How to Use CheerAd - Complete Guide

5 min read Original article ↗

🚀 Getting Started

CheerAd is the simplest way to let your community support you. Unlike traditional ad networks that clutter your site with irrelevant banners, CheerAd creates a community spotlight where fans can feature their messages.

  1. Create Your Account Sign up with Google in seconds. No lengthy forms, no approval process, no waiting period.
  2. Add Your Website Enter your website URL, set your contribution amount (minimum $1.50), and customize your placeholder text.
  3. Connect Stripe Link your Stripe account to receive payments directly. We use Stripe Connect for secure, instant payouts.
  4. Embed the Widget Copy and paste a simple code snippet into your website. Works with any platform - WordPress, Webflow, custom HTML, and more.
  5. Start Earning Your audience can now "cheer" for your site by purchasing featured messages. You get paid instantly!

💡 Why CheerAd?

💰

You Set the Price

Unlike auction-based systems, you decide exactly how much each featured spot costs.

⚡

Instant Payouts

Money goes directly to your Stripe account. No 30-day delays, no minimum thresholds.

🎯

Authentic Messages

Your supporters create the messages, ensuring they're always relevant to your community.

🔒

Full Control

Approve or reject any message. Optional AI moderation catches inappropriate content automatically.

📊

Simple Analytics

Track impressions, earnings, and ad performance without complex dashboards.

🎨

Clean Design

A beautiful, non-intrusive widget that complements your site instead of cluttering it.

📊 How We Compare

We built CheerAd because traditional ad solutions weren't designed for independent creators. Here's how we're different:

Feature CheerAd Traditional Ad Networks Sponsorship Platforms
Setup Time ✓ 5 minutes ✗ Days to weeks ~ Hours
Minimum Traffic Required ✓ None ✗ 10K-100K+ pageviews ~ Varies
You Control Pricing ✓ Yes, always ✗ No (auction-based) ~ Sometimes
Payout Speed ✓ Instant via Stripe ✗ 30-90 days ~ 2-4 weeks
Minimum Payout ✓ $0 (your Stripe) ✗ $50-$100 ~ $10-$50
Ad Relevance ✓ Community-driven ✗ Algorithm-based ✓ Curated
User Experience ✓ Clean, minimal widget ✗ Multiple banners ✓ Usually clean
Approval Process ✓ None ✗ Application required ~ Sometimes

🔧 Embedding the Widget

We offer three embedding options to work with any website setup:

Option 1: Script Embed (Recommended)

Works on most websites. Simply paste this code where you want the widget to appear:

<div id="cheerad-widget"></div>
<script src="https://cheerad.com/embed.js" data-site-id="YOUR_SITE_ID"></script>

Option 2: iFrame Embed

Use this if your site has Content Security Policy (CSP) restrictions that block external scripts:

<iframe src="https://cheerad.com/embed-widget.html?site=YOUR_SITE_ID" style="width:100%;border:none;min-height:150px;"></iframe>

Option 3: Simple Link

Works everywhere, even on platforms with strict restrictions. Just a button that opens your support page:

<a href="https://cheerad.com/pages/advertise.html?site=YOUR_SITE_ID" target="_blank" rel="noopener">📣 Drop a Cheer

💡 Pro Tip

You can find your exact embed code with your Site ID already filled in from your Dashboard → Site Details → "Get Embed Code" button.

💵 Pricing & Fees

We believe in transparent, simple pricing:

  • Platform Fee: 10% of each transaction (covers payment processing and platform costs)
  • Stripe Fees: Standard Stripe fees apply (2.9% + $0.30 per transaction)
  • No Monthly Fees: You only pay when you earn
  • No Setup Costs: Getting started is completely free
  • No Minimum Commitment: Cancel or pause anytime

Example: If you set your contribution at $10, you'll receive approximately $8.41 after fees ($10 - 10% platform fee - Stripe fees).

🤖 AI Moderation

Keep your site safe without constant monitoring:

  • Automatic Content Screening: AI checks every message for inappropriate content, spam, and policy violations
  • Optional Auto-Approve: Let AI-passed messages go live instantly, or review everything manually
  • Rule Violations: Messages that violate guidelines can be rejected without refund
  • Full Control: You always have final say over what appears on your site

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How quickly will I get paid?

Payments go directly to your connected Stripe account. Stripe typically deposits funds within 2 business days, depending on your country and bank.

What if someone posts something inappropriate?

You have full control. Every message requires your approval before going live (unless you enable auto-approve for AI-passed messages). You can reject any message, and for rule violations, no refund is issued.

Can I use CheerAd on multiple websites?

Yes! You can add multiple sites to your account. Each site has its own pricing, settings, and embed code.

What happens to the ad after it expires?

Expired cheers are automatically hidden, and your placeholder text appears again. Supporters can drop a new cheer anytime.

Is there a minimum traffic requirement?

No! CheerAd works for sites of all sizes. Whether you have 100 or 100,000 monthly visitors, you can start earning.

Can I customize the widget appearance?

Currently, the widget uses a clean, minimal design that works well on most sites. Custom styling options are coming soon.

🔧 Technical Details

Important information for developers and site owners:

CORS (Cross-Origin Resource Sharing)

Our embed widget and public API endpoints are configured with permissive CORS headers, allowing the widget to work on any domain. The widget loads from cheerad.com and communicates with our API seamlessly.

Content Security Policy (CSP)

If your site has strict CSP rules, you may need to whitelist:

  • script-src: cheerad.com
  • connect-src: cheerad.com
  • frame-src: cheerad.com (for iframe embed)

Alternatively, use the iFrame embed or Simple Link options which have fewer restrictions.

Widget Placement

The widget appears exactly where you place the embed code in your HTML. Common placements include:

  • Sidebar - Visible on all pages
  • Footer - Non-intrusive, always accessible
  • End of articles - Perfect for blogs and content sites
  • Dedicated support page - Link to it from your navigation

Performance

The embed script is lightweight (~5KB gzipped) and loads asynchronously, so it won't block your page rendering or affect your site's performance scores.

Ready to Get Started?

Join creators who are already monetizing their websites the smart way.

Start Accepting Cheers 📣