Yahoo Publisher Network - What it is

Yahoo! Publisher Network

I have seen this asked on this and many other forums, and the above link will tell you all you need to know, including a option to apply for an account. In short, YPN is a contextual advertising program very similar to google's adsense, with a few more options.

If you haven't explored this option, and are eligible for an account, I would suggest giving it a try and comparing it to your results from google adsense and other contextual ad networks. In some cases, YPN may increase your earnings.

Something that YPN allows you to do, that google adsense does not, it targetted advertising. If the contextual ads that run on your site do not convert well into clicks, YPN gives you the opporunity to target any advertising area in their system. For example, if you run an automotive forum, you might find that by targetting electronics you are getting a better CTR (click through ratio). In some instances, this is actually the case. The ads related to your site are not always the best converting ads. Learn what your demographics are most interested in, and provide them with ads related to this.
What is even better about this option, is that you do not have to do it sitewide. You can show one type of ad in one directory, and another type in another directory.

The downside to YPN

There are a smaller amount of advertisers, meaning less ads to show, however the number is steadily increasing.

To be considered for the Yahoo! Publisher Network beta program, please enter your information below. Participants of the program must have a valid U.S. Social Security or Tax ID number, and web site content that is predominantly in English and targeted at a U.S. user base. Yahoo! will contact you about your eligibility to participate and about availability of the program.

Hope this helps.

I am still waiting them to open YPN to worldwide and also foreign languages.

I am anxious for this to happen as well. I am in the United States, and have a YPN account, but once it is opened up worldwide, that will only increase the earning potential.

I am impressed about how Yahoo has taken their time with this though and seem to be working out the bugs without getting in a rush to release it everywhere.

and bugs a many it has.

IMO, the only thing YPN has going for it, is it's high payout per click.


Unfortunately, I haven't made good money with them, since the ads do nothing of interest to my users, the CTR is wicked low (almost 1/5th that vs adsense in the same zone) and thus, ypn is only paying about double adsense, so it still comes up short in overall income generation by about 3/5th's

I also hate their stats. nothing is ready to look at until tomorrow. That drives me nuts.

My personal experience, of course.