> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://adly-news.gitbook.io/adly.news-docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://adly-news.gitbook.io/adly.news-docs/02-newsletter-owners/02-creating-ad-slots.md).

# Creating Ad Slots

Ad slots are the advertising opportunities you offer to businesses. This guide explains how to create, configure, and manage ad slots for your newsletter.

## What is an Ad Slot?

An ad slot represents a specific advertising placement within your newsletter. Each ad slot has:

* A name and description
* A format (type of ad placement)
* A price per placement
* Specifications for creative assets
* Publishing day availability

You can create multiple ad slots with different formats and prices to offer advertisers various options.

## Ad Slot Formats

adly.news supports several ad formats:

| Format                | Description                                          | Best For                                       |
| --------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- |
| **Featured Top Post** | Premium placement at the very top of your newsletter | High-value sponsors wanting maximum visibility |
| **Newsletter Post**   | Standard placement within your newsletter content    | Most advertisers, general promotions           |
| **Banner**            | Visual banner advertisement                          | Brand awareness, visual campaigns              |
| **Sponsored Section** | Dedicated sponsored content section                  | Longer-form sponsored content                  |
| **Custom**            | Any custom format you define                         | Unique placement opportunities                 |

## Creating Your First Ad Slot

### Step 1: Navigate to Ad Slots

1. Click **Ad Slots** in the sidebar
2. Click **Create Ad Slot**

### Step 2: Basic Information

Fill in the basic details:

| Field           | Description                                  | Example                                                                                |
| --------------- | -------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Name**        | A descriptive name for this placement        | "Primary Sponsor Spot"                                                                 |
| **Description** | What the advertiser gets with this placement | "Featured placement at the top of our weekly newsletter, reaching 10,000+ subscribers" |

> **Tip:** Be specific and compelling in your description. Help advertisers understand the value they're getting.

### Step 3: Select Format

Choose the format that best describes this placement:

* **Featured Top Post** — Prime real estate at the top
* **Newsletter Post** — Integrated within content
* **Banner** — Visual banner placement
* **Sponsored Section** — Dedicated sponsored area
* **Custom** — Define your own format

### Step 4: Set Pricing

Configure your pricing:

| Field           | Description                                 |
| --------------- | ------------------------------------------- |
| **Price**       | The standard booking price for this ad slot |
| **Minimum Bid** | (Optional) The lowest bid you'll accept     |

**Pricing Tips:**

* Research what similar newsletters charge
* Consider your subscriber count and engagement rates
* Start competitive and adjust based on demand
* If you enable bidding, set a minimum you're comfortable with

### Step 5: Creative Specifications

Define what advertisers need to provide:

#### Image Specifications

| Setting        | Description                    | Example       |
| -------------- | ------------------------------ | ------------- |
| **Required**   | Whether an image is required   | Yes/No        |
| **Max Width**  | Maximum image width in pixels  | 600px         |
| **Max Height** | Maximum image height in pixels | 300px         |
| **Formats**    | Accepted file formats          | JPG, PNG, GIF |

#### Copy Specifications

| Setting            | Description                   | Example        |
| ------------------ | ----------------------------- | -------------- |
| **Required**       | Whether copy text is required | Yes/No         |
| **Min Characters** | Minimum copy length           | 50 characters  |
| **Max Characters** | Maximum copy length           | 280 characters |

#### CTA (Call-to-Action) Specifications

| Setting             | Description                      | Example       |
| ------------------- | -------------------------------- | ------------- |
| **Required**        | Whether a CTA button is required | Yes/No        |
| **Max Text Length** | Maximum button text length       | 25 characters |

### Step 6: Publishing Days

Select which days of the week your newsletter publishes:

* Monday
* Tuesday
* Wednesday
* Thursday
* Friday
* Saturday
* Sunday

Advertisers will only be able to book on days you've selected.

### Step 7: Save

Click **Create Ad Slot** to publish your ad slot.

## Managing Existing Ad Slots

### Viewing Your Ad Slots

Navigate to **Ad Slots** to see all your ad slots with:

* Name and format
* Price
* Status (Active, Paused, Archived)
* Number of bookings

### Editing an Ad Slot

1. Go to **Ad Slots**
2. Find the ad slot you want to edit
3. Click **Edit**
4. Make your changes
5. Click **Save Changes**

> **Note:** Editing an ad slot doesn't affect existing bookings. Changes apply to future bookings only.

### Previewing Your Public Page

To see how your ad slots appear to advertisers:

1. Go to **Ad Slots**
2. Click **Preview** on any ad slot
3. Your public newsletter page opens in a new tab

Share this link with potential advertisers or include it in your media kit.

### Archiving an Ad Slot

If you no longer want to offer an ad slot:

1. Go to **Ad Slots**
2. Find the ad slot
3. Click **Archive**
4. Confirm the action

Archived ad slots:

* No longer appear to advertisers
* Don't affect existing bookings
* Can be viewed in your archived slots
* Cannot be unarchived (create a new one instead)

## Ad Slot Statuses

| Status       | Description                                |
| ------------ | ------------------------------------------ |
| **Active**   | Visible to advertisers, accepting bookings |
| **Paused**   | Temporarily hidden from advertisers        |
| **Archived** | Permanently removed from listings          |

## Best Practices

### Create Multiple Options

Offer different ad slots at different price points:

* **Premium Slot** — Top placement, highest price
* **Standard Slot** — Regular placement, mid-price
* **Value Slot** — Smaller placement, lower price

This gives advertisers options and captures more budget ranges.

### Write Compelling Descriptions

Good description example:

> "Our Primary Sponsor Spot appears at the very top of our weekly newsletter, above all other content. With a 45% average open rate and 10,000+ engaged subscribers in the tech industry, your message gets prime visibility. Includes custom headline, 150-word description, and prominent CTA button."

Avoid generic descriptions like:

> "Ad placement in newsletter."

### Set Realistic Specifications

* Match your actual newsletter format
* Don't require specifications you can't use
* Consider what advertisers typically have available

### Price Competitively

Research comparable newsletters:

* Similar subscriber count
* Similar niche/audience
* Similar engagement rates

Start at or slightly below market rate to attract initial advertisers, then adjust based on demand.

### Update Publishing Days

Keep your publishing days current:

* If you change your newsletter schedule, update the ad slot
* Advertisers rely on this for planning

## Multiple Newsletters

If you have multiple newsletters connected:

1. Each newsletter can have its own ad slots
2. When creating an ad slot, select which newsletter it belongs to
3. Ad slots are managed separately for each newsletter

## Common Questions

### Can I change the price of an existing ad slot?

Yes. Edit the ad slot and update the price. The new price applies to future bookings only.

### Can I create unlimited ad slots?

Yes. Create as many ad slots as make sense for your newsletter format.

### What if I want to pause bookings temporarily?

You can pause individual ad slots. They won't appear to advertisers but existing bookings remain unaffected.

### Can advertisers see my other ad slots?

Yes. When viewing your newsletter, advertisers see all your active ad slots and can choose which to book.

## Next Steps

Now that you've created ad slots:

1. [Set up payments](/adly.news-docs/02-newsletter-owners/09-payments-and-payouts.md) to receive earnings
2. Learn about [managing bids](/adly.news-docs/02-newsletter-owners/03-managing-bids.md) when advertisers negotiate
3. Understand how to [manage bookings](/adly.news-docs/02-newsletter-owners/04-managing-bookings.md) when advertisers book


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