Comparison
Pixel ad, banner ad or sponsorship: where a small project's first $50 should go
With $50 and a new project, almost any paid channel looks possible and few are sensible. This is a plain comparison of three: a pixel block, a banner or search ad, and a small newsletter or community sponsorship. It includes the cases where ours is the wrong pick.
The short version
Side by side
| Pixel block | Banner or search ad | Newsletter or community sponsorship | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How you pay | One payment, no renewals | Per click or per view, until your budget ends | A flat fee per placement or issue |
| How long it lasts | As long as the wall is online, with 90 days' notice if we close | As long as you keep paying | One issue or one period |
| What you get | A spot on the wall, a profile page, a click count | Visits you bid for | One audience reading one message |
| How you measure | Clicks on your block, plus your own analytics | The ad platform's reports, plus your own analytics | Referral visits and replies |
| Best for | Cheap visibility and a link that stays | Reaching people who already search for what you sell | Reaching one specific small community |
| Watch out for | The wall is new, and we promise no traffic | Costs that grow fast without a cap | Audience claims you cannot check |
What $50 buys on ClaimPixels
The answer depends on the step the wall is in. At the first step, a 20 by 20 block costs $40, so $50 covers it with $10 left for a second 10 by 10 block at $10. The chart shows how many pixels $50 buys at each step.
The price ladder is explained step by step in how the ladder works.
When a pixel block is the wrong choice
- You need sales this month from people who are already searching for what you sell. A search ad fits better.
- You need to reach one specific community in one place. A sponsorship in that community fits better.
- You need a guarantee of traffic. Nothing here offers one, and you should be wary of anyone selling a link with that promise.
- Your link's destination is not ready. A block links to your site, and a half-built page wastes the visit.
How to decide in five steps
- Name the one outcome you wantVisits, sign-ups or awareness. Pick one.
- Match the payment modelOne payment suits a lasting listing; per-click suits a campaign you can stop.
- Cap the spend before you startDecide the most you will lose and stick to it.
- Measure with your own analyticsAdd a campaign tag to every link so you can see which channel sent whom.
- Decide again after 30 daysUse the real numbers, not the hopes.
Questions people ask
Does ClaimPixels guarantee traffic?
No. A block is a display placement with its own page and a click count. How many people visit depends on how many people the wall reaches.
Are the links good for SEO?
Links on the wall are marked nofollow and sponsored, as search engines ask for paid placements, so we do not sell them as an SEO tool. The value is direct visits and a lasting listing.
Can I start with the smallest block?
Yes. A 10 by 10 block is 100 pixels. At the first step that costs $10.