The results are in! Check out the 2023 Carbon Ads Developer Survey

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to common questions about joining Carbon

Can I display your ads on my site?

Our network operates on an exclusive invitation-only basis. We carefully select both publishers and advertisers. If you're interested in having your site reviewed for consideration, continue reading for more information.

What do you look for in an applicant?

Several factors are reviewed when considering requests to join the network:

  1. Relevance of our ads to your audience.
  2. Your average number of monthly page views.
  3. Whether your site is actively maintained.
  4. Current capacity in our network for new publishers.
  5. Your ability to comply with our terms of service, including ad placement and exclusivity requirements.

How do I apply to join the network?

To apply, please submit your website URL and traffic statistics through our online application form. Our team typically reviews applications within 5-7 business days. If approved, you'll receive an invitation with further instructions.

Am I allowed to display other ads on my site?

We pride ourselves on being an exclusive ad network. When you accept our invitation, you're entering into a partnership where only ads from our network can be displayed on your site. Please refrain from using our ads as backfill for any other ad networks.

What is the acceptable ad placement and behavior?

You can learn more about the placement requirements on our placement policy page. This includes guidelines for desktop and mobile ad placements.

How much will I make?

We pay based on the number of ad impressions served, but we also consider your audience engagement rate (Click-Through Rate or CTR) as we strive to maintain high performance across the network. Your site's demographic and our ad network demand will also influence the CPM (Cost Per Mille) you receive. A realistic CPM range is typically $0.70–$1.30.

What is your primary target audience and demographic?

We primarily serve paid ads to regions where English is the most used language. You can expect a near 100% fill rate from areas in the United States, Canada, and some European countries. In some cases, we also serve paid ads to other regions based on network demand.

How does the payout work?

By the 25th of each month, you'll receive payment for ad impressions served the previous month. Earnings are sent to your BuySellAds account, which is automatically created upon joining our network. You can accumulate earnings there for withdrawal.

We also offer Open Collective as a payout method. If you prefer this option, please inform your account manager. Note that a 4% platform fee applies if you select Open Collective for your payout.

What is the minimum payout requirement?

The minimum payout requirement is $1.

What earnings withdrawal methods do you support?

We support the following withdrawal methods:

  • PayPal: Minimum balance for withdrawal is $20.
  • Check: Minimum balance for withdrawal is $50.
  • Wire Transfer: Minimum balance for withdrawal is $500, with a $35 fee. We use Bill.com for wire transfers. You are not required to open an account with Bill.com to receive funds from BuySellAds.

Why don't my page views and ad impressions match?

The ad tag is JavaScript-based. The script must fully execute, retrieving an ad from our server to increment the number of impressions served by your site.

Several factors can cause discrepancies between page views and ad impressions:

  • Incomplete ad tag installation across all pages.
  • Inaccuracies in website analytics reporting.
  • Bot traffic (can account for up to 80% of website traffic).
  • Ad blockers.
  • Disabled JavaScript.
  • Settings interfering with ad loading.
  • Other utilities preventing script execution.
  • JavaScript errors on the page.
  • Users leaving a page before the ad loads.

Due to these factors, page views and ad impressions are unlikely to match exactly.