WordPress Launches WordAds

A partnership between WordPress and Federated Media Publishing gives bloggers another monetization option, with an opt-in ad program available exclusively to WordPress.com bloggers, designed to rival Google’s AdSense.

The percentage of ad revenue paid to bloggers is unknown. In response to a question about how ad revenue is split between WordPress and publishers, founding developer Matt Mullenweg responded, “Our primary goal is to create something that rewards bloggers for their hard work and the quality of their work, and do so at a higher level than generic Adsense would, not optimize around a particular revenue share.”

To qualify for the WordAds program, blogs must be publicly visible and have a custom domain. Applying to the program doesn’t ensure acceptance; WordPress will choose participants based on the type of content, and traffic/engagement levels.

WordAds will be a welcome alternative for AdSense publishers affected by Google’s recent payment system/account interface bug and other issues that prevented timely payouts.