Advertising on WeSearch — frequently asked questions

Does WeSearch use Google AdSense or third-party ad networks?

No. WeSearch sells first-party contextual sponsorships only. There is no AdSense, Meta pixel, real-time bidding auction, or third-party ad script on reader pages.

Is advertising on WeSearch behavioral or retargeting-based?

No. Placements are contextual: selection uses the page or topic someone is viewing, never a profile of their reading history or off-site behavior.

Can sponsors pay to rank or influence news stories?

No. An editorial firewall separates sponsorship from story ordering, Blindspots, source inclusion, summaries, moderation, search, and editorial standards.

How much does it cost to advertise on WeSearch?

Founding Sponsor Beta is $99 for 10,000 viewable impressions. Ongoing rates are $10 CPM run-of-site, $14 CPM topic-targeted, and $18 CPM front-page, with published minimums. See /advertise/pricing.

What is a viewable impression?

A viewable impression requires at least 50% of the sponsor card visible for one continuous second while the page is visible (MRC/IAB display baseline). We sell viewable impressions, not raw loads.

Where do sponsor cards appear?

Inline after the sixth story on the front page and eligible topic surfaces. Never on individual story pages, Blindspots, search, comments, donation pages, or emergency alerts. No sticky ads, pop-ups, or autoplay video.

Do advertisers receive reader data?

No. Creative is hosted by WeSearch. Clicks go through a WeSearch redirect. Advertisers do not receive reader cookies, IPs, or profiles from WeSearch.

How do I start a campaign?

Use the campaign builder on /advertise, submit for manual review, upload creative after approval, then pay via Stripe Checkout only after approval.

What file types are accepted for ad creative?

PNG, JPEG, and WebP up to 2MB. WeSearch re-encodes images. SVG, GIF, HTML, JavaScript, and video are not accepted.

When do I pay?

Only after manual approval. Stripe Checkout runs from the advertiser dashboard once the campaign is approved.

Can I advertise political campaigns or gambling?

No. Political candidates/committees, gambling, weapons, tobacco, adult content, and other categories listed in policies are prohibited.

Where can I see who has advertised?

The public transparency archive at /advertise/transparency lists active and completed sponsorships for at least one year.

Is WeSearch still donation-funded?

Yes. Reader donations remain a core funding path at /donate. Contextual sponsorships are an additional, clearly labeled revenue stream that cannot override editorial decisions.