Flip That Ad Space
Within an hour of putting my 300×250 ad spot up for sale, I get an email from Ryan Stewart of eleven21.com offering to buy it. Ryan sent me the $1,000 before he even sent me the ad. This was shortly followed by another $1,000 payment from Bidvertiser (their ad will run next month).
What Ryan is doing with the ad space is actually quite creative and is sure to generate a bit of buzz. Ryan is flipping my ad space. The ad links to a sales page on eleven21.com offering the 300×250 space for $1,500. The price is prorated so it goes down $50 for each day the space doesn’t sell. It’s also been listed on eBay.
The genius of this plan is if Ryan flips the spot within 10 days he would come out with a profit and all the traffic he received up until that time would be free. If Ryan can’t find a buyer, then the ad is still promoting and sending traffic to his blog, which is monetized very well. There will also be the buzz generated when other bloggers write about the world’s first ad flip.

- Posted in Make Money Online, The Net
- 79 comments what's your take?
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Ahh, I wondered what was going on there (Hadn’t clicked it. I just assumed it was going to one of your own selling pages).
I’ve never seen that kind of arbitrage before. Very creative! I wonder if it will work.
Reply to this commentSame for me, i saw the ad but never clicked as I thought John was getting prepared or waiting for the ad informations from the one who bought the ad. This is a great marketing idea, i wonder if i should update my internet marketing idea post or rather write a new one.
This is really amazing how one can use his creativity and imagination to have monetary and traffic as profit (even tho their site is at this moment DEAD/Under construction).
Reply to this commentHmmm … “I’ve never seen that kind of arbitrage before” … not to be too picky but you’ve never driven past a billboard or seen an advertising placard on a bus?
I’m not making the comment to try to put you down … but to point out that most of us just don’t ’see” what it is we’re looking at … too soon old and too late smart is my problem..
Reply to this commentAwesome idea! I’ve gotta give Ryan, that’s a brilliant idea. Props for being able to think outside the box. I’m sure it will pay off.
Reply to this commentDid you give him control over the ad space or do you need to do work every time he wants to change an advertiser? Maybe it’s just an image on his server with a redirected page on the back end.
This looks like you may be doing some work so that he can make some money. I guess that’s what they call leverage!
Reply to this commentI haven’t clicked the adsense block ever either. I’d imagine a lot of the clicks come from google traffic. Users who are probably less adblind.
Reply to this commentI have to say that this was genius done, and I guess somebody will pay this amount as it seems rather cheap.
Let’s face it you pay $1500 today and have you’re add running or you pay $1000 and will have to wait 3 months before it is shown here.
A very good move
I’m just jelous I didn’t come up with that idea!
Reply to this commentvery clever, i still wouldn’t have 1,000 to put down on it anyways! lol
Reply to this commentrisk vs gain
Reply to this commentAnd a little bit of luck thrown in with being the first one to respond.
I’d love to know the actual gap between making the post and the time it took for the bid to come in?
Reply to this commentI wish I had 1000$ to use such a evil idea. Too Clever on Ryan’s part.
Reply to this commentBrilliant move, but also very risky… Depending on how he had the traffic monetized on the site before he flipped it.
I’m glad it paid off for him.
Reply to this commentJealous so easy to earn $2000 Usd
Reply to this commentPure genius.
Reply to this commentNot pure genius if it doesnt sell
Could have gone to a much better page on the site
Reply to this commentTrue. But even so look at all the attention the site’s getting. I’m sure other bloggers will write about this too.
Reply to this commentYeah I agree - it’s as much about the buzz generated by doing all this. All of which leads to more interest which equals a greater chance of selling it at a greater price.
I do agree with Glen about the page it goes to on the site though.
Reply to this commentEvil. Very very evil.
Reply to this commentNoticed this earlier today. Great idea, wonder if he’ll manage to sell it and how many backlinks he’ll get because of the buzz.
Reply to this commentoh yea backlinks! that alone is worth $1000. yea he will prob get some good quality links.
Reply to this commentHaha.. private ads power than google earning.
Reply to this commentDont understand why people say “I saw the ad but didnt click it” This shows how selfish people are in seeing other make money. Have you imagined if each blogger clicked on ads of his collegues website the amount of money bloggers would make. If each blogger decide to click all ads on other blogs its gonna make a killing. Lets work together to make money online.
Regards,
Reply to this commentbigbrands.blogspot.com
Good point!
It’s an interesting phenomenon considering this is a site about making money online and presumably everyone here knows that advertising is one of those ways.
Reply to this commentHaving people click ads just to click them will ultimately bring down the value of your website. In the end advertisers are forced to pay less in order to compromise for the fraudulent clicks. Many publishers don’t realize it, but in the long-term you are only hurting yourself.
Reply to this commentDid someone “out evil” John Chow?
Reply to this commentIf any guy spends even half an hour on DP forums a day he would know better than this.
By the way John, don’t you think it is kinda stupid that your front page title is “Make Money Online With John Chow dot Com” and the slogan of your blog is “The Miscellaneous Ramblings of a Dot Com Mogul” ?
So, are you currently working on helping people make money online or just posting your ramblings?
You’re making money on the WWW coz you have contacts and as I’ve learned in the last 6 months of blogging that is what all matters (mostly).
And most of the people I see here are stupid enough to click on anythihg you post, without caring whether or not that will make them any money. LOL!
People believe that if they read someone who’s making money they’ll too. LOL!
Making money online is all about trying and learning.
It’s not like I’m jealous or anything or anything but I would really like you to share you secrets which are hidden for so long.
How about posting the emails of those people you email everytime you post a review on TechZone?
I know that would help a lots of technology bloggers and website holders even if no one responds. Can I expect any response?
After all, you intially copied them yourself without permission as I’ad read sometime before in your blog.
Reply to this commentYes, it makes sense he would violate personal relationships and show everyone his emails…
What would it matter anyway? You wouldn’t use it.
You think it will unlock the door to everything? It won’t.
Reply to this commentIt is not about unlocking doors. It is about helping others. If he was so helping about other making money online…
And yes those are not his emails… He copied them back before google came in exitance… from the emails he recieved… those ppl actually forget to put those emails in BCC and CC.
And I’m planning to use them atleast once..
And no I’m not going to donate any money until I’ve enough money to spend on my family. ( a house, a car not much, I don’t need every new car in town)
And I don’t care if it unlock doors or anything. It is all about being honest and how much one is willing to help others.
Posting your affiliate links (even if you want the money for charity, hell, he make so much cash from TechZone why doesn’t he donates money from there as well, I wonder.
Instead of buying a car for thousand of dollars every 3-4 month, he can actually spend that money to fill the hungry stomachs of hunders of thousands of hungey poeple in this world, who have no one to take care of them) in your blog to earn cash… is not a matter of charity.
So John, Can I expect an answer? or should I email you which will be neglected like before? or will all these comments will be deleted?
I’m waiting.
Reply to this commentHaving a devil as your avatar doesn’t make you evil.
*There a message in there. If you’re truly evil, you’ll understand it.*
Reply to this comment@John
Oh! I do understand. Why did you think I asked in the first place.
Reply to this commentJohn is right in this. I don’t like John for some things, but i adore him for many other things (as money maker of course). If you can read John’s posts and comments (without his comments you are half way) between lines you will actually learn how to make money.
Have you ever asked John what does he mean when he says “evil” ?
Reply to this commentThe beauty of free will, is the possibility to choose to spend your money and time in any way you so choose, judging people based on these decisions, that are theirs to make, not only makes you petty, but quite obviously jealous.
I would ask, have you ever checked out the archives Tech Bold?
Reply to this commentWhy the heck are you climbing all over John’s back like a rabid chimp?
John is making money and if you are too, share your valuable information with all of us here, help us out here to achieve what we all come here to do to read the content on this blog gather whatever valuable assumption we can acquire from it.
Don’t be a Philistine trying to start a war with everything in sight.
No one here is being misled by the value producing efforts John and his team put into keeping readers informed and in tune to his ideaological approach to staying alive on the internet.
Why are you here? To piss in the grass or to find something of value to your own existence?
If you’re here to engage the minds of the well thinking affiliate marketers towards a value contribution forum, well do exactly that and stop trying to steal someone else’s thunder in order to shift the spotlight on yourself with the non enhancing useless arguments of contention and divisive override.
Heck! afterall I’m only a financial wizard.
Reply to this commentA rabid chimp?!?
I like that one
Reply to this commentIs that what rabid chimps do? They climb all over your back and attack you? I love the mental image. That part really made me laugh.
Now if I could only quit foaming at the mouth…
Reply to this commentYou gotta give it to him. It’s creative. Hope it pays off for him, which I’m sure it will.
Reply to this commentHey…
I tried buying that AdSpace from the genius, but it didn’t work. Wondered why. Now I have to wait for 3 months.
I planned to advertise the Science of Getting Rich Program using this URL
http://giveme.thesgrprogram.com
$1,500 for that space is too cheap.
imagine 200,000 unique visitors a month! I am pretty sure 1% of this will definitely buy The Science of Getting Rich Program. Even Anthony Robbins endorsed it!
If the genius is reading this, please get back to me ASAP.
Thanks!
Reply to this commentShaz
If my math is correct… the $1500 for one month of 200,000 unique impressions means a CPM of $7.50
I’d also assume a typical 3% CTR so now the cost is 25 cents per click. This is based off unique impressions so is probably a little high.
I think the main draw here is that people will talk about it and send him a lot of incoming links. Too pricey for me though.
Reply to this commentA little pricey for me too. I think the $400 on the Review Me would have been a better deal.
Hey, if anyone wants a review from John, I’ll sell it to you for only $550. Just let me know!
Reply to this commentShaz,
I’m not sure what the problem was. You could use ‘buy it now’ on ebay. Did that not work?
If you want to talk, I’m jryanstewart on googleTalk.
Ryan (the guy selling the ad)
Reply to this commentHey Ryan,
Reply to this commentI hope you can sell the spot or make the money back. I love the creativity of your idea. It got me to visit your blog as well!
Nice move, hope he is able to sell it
Reply to this commentThat guy is damn smart.
Reply to this commentEven if he doesn’t sell it he’s still getting the traffic, plus he’s being talked about!
Reply to this commentPlus he’s got a load of new material for future blog posts - the idea, the implementation, the effect, the overall result and what he’d do differently next time.
It could nearly be a book!
Reply to this commentit will work for him, ebay auction is already at $150 and still 7 days remaining. this will be a HUGE moneymaker and nice tactic.
Reply to this commentSmart move… It confused me between your $1000 offer and the $1500 offer though.
Reply to this commentI think I´ll spend those extra $500 to buy the ad space for two months rather than spending the money to have the space today
Reply to this commentSo damn fippin right about that for 200,000 pages views a month this “genius” has quite a bit of branding technique going on there.
Actually I was expecting the THE COW (here the meat of the matter)to moo-ve in on this one one but alas the dream of “milking” cow’s own genius has been put to pature.
The strategy being used here is kind of attention grabbing since it occupies the top most area nearest to the brginning of the post therefore making a must see for readers, however this marketer could have gone one better by leaving a photo of himself or a website logo (hey! you’re branding yourself here in front of thousands of “jealous” marketers for you idea)therefore pushing up the credibilty rating of the website and Ryan’s reputation as a smart intelligent with a face - this is were the click rate would have increased with John’s own endorsement of the Ad Flipping technique you just implemented as John said it’s the first of it’s kind therefore show your mugshot inside the adspace and leave the message you inserted just below your picture.
Heck!Am just a financial wizard that’s all I am.
Reply to this commentIndeed that banner is just too blank and dead actually. Making some more graphics, a logo most probably would get visitors attention a bit more. At first place i thought it was John that had used that banner to promote his “spot on sale”, only when he posted this post i realized that “it wasn’t the evil in person singing but another smart devil”.
Apart that, the banner itself kinda ruins the look of this site, making it slightly better would not harm anyone. (Personally on a site i own, if i don’t like the banner or it doesn’t meet my sites design i won’t sell the spot).
Reply to this commentExactly the same I thought, and I could not understand, why he says 1500 when the post says 1000 bucks. But if you mouse over the ad, it shows that it’s some external ad
Reply to this commentI agree with you there. I’m not sure what kind of editorial rights John built into the sale but you could really get into some hot water if there are no controls.
The AdSense ads seem to fade into the background but a bright flashing ad may ruin the look and feel of the site.
Reply to this commentGolly oomigosh the printer’s devil gas grabbed a hold of me however make the best of what I posted above as being the perfectionist that I am I’m always error free on a unday.
Reply to this commentI hope the this arb opportunity works better than it did for the guys on the million $ home page. I am guessing they broke even at best.
Reply to this commentThe million dollar homepage sold out… and was profitable.
Reply to this commentC’mon John, seriously the world first ad flip? Have you heard of arbitrage? I understand its easier to get people to link to the post when you point it out like that, but please a bit more truth to your readers please.
Reply to this commentI fully understand arbitrage. In most cases, you paid for ads to send traffic to another page that has higher paying ads. However, you’re not trying to sell the ad you just brought. That’s why this is a flip and not arbitrage.
Reply to this commentWhy do people use their real name/site when they have a brown-nose comment then drop it when they want to send a negative message?
I don’t think that John’s so fragile that he will hold a grudge if you don’t agree with his opinion. Just don’t say he’s not evil. That would be crossing the line…
Reply to this commentwow the ideas that people come up with are amazing. it would suck if he can’t flip it though.
Reply to this commentThat’s the risk… look at all the people trying to flip real estate and ending up losing money because it sits on the market too long.
Reply to this commentIf I were the dude from the million dollar wiki, I believe I would be snatching up that adspace. 70 pages sold after being mentioned on john’s site. He might sell 200-300 if he bought that ad spot.
Reply to this commentYou would think, oh well.
Reply to this commentA very good move from eleven21. He recognised that the ad space was being sold for less than what it was worth and jumped on it. As has been said, if he doesn’t sell it he has still got some good exposure for his blog
Reply to this commentThanks for the encouragement Kevin. As it turns out, eleven21.com is owned by the same Ryan Stewart who wrote this post on your blog. http://www.bloggingtips.com/2007/07/09/5-essential-css-tools-for-bloggers/
Reply to this commentA googless world is around the corner
(mostly kidding)
Reply to this commentThis is something that is definitely innovative and something I have never heard of before. Just the idea that you could make up to $500 for buying ad space or if you can’t sell it you end up with tons of traffic is mind blowing.
Reply to this commentWell, he does have 10 days to sell the space for a profit.
Reply to this commentIf John did it in 30 minutes hopefully Ryan can do it in 10 days!
Reply to this commentVery creative
Reply to this commentVery cool idea. Props to Ryan for having the brain wave (and the guts to actually do it).
Reply to this commentVery smart.
Reply to this commentThat is brilliant. That idea never would have occurred to me. It’s always so interesting to see the many different ideas people come up with. Basically, this guy ends up with more traffic, and possibly an extra $500 in his pocket too! Brilliant!
Reply to this commentIf he can sell it for 1500 John how come you don’t?
Reply to this commentThat’s a pretty slick marketing spot on Ryan’s part. I hope that it all works out for him, he deserves it. I’m going to take a look at Ryan’s blog and find out what he’s all about :).
Reply to this comment