How to put up banners to a website - illustrated guide

A friend of mine had a problem lately. She has been online a while now but she got a problem with putting up a banner.
I explained what she has to do, but then I thought there may be others, who can't do it either. Why not, a couple of years ago I was also helpless with banners!
That's why I decided to post here this little guide I made for my friend Louise.

1. Easy: you have just insert your banner codes into right places, for example like on GotSafelist.

Banner name - for example Team Orangemoon.
Banner Image URL: for example http://teambanners.edforshaw.com/permanentom468x60.jpg
Destination URL: your referral link
and that's it. The banner will display normally on GotSafelist.

2. Advanced: put your banners up on your site, blog etc.

1) Open FireFox (or Internet Explorer, or whatever you're using).
2) Copy and paste your banner code to the browser and click "enter" to get the image.

3) Rightclick the banner and save it to your computer, (save as) into picture folder.
4) Sign up with Photobucket.
5) Upload the banner to Photobucket - on the pictures you'll see how I uploaded the pictures for the guide, it's the same with banners.

a) Upload Images & Video - choose files - from my computer

b) Find the right picture, click on it, then click "upload" on Photobucket. It may take some time until it's ready.

c) Add title. Description and tags aren't necessary. Save and continue.

6) Under the banner you'll see Photobucket links. In your case, we need "direct URL". Click on the text "direct URL", then rightclick, and choose "copy". Create a document for banner codes, paste it there and save.

7) Create your own banners. The usual code for banners is

I had to add it as an image too, otherwise it tried to create a banner immediately:-))
The changeable parts are bold.
For example, my Marketing Pond banner code is

Pasted into the blog it makes following result:



Alt text is good for search engines but not necessary. Next example is without:

and looks on Blogger like



Easy like 1-2-3, isn't? Good luck with banners, dear reader, and hundreds of referrals!

How to create a payment proof

If you really want to promote something, it's sometimes benefitial to add a payment proof. There are so many sceptics nowdays. And much, much more cheaters!
About a year ago I tried to find a good payment proof creating tutorial, which would be understandable for everybody, incl. a newbie online like me. I failed. I did understand, though, I have to create a screenshot (what the heck is a screenshot?) and then I have to host it somewhere (for Heaven's sake, tell me, where!).
There was an additional problem with banners. There are sites which don't allow their members to use banner codes from their site because it eats their bandwidth. They are saying: "Please host the banner on your own webspace, thanks", or "Please download the banner you wish to use to your own webhosting to save our bandwidth," or even "You MUST download the following image and upload it to your web site to display the banner on your web site." Thanks so much, I would if you'd tell me HOW to do it!
OK, to make it short - I've found the solution on a forum of a PTC site. The site turned out to be a scam and doesn't exist anymore but the information I've got there was/is valuable enough to share it. In fact, creating a screenshot it's easy like 1-2-3.

1)Open the page you want to print, FE an e-mail from PayPal.
2)Press "Print Screen" on our keyboard. It's a button PrtSc/SysRq, and it's located on the top in the right corner.
3)Now open Paint - (Start>All Programs>Accessories>Paint). It may be some other image editing tool also but I'm always using Paint because it's so easy.
4)Either press "ctrl-v" or click "edit>Paste".
5)Adjust it the way you like, FE cover the personal information you do not want to be shown online, like your e-mail address etc., using a brush.
6)If ready, save the image by clicking "File>Save" or "ctrl-s" in My Documents>My Pictures.
7)Upload it to the web. There are many sites for free image hosting on the web. I've used Photobucket so far. Create an account, if you haven't one. Create an album, name it as you like, FE "Proofs", and then in "Upload Images&Video" pick "from my computer". Click "choose files". A new window will appear, where you'll see the pictures stored on your computer. When you click on the right picture it uploads automatically.
8)When ready, you'll see 4 URLs below your uploaded screenshot, incl. the direct URL and IMG code URL, and these both are exactly what you need. When you insert the direct URL on a forum or a website just add: "Click here to see the payment proof". You'll need it also when you're uploading banners somewhere.
For payment proofs people usually prefer the IMG code URL (will look like [img] http://www.photobucket.com/this/is/my/url.jpg [/img]) - it produces the picture.

Good luck with payment proofs and banners!