beyond me. Payouts don’t happen until you reach $100 and are based on a cost-per-click metric. I’m a little over 1/3 of the way there. To hell with that — baby gotta eat!

AVN Ads offers perhaps the greatest customization out of the services I’ve tried out. You can really tailor your ads well to fit your design, which I like. Essentially, you add your site to their network and create “zones” or ad groups which you place on your site. AVN e-mails you about new ads that want to advertise on your site, and you can communicate any edits back through AVN. AVN is also where I’ve seen the most regular rotation of ads aside from Google Adsense. Payout happens when you reach $20. Total so far? Zero. Sayonara!

In my eyes, Text Link Ads is a winner. Easy setup, helpful staff and above all, a no-nonsense payout system you don’t even have to think about. Sign up, place your ads, and wait for the cash to roll in. Once you submit your site and they approve it, TLA handles the ad rate, so you don’t have to worry about how much to charge. Since I’ve installed it, I haven’t had to worry about adjusting rates or the like; I just check Paypal every 30 days and go shopping. Simple as that.

Now you might be asking — what about Blogads? Don’t get me wrong — Blogads is very popular and a viable solution for many blogs. But when I tell you that shit was like pulling teeth to get set up…oh my God. Unlike the aforementioned three ad services, Blogads is invitation only, so that’s the first hurdle; pony up to someone and get them to give you an in on the club. I got invited to two communities and got zero ads. None. I mean I was soliciting like a 14-year-old girl on Metropolitan Parkway. Nothing! After a month of not receiving any ads, I got kicked out of Blogads and they blocked my login. Fuckers.

So if you’re thinking of trying out the sponsorship/advertising angle for your blog, I would suggest you shop around first. Different services work for different people. But my money rests on Text Link Ads.