Configuring Ad Units with the EmpowerLocal Javascript Codes

Step 1: Login to EmpowerLocal Dashboard

• Log in to the EmpowerLocal dashboard using your credentials. If you do not have a login, contact us at help@empowerlocal.com to be added. 

Step 2: Select Publication

• Once logged in, toggle to the appropriate publication in the top left corner to choose the publication you'd like to set up.

Step 3: Navigate to Ad Configuration

• Navigate to the Ad Configuration tab.

Step 4: Choose Your Platform

• Choose the Javascript tab at the top.

Step 5: Add the header code to Your Website

• Copy the provided code under Step 1 and insert it into your site's header file. Make sure to paste the code just before the closing </head> tag at the end of your file. If your website's CMS or theme offers a dedicated section for adding scripts to the header, you can paste the code there as an alternative.
  

Step 6: Add Ads.txt Entries to Your Website

• Under Step 2, copy your ads.txt lines.
• Paste your ads.txt lines into your existing file if you already have one. If you do not have an ads.txt file, create a TXT file named ads.txt and place it into the root directory of your domain, typically via FTP or a file manager through your website host. Be careful not to overwrite any existing lines.

Step 7: Get Ad Placements

• Under Step 3, click Select ad placements.
• Use the dropdown to select the ad unit you want to implement.
• Click the red Get widget code button.
• When the code window opens, click the Copy to clipboard button to copy the javascript code.

Step 8: Implement Code in Your CMS

• Place each javascript code in the appropriate location on your CMS to allow each ad unit to function correctly. SEE HERE for a visual guide of each ad unit’s recommended location within a typical article page. 
  
  
  • Local Action Unit: This ad unit should be placed around 2-3 paragraphs from the top of your article content. Note that this unit can only be placed in articles, not on home pages or section pages.
  • Local Savings Unit: Place this ad unit directly underneath your article content, ensuring it can render full-width on both desktop and mobile. This unit does not display 100% of the time, so initial non-loads should not cause concern. Note that this ad unit cannot be placed into a right rail.
  • Local Stories Player: Position this ad unit directly underneath the Local Savings Unit on your article pages. Consider adding padding between this unit and the Local Savings Unit to allow for visual separation. The Local Stories Player will stick to the lower corner of the screen until the user scrolls down. Note that this ad unit cannot be placed into a right rail.
  • Expand Ad Placement Options: The Local Stories Player and Local Savings Unit can be placed on any page across your site, including your home page, section pages and even event pages. We encourage you to leverage these units to maximize monetization of additional pageviews in these areas. The Local Action Unit, however, is designed exclusively for use within articles.

Step 9: Verify Implementation

• Navigate to an article to see if the ad units are visible. Adjustments may be needed if not all units are showing immediately.

Final Step: Please notify us!

• Once you have completed these steps and activated the ad units, please notify us so we can check from our side. It's normal not to see all of your ad units immediately; we may need to perform some tuning on the EmpowerLocal side once the ad units are live to ensure they are running as intended.