Reach our Readership.

Our readership encompasses the demographics advertisers seek when targeting passionate music and tech audiences.

• 60% male, aged 35-44 with disposable income
• Early adopters of both music and tech
• An eclectic readership mix of fans, artists, and industry insiders
• Three in five of our users visit us on their mobile phones
• A worldwide audience: 47% US, 33% EU

Now you can advertise to our readership in just minutes. While more complex ad purchases should be directed to our ad sales team, the majority of ad buy requests can be completed directly through this portal. Select portions of our advertising portfolio are available on a per-day basis to self-serve advertisers. All ads require a minimum seven-day commitment, with a guaranteed impression share of at least 25% of a single ad space. This portal cannot run exclusive ads in an ad space, video ads, nor is it intended for use in “page takeover” style campaigns; however, our ad team can handle those requests for you.

Notice to prospective advertisers: We currently do not partner with any third-party advertising platforms (such as Google) for advertising space. All space is sold directly by AltWire and its parent companies. Please get in touch with us directly or use our self-service portal.

Looking for more options? Our ad sales team can help with:

• Video ads
• Background image ads
• Parallax ads
• Section sponsorship
• “Page takeover” (all ad spaces/background for a single campaign)
• .. and more!

Find out more about these custom options here!

The process

It’s super simple to get your ad on AltWire.

1. Determine where you want your ad. Descriptions of available slots are provided below.
2. Assemble your ad creative assets, and ensure they meet our requirements. If they’re IAB-compliant sizes, you’re likely already set.
3. Fill out the form below. Don’t forget to include a destination link with any necessary tracking information! If you have multiple creative assets to submit, submit the primary ad creative in this form, and make a note in the ‘Ad Content’ section.
4. The form will direct you to make a payment through our payment processor, XXXX. Submit payment and wait for confirmation. (Note that we only authorize at this point, the charge does not become final until your ad is approved).
5. Allow up to one business day for us to review your order. We may have additional questions, so please keep an eye on your email.
6. When your order is approved, it will run at your scheduled time or immediately if you’ve selected this option.

General Requirements

Ads must, at a minimum, adhere to the following requirements:

• The ad is relevant to our readership (25-44, predominantly male, music and tech savvy)
• The same content policies as Google Adwords, etc., apply
• 7-day minimum, 30-day maximum ad run per campaign, per space (additional client ads in the same spot count as a single ad campaign)
• The ad must have a start date within the next 30 calendar days (custom ad buys don’t have this restriction)
• IAB-compliant sizes only
• No profanity, nudity, sexual content, references to drug or illegal activities, gambling, online casino, astrology, or “get rich quick” ads
• No use of click-attracting strategies (i.e., video play icon on an image when a video doesn’t exist)
• This option is for commercial use only. Sorry, no birthday wishes or anything like that. New businesses may be asked to provide evidence of legitimacy (business license, etc.) if we cannot reliably determine from the information provided. This is to protect our readers from potential scams.

Self-Service ‘Blackout’ Dates

Self-service ads are available almost year-round; however, they are unavailable during certain times of the year to ensure adequate ad space for our custom advertising clients. Self-service ad placement is unavailable during the following periods:

• Prime Day: July 1-15
• Holiday Shopping Season: November 15-December 31

Advertising on AltWire during these times is available by contract only.

Crypto Advertisers: We do not permit the advertising of specific crypto coins due to legal reasons. Crypto services are permissible on a case-by-case basis, and prior approval is required.

Helpful, But Not Required

• If you’re submitting a banner ad (i.e., 468×60, 728×90), submitting a mobile version of that same banner will allow us to serve your standard ad to mobile users (320×50, etc). 60% of our users see us on mobile! If you send us a mobile version, please ensure the size remains IAB-compliant.
• If you’re using an application like Canva to export your creatives in various sizes, be sure to check the output. Occasionally, the software may make minor adjustments to the content to accommodate the requested size, which can cause unexpected design issues, making the creative unusable.
• We prefer images in PNG format, which allows us to convert them to lower-quality versions (JPG/WEBP) with minimal loss of clarity. However, submitting in high-quality (with minimal compression) JPG format is also acceptable.
• Avoid using font sizes smaller than 10px, even for mobile ads. When our site or any other site compresses this for caching and faster delivery, your text will lose a significant amount of clarity in that conversion, causing it to look ‘blurry.’ You are responsible for the creatives you submit. We will not provide refunds, discounts, or delay billing for image quality issues resulting from poor source file quality.
• If you have any additional requests, place them in the ‘Ad Content’ section. Although it states that it is ignored in the event an image is present, the content is still viewable by our team.

PERFORMANCE DISCLAIMER: Ad buys through self-serve are available on a per-day, flat fee basis only for unsold inventory; no CPM options are available. AltWire and its parent organizations make no warranties as to the number of impressions or click-through ratios (CTRs) of your ad buy. Impressions served on any particular day are highly dependent on factors we cannot control, including the news cycle. At our discretion, we may begin your ad up to 48 hours prior or delay up to 24 hours after your requested time if we determine that doing so would result in noticeably more impressions or to fulfill contractual obligations for our custom advertising clients. If your ad is time-sensitive (e.g., a sale, event), we will adhere to your scheduled time.

What Ad Positions Are Available?

For self-serve customers, a total of four ad slots are available on the front page of our site. Rates are valid through August 31, 2025.

Headline Banner Ad

**LIMITED AVAILABILITY** This ad is located at the top of our page within the first screenful of content aside from our social media links. It is the primary ad space on our site, with the most impression potential. As this space has high impression and conversion potential, self-service ad buy orders for this space are reviewed carefully. Availability for self-serve is limited.

• Maximum Size: Leaderboard (728×90)
• Sizes Permitted: 468×60, 728×90, 320×50, 300×50
• Maximum Simultaneous Ad Slots: 3 (33% impression share guaranteed)
• 30 Day Maximum Rate: $450 ($15/day)

Ad space is unavailable before August 28, 2025, due to prior commitments.
SPECIAL – Lock in today’s rates ahead of the 4Q increase! The campaign must start before August 31.

Front Page Top Right Square

This ad can be found on the right side of the front page in the row of content featuring our podcast. We recommend relevant ads to our podcasting audience, such as events, in this ad space for the best results.

• Maximum Size: Medium Rectangle (300×250)
• Sizes Permitted: 300×250, 320×50, 300×50
• Maximum Simultaneous Ad Slots: 4 (25% impression share guaranteed)
• 30 Day Maximum Rate: $150 ($5/day)

Immediate availability

Mid Page Billboard

**LIMITED AVAILABILITY** Although not in a prime position like our Headline Banner Ad, the Mid Page Billboard still allows advertisers to attract real attention to their campaign with ad sizes up to 970×250. With only two slots available, your ad is shown to half of all visitors who scroll by this space. This spot, which appears immediately before our plugin and hardware reviews, also presents an opportunity to capture reader attention before they are exposed to some of our highest-converting content. As this space has high impression and conversion potential, self-service ad buy orders for this space are reviewed carefully. Availability for self-serve is limited.

• Maximum Size: Billboard (970×250)
• Sizes Permitted: Any IAB size below 970×250 (small sizes only permitted for mobile use)
• Maximum Simultaneous Ad Slots: 2 (50% impression share guaranteed)
• 30 Day Maximum Rate: $450 ($15/day)

Immediate availability

Below Archive Above Audio Podcast

This ad space, located at the bottom of our front page, provides an affordable way to reach our readership. And just because it’s at the bottom of our front page doesn’t mean it won’t be seen: our analytics show that of all our pages, the front page is the one most commonly scrolled through to the bottom.

• Maximum Size: Leaderboard (728×90)
• Sizes Permitted: 468×60, 728×90, 320×50, 300×50
• Maximum Simultaneous Ad Slots: 4 (25% impression share guaranteed)
• 30 Day Maximum Rate: $90 ($3/day)

Immediate availability

Frequently Asked Questions

Here’s some answers to questions you might have about our self-service offering.

Will my ad appear in spaces other than the front page?

Generally, no; however, Medium Rectangle, Leaderboard, and standard banner sizes may be used in ad spaces on other pages (with the frequency of use in that order) to fill unsold inventory on occasion. If you’d like to explore this option, we recommend purchasing ad space in the Top Right Square ad spot on the Front Page. Remember, this is not guaranteed with self-serve ad buys!

Why don’t you offer CPM?

AltWire readers, on average, convert at a higher rate than typical ad campaigns. CPM is useful in situations where an advertiser seeks wider exposure without incurring an equally significant expense. We offer you a targeted demographic. Well-planned ad campaigns should see a return on investment, even with a flat rate.

Can I negotiate rates?

No.

Can I target a specific demographic?

Demographic targeting is only available with custom ad solutions. We can target based on location, operating system or browser, and device.

Do you provide refunds?

No. When you submit payment, the card is authorized for the amount, but the transaction is not captured. This allows us to review the ad for suitability while ensuring sufficient funds are available for the transaction. If the ad is approved, the transaction will be finalized; if it is not, the authorization will be removed. The speed at which the transaction posts or the hold is removed will vary based on your bank.

Are there different rates for different ad sizes?

No! Any size, up to the maximum, is allowed at the same rate. There is also no additional charge to serve mobile versions of your ads, either (as long as you supply them).

How often will my ad be seen?

Your ad will be seen in the space for a minimum of 25% of all impressions. The actual number of times your ad is seen is harder to determine and is highly dependent on site traffic (in other words, cross your fingers that we get a good news hit – you’ll get a great deal on ad space as a result!).

Will you provide analytics?

We provide basic analytics that include impression and CTR data.

Can I control who appears in an ad space with me?

No. As this is provided as a way for us to sell unsold ad space, self-service ad purchases are placed in available space on a first-come, first-served basis. Your ad may appear alongside advertisements from brands that have custom advertising agreements with us, who always have priority on available ad space. That being said, we will make every effort to avoid direct competitors appearing in ads on different parts of the page, thereby maximizing your exposure.

This means that more often than not, your brand won’t be competing with similar products, allowing your ad to stand out, without the additional costs of exclusivity. However, this is not guaranteed with self-service ads.

Can you design my ad creative?

With self-service orders, no. Please contact our ad sales team. Your easiest bet if you’re looking for a quick solution is Canva, which also has templates for many of the IAB-standard ad sizes we use.

Can I renew my ad?

To prevent our users from seeing the same ads repeatedly, we kindly request that you refrain from asking for the renewal of the same ad creative. Of course, we understand that in some cases, sales and events aren’t tied to a set 30-day period, so we will not reject renewals outright for this reason. We also recommend that you deal with our sales team for long-term campaigns, as self-serve doesn’t offer the same capabilities to tweak your campaign for optimal results while it’s underway.

Self-Serve Ad Purchase Form