This page pertains to business advertisements -- not event postings.
All advertisers and advertisements are subject to approval.
Posted rates are valid until 1/31/10.
Coupons
There is no additional charge for running a coupon for advertisers who have purchased a spotlight, premium listing, banner ad, or have a partnership agreement. Coupons may be removed by GreatIdeasForKids.com after their expiration date or in 3 months. Here are two coupon examples: coupon one and coupon two.
See "restrictions" in the Banner Ad section below. All coupons should be rendered as a web-ready graphic. Maximum coupon width is 740. Recommended width is between 600 and 700 pixels wide. All coupons should be in .jpg format.
Alternatively, businesses may run a paragraph of text describing their services and a "just mention GreatIdeasForKids.com" discount. No graphic is required. Such text-based offers are grouped onto one web page.
Banner Ads
Rates for Banner Advertising on the Calendar
A. $50 per month to be part of a random rotation (containing a maximum of 10 ads) that appear on the week-view of the calendar or day-view of the calendar.
B. $40 per month to be part of a random rotation (containing a maximum of 5 ads) that appear on one specific category-view of the calendar (e.g., Theater/Magic, Arts/Crafts, Ages 3-5, etc.)
C. $200 per month for a fixed slot (not rotating with other ads) on the week-view of the calendar.
D. $40 per month for a fixed slot (not rotating with other ads) on one specific date of the calendar (for example, 11/12/08)
E. $100 per month for a fixed slot (not rotating with other ads) on one specific category-view of the calendar (e.g., Arts/Crafts, Ages 3-5, etc.)
Rates for Banner Advertising elsewhere on the website:
F. Bottom of home page (and most pages) = $50/month (non rotating)
G. Bottom of home page (and most pages) = $30/month (random rotation containing a maximum of 4 ads)
H. Left side of a GreatIdeas Guide page (e.g. "indoor fun", "school days off", etc.) = $25/month (non rotating) if your business is part of that page. Only 3-6 spots will be sold, depending on the length of the page.
I. Left side of a GreatIdeas Guide page (e.g. "indoor fun", "school days off", etc.) = $40/month (non rotating) if your business is not part of that page. Only 3-6 spots will be sold, depending on the length of the page.
J. Expanded listing (40 words approximately) on a GreatIdeas Guide page = $8/month if your business is part of that page.
K. Expanded listing with logo graphic = $10/month if your business is part of that page.
Purchase two packages (A-K) for a 25% discount on the total cost. Purchase three or more packages (A-K) for 33% discount on the total cost. Monthly rates are pro-rated for days in the month (minimum of 10 days). These rates are valid thru January 2010. Newsletters will not be published on a weekly basis for the rest of 2008. All advertisers, ad content and graphic designs are subject to approval. Businesses that purchase a banner ad are eligible to run a coupon/discount at no cost (see above).
Size & Format:
The calendar banner ads are 468x60 pixels and should be in the .jpg format. The square banner ads on the sides and bottom of the web pages aren't exactly square, they should be 180x150 and in the .jpg format. It is recommended that banner ads click thru to a coupon (see "coupon" above).
Restrictions:
All ads are subject to approval: no garish, poorly designed, low-quality, remotely offensive, or animated ads will be accepted. (All graphic elements must be lawfully owned/purchased by the advertiser.) If you already have a logo and a web page/site, but require assistance creating a banner ad or coupon, just ask for a referral to an affordable designer. If an ad is rejected for visual reasons, specific comments and suggestions will be provided.
Newsletter spotlights — approximately monthly
Currently, the top-right and top-left section of the newsletter are available for spotlights. A spotlight may be exclusive, or feature up to 4 related businesses. An exclusive (top-right or top-left) spotlight is $50.
Businesses should submit 4 to 10 sentences of text which will be edited for length as space allows. The business should mention which of the 4 sentences are most critical, any other text that is included is a bonus (by the way, the length of 4 sentences is approximately 50 words -- see this tool for assistance).
The following information is not included in your word count. The first line of your spotlight is usually your business name - linked to your web url (please provide the url you want to use). The second line is usually your location or phone number (your choice). Alternatively, you can use an italicized epithet or short catch phrase for the second line. The maximum length of the second line is approximately 40 characters. No graphics are included in newsletter spotlights.
If you are offering a coupon/discount on GreatIdeasForKids.com (it's included/free with your purchase of a newsletter spotlight) you should include wording in your spotlight that mentions the coupon/discount and a link to it will be [automatically] incorporated into your spotlight. It is recommended that you offer a coupon/discount because it lasts for 90 days or until your offer expires (whichever comes first) and increases your company's visibility on GreatIdeasForKids.com .
The newsletter is mailed to the subscriber list on Wednesdays/Thursdays. This is how your spotlight directly reaches the subscribers. There is also a web-based version of the newsletter that visitors can see without subscribing, your spotlight will remain on that web page for 4-7 days depending on the editing cycle of the previous and subsequent newsletters.
GreatIdeasForKids.com will individually approve businesses before they receive a spotlight (see "per category restrictions" and "rejections" below for exclusions and further details.) The editor will decide when to spotlight a business; the advertiser may provide input on which week is preferred. GreatIdeasForKids.com suggests that businesses offer a coupon as part of their spotlight (see "coupon" below).
Spotlights where multiple companies are being featured are at the discretion of the editor. These shared listings cost less then an exclusive spotlight, and are sometimes free. The editor decides which businesses to run each week. To be considered for these types of spotlights, a cross-promotional agreement is suggested. Ideas include promoting GreatIdeasForKids.com on your web site (for at least 3 months) and/or in your newsletter (at least once) and/or distribute GreatIdeasForKids.com cards to your customers (for at least a month). If this is of interest, just inquire to find out what options are available.
Directory and "GreatIdeas Guide" listings
Policy is undergoing changes, please inquire.
Per category restrictions (also see "rejections" below):
Child care. All day-care facilities must provide proof of licensing. That proof should be faxed to a number that will be provided upon application for listing. All individual babysitters must be approved by and enrolled with BabysittersOfTheRockies.com (which performs background checks, reference checks, and personal interviews). Babysitters of the Rockies and GreatIdeasForKids.com will jointly choose which sitters will be listed on GreatIdeasForKids.com during any given month. Babysitters of the Rockies and Nannies of the Rockies are currently the exclusive babysitting and nanny services of GreatIdeasForKids.com Boulder/Denver.
Competitors. Businesses in direct competition with GreatIdeasForKids.com may not be allowed directory listings.
Health care. Practitioners will be separated by genre. Some categories of health-care professionals may require further approval for the purchase of a premium listing. (Recommendations from a GreatIdeasForKids.com featured expert or business partner would be helpful.) Furthermore, most genres of health care professionals will not be allowed to buy newsletter spotlights, or purchase banner advertising on pages except on the [directory] page that lists their business. This is because the quality of health care professionals varies greatly and some types of health-care practitioners perform procedures and/or provide medications that are not tested or FDA-approved on children.
Not really for kids. There are certain businesses that are not kid-centric (for example, real estate). The listings for these businesses may not be restricted, but the availability of other types of advertising will be. For instance, if there is space for only 4 ads at the bottom of the home page, there will not be 4 realtors listed there. The focus of the site is great ideas for kids; therefore, kid-centric businesses will be given priority.
Parent Groups. Listing in this section is free but requires a cross-promotion agreement. Approval will be on a case-by-case basis.
Furthermore... GreatIdeasForKids.com reserves the right to add further restrictions per category as needs arise. Although advertisers are not being endorsed by GreatIdeasForKids.com, there is always the possibility that a reader may falsely infer endorsement based on the presence of a banner ad or newsletter spotlight. Likewise, categories with the most potential for kids possibly being hurt (i.e., not just a sprained ankle) are most likely to be scrutinized.
Featured Partners
Featured partnership is available on a per-business basis, usually by invitation.
Non-Profit Consideration
In 2009, when the newsletter returns to a regular schedule: non-profit organizations that enter into a cross-promotional agreement will be eligible for $10-$60 in credit (every 3 months) depending on the extent of cross-promotion.
Problematic Claims
False or problematic advertising claims may be edited and result in the possible de-listing of an advertiser. For example, words like "only", "first", or "best" may be questioned, removed, and surrounding words may be edited accordingly.
Restriction on mentioning Third Parties
A business pays to promote itself on GreatIdeasForKids.com. Businesses may not promote a third party on GreatIdeasForKids.com (via advertising, blurbs, event listings, coupons, etc.). For example, businesses may not advertise special rates for members of a club or organization that is different than the business who paid GreatIdeasForKids.com . Businesses may mention special rates for the general public, their own members, or special offers for people who mention GreatIdeasForKids.com . Likewise, businesses may not promote a competitor of GreatIdeasForKids.com, for example, mentioning they received an annual award from a competitor's survey. Exceptions are at the editor's discretion.
Disclaimers
It is up to the discretion of GreatIdeasForKids.com what information is included on any page of the site. Many pages in the business directory will have a disclaimer stating that the businesses appearing on this list are not necessarily endorsed by GreatIdeasForKids.com . Further disclaimers may appear on specific pages. For example, in the health-care field, there may be a disclaimer recommending that parents take precaution in allowing their children to undergo any procedure that is not FDA-approved or tested on children. Another example is the sports-related section where a disclaimer may appear to remind parents that even wearing protective gear is not enough to prevent serious injury. GreatIdeasForKids.com reserves the right to post disclaimers wherever advertising appears. If a disclaimer is added or revised to a page during a paid advertising cycle, an affected advertiser may voluntarily pull out and request a refund for any money that has been paid in advance.
Rejections
GreatIdeasForKids.com reserves the right to impose advertising restrictions for any reason. One possible reason is that it may be doubtful whether a business is a great idea for kids. Another reason might include reports of questionable business practices. Featured experts may also provide input on which businesses should be rejected as advertisers. Also, if there are exclusive relationships established with some advertisers, other advertisers in the same field may be blocked or limited (this may include preventing an existing advertiser from renewing their spot). If circumstances lead to pulling an advertiser during a paid cycle, any money that has been paid in advance will be pro-rated and refunded. If an advertising request is turned down, no specific reason may be cited.
Errors
Any mistake made by GreatIdeasForKids.com will result in additional free days of advertising or a refund of advertising fees. It is up to GreatIdeasForKids.com to choose which method to pursue. No other remuneration for errors will be made.
Acceptance of Terms
Applying for any kind of advertising with GreatIdeasForKids.com implies that you (representing yourself and your business) have read and accepted all of the terms on this page. If you do not accept the terms on this page, then your business should not apply for advertising with GreatIdeasForKids.com .
Updates to Advertisers
All updates will be provided in a special newsletter. To get on the mailing list, click here to subscribe. Inactive advertisers may be periodically removed from the list. Active advertisers who did not subscribe to the list may be added to the list by the administrator.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 23 November 2009 )
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