This guide takes you from sign-up to the first paid ad on your site or app. The first part, in test mode, costs nobody anything and shows real ads in your slot in the first minute.
1. Create the slot in the size you already use
In the dashboard, under Properties, create the property for your site or app. Then, under Slots, create a slot and pick the format and size: a 300×250 banner in the sidebar, a 728×90 at the top, a 320×50 at the bottom of a phone screen, or a video slot.
Size matters: each slot only receives ads in its own size. A 728×90 never gets a square ad stretched to fit.
2. Paste one line of code and see an ad appear
Under Integration, copy the slot's code with the Test key and paste it where you want the ad on the page. In an app, use the Flutter, Android or iOS SDK with the same key.
Open the page: the slot shows an adPluga ad in the right size, marked as a test. Nothing is charged or paid in test mode. It is there so you can see how it looks before deciding.
3. Pick ads in the marketplace
Switch the dashboard to Live and open Marketplace. Each card shows the ad's format and size, who advertises, and what they pay per thousand views (eCPM).
Use the Slot format and Size filters to see only what fits your slots. If you have a 728×90, filter by that size; if you have a video slot, filter by video.
4. Request it
Open the ad with View detail and press Request access. This opens a request to the advertiser. Ads marked Auto-approvable are approved on their own when your account meets the minimum reputation shown; a new account meets the one on adPluga's ads.
Once approved, a direct deal is created and shows under Deals. From then on, that advertiser's ads appear in your slots with the Live key, and you keep 88% of what they pay.
5. Go live and get paid
To use the Live key, confirm the site is yours (under Properties). Swap the test key for the Live one in the code. Counted impressions go into your Wallet, and you can withdraw from €10.
Questions that usually come up
The ad does not show in the new slot. A slot you just created is served on the very next request. Check that the key in the code belongs to the same property as the slot.
I requested one ad and my slot shows another. If you requested several ads, the slot shows whichever pays most in that size. When one advertiser's daily budget runs out, the next one comes in.
I cannot find ads in the marketplace in test mode. Test mode has its own catalogue. adPluga's ads show in your slots with the test key; to request them, switch to Live.
Want the why behind all this? Read Build your own ad network without building the technology.