InfoLinks Review: Is It Worth It for Small Publishers?

What InfoLinks Offers

InfoLinks specializes in in-text advertising — ads that appear when users hover over highlighted keywords in your content. This non-intrusive format works alongside traditional display ads, making InfoLinks a popular supplementary network for publishers looking to squeeze additional revenue from their existing traffic.

Founded in 2007, InfoLinks has served over 100,000 publishers worldwide. Their main value proposition is simplicity: no traffic minimum, quick approval, and ad formats that don't require you to redesign your page layout. For new publishers still building traffic, InfoLinks offers a way to start monetizing immediately while working toward higher-paying network thresholds.

Requirements

InfoLinks has no minimum traffic requirement and accepts most types of content. The application process is quick, with most sites approved within 48 hours. You need original content, a valid domain (no free blog platforms like blogspot.com), and compliance with their content policies which prohibit adult content, violence, and illegal activities.

Your site should have at least 10-15 pages of content for InfoLinks to effectively analyze and monetize. The more text-heavy your content, the better — InfoLinks works by scanning your content for monetizable keywords, so image-heavy or short-form content sites won't see much benefit.

Unlike networks that require specific geographic traffic, InfoLinks serves global demand. Publishers with audiences in developing countries can still earn meaningful revenue, though CPMs will be lower than for US/UK traffic.

Ad Formats

• InText: The flagship format. Keywords in your content are highlighted with a double underline. When users hover over them, a small ad overlay appears. This format is contextually relevant since the ads relate to the highlighted keyword.
• InFold: Ads that appear when users scroll down the page, sliding in from the bottom or side of the viewport. These are more visible than InText but also more intrusive.
• InFrame: Banner ads that appear in the margins of widescreen displays. These only show on desktop browsers with sufficient screen width, making them invisible on mobile.
• InTag: A tag cloud-style ad unit showing relevant keywords at the bottom or side of your content. Users click keywords that interest them, which leads to advertiser landing pages.
• InScreen: Interstitial ads that display between page loads. These are the most intrusive format and should be used carefully to avoid annoying your audience.

Revenue Expectations

InfoLinks won't make you rich — RPMs typically range from $1-5 depending on your niche and geographic audience. Finance, technology, and health niches tend to earn on the higher end, while entertainment and general lifestyle content earns less. However, since their ads complement display ads rather than competing for the same space, the revenue is essentially additive.

Most small publishers earn $20-100/month from InfoLinks, with the amount scaling linearly with traffic. This won't replace a day job, but it's enough to cover hosting costs and reinvest in content creation. Publishers with 50K+ monthly pageviews can earn $200-500/month, making InfoLinks a meaningful supplementary income source.

One important consideration: InfoLinks pays on a NET 45 basis with a $50 minimum payout threshold. New publishers with very low traffic may need to accumulate several months of earnings before receiving their first payment.

Impact on User Experience

In-text ads are polarizing. Some publishers find them unobtrusive since they only appear on hover. Others report that the keyword highlighting makes content harder to read and the hover-triggered pop-ups annoy visitors. Test carefully and monitor your engagement metrics (bounce rate, time on page) after implementation.

A common complaint is that InfoLinks highlights keywords you didn't choose, sometimes creating awkward situations where inappropriate ads appear on certain content. You can exclude specific keywords through their dashboard, but this requires ongoing management.

Who Should Use InfoLinks

InfoLinks is best for new publishers who need a no-barrier entry point, or as supplementary income alongside a primary display network. The setup is genuinely easy — paste a JavaScript snippet and you're running. For publishers testing monetization for the first time, it's a low-risk way to learn how ad revenue works.

Once you qualify for higher-paying networks like Mediavine or even Monumetric, you'll likely phase out InfoLinks. The revenue difference is dramatic — a site earning $50/month from InfoLinks might earn $500-1,500/month from a premium network with the same traffic.

Check your ad readiness score to see which networks you qualify for and which should be your next target. If you're already above 10K monthly pageviews, you likely have better options than InfoLinks for your primary monetization.