A preview system for ads is a valuable tool for website owners who monetize with direct-sold ads. It allows advertisers to review their ads before they go live on the site, helping to avoid misunderstandings, improve customer satisfaction, and build trust. This process also identifies issues early, saving time and resources in the long run.
Such a system demonstrates professionalism and transparency. In this article, I’ll show you how to set up an ad preview in WordPress. We’ll explore straightforward methods like password-protected pages and advanced solutions using Advanced Ads to display personalized ads directly on live pages.
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Methods for implementing an ad preview system
There are several ways to enable advertisers to preview their ads, varying in complexity and sophistication.
Some methods, e.g., sending screenshots of ads or creating WordPress accounts for advertisers, are less practical and professional. Screenshots don’t allow interaction with the ad, and creating separate user accounts is cumbersome and unnecessary. Instead, let’s focus on two more effective approaches: password-protected pages and URL-based targeting with Advanced Ads.
Ads on a password-protected page
A password-protected page is a simple way to provide a secure preview. To create one:
- Log in to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to Pages
- Select an existing page or create a new one
- In the page editor, find the Visibility section in the Summary panel
- Choose “Password protected” and set a unique password
- Save your changes
- Share the page URL, password, and access instructions with your advertiser
While this method is quick to set up, it has limitations. The preview appears in a separate, protected post, not on the live site, and advertisers must manually enter the password.
Ad previews using URL parameters
Use Advanced Ads to create a preview directly on the live page for a truly polished solution. Follow these steps:
- Got to Advanced Ads > Groups&Rotation and create a dedicated ad group for the preview, choosing the Ordered ads group type
- For the advertiser, add their ad to the group and assign it the highest weight to ensure it’s evaluated for display first
- For all other visitors, add that placement’s regular ads to the group and apply lower weights
- Configure a URL parameter Display Condition for the advertiser’s ad so it appears only when a unique URL parameter (e.g.,
?customer=123
) is present
Share the live page link with the advertiser and make sure to append the unique parameter (e.g., https://example.com/page/?customer=123
). Now, when they visit the page, they’ll always see their ad instead of the default ads. Meanwhile, all other visitors missing the URL parameter won’t be taken into consideration by the condition and will only see those regular ads. It’s like a secret passcode!
You can also deploy this condition to entire placements—for example, to show a sticky banner or a popup banner to a customer when these placements are not part of the current ad setup and do not rotate other ads.
This method requires a bit more effort but offers a professional preview experience. It eliminates the need for passwords and shows the ad’s actual context.
Conclusion
Choosing the proper ad preview method depends on your needs. Password-protected pages are quick to set up but lack flexibility. Previews based on shareable URLs offer a more convenient and professional solution, showing ads directly on the live page while remaining secure and user-friendly.
Both approaches improve collaboration, reduce misunderstandings, and leave a professional impression, enhancing customer trust and satisfaction.