You can install SkylarkAds in two ways:

• Through WordPress Admin: Go to Plugins > Add New, search for “SkylarkAds”, and click Install
• Manual Upload: Download the plugin file, on your server, go to wp-content/plugins and unpack the zip content’s.

After installation, activate the plugin and you’ll see “Ad Banners” in your WordPress admin menu.

Common reasons banners don’t display:

• Incorrect Shortcode: Make sure you’re using [ad_banner id="123"] with the correct banner ID
• Banner Not Published: Check that your banner status is set to “Published”
• Campaign Scheduling: If the banner is part of a campaign, check the campaign dates
• Theme Conflicts: Try switching to a default WordPress theme temporarily to test
• Caching Issues: Clear your site cache and browser cache

Check the banner ID by going to Ad Banners in your admin and looking at the ID column.

You have several options:

• Shortcode: Add [ad_banner id="123"] anywhere in your content (replace 123 with your banner ID)
• Gutenberg Block: In the block editor, search for “SkylarkAds” and add the SkylarkAds Banner block
• PHP Code: For developers, use <?php echo do_shortcode('[ad_banner id="123"]'); ?> in template files

SkylarkAds includes responsive design, but you may need to adjust:

• Check Banner Dimensions: Large banners may not fit well on mobile screens
• Review Text Size: Text might be too small or large for mobile viewing
• Test Different Orientations: Try vertical text orientation for narrow mobile screens
• Use Mobile Preview: Preview your banner using your browser’s mobile view
• Check Theme CSS: Your theme’s CSS might be interfering with banner display

SkylarkAds includes built-in analytics:

• View Analytics: Go to Ad Banners > Ad Banner Stats in your WordPress admin
• Google Analytics: Enter your GA tracking ID in the plugin settings for enhanced tracking
• Matomo Integration: Configure Matomo URL and Site ID in settings for privacy-focused tracking
• Click Tracking: The plugin automatically tracks clicks on banner links
• View Tracking: Banner impressions are tracked when banners are displayed

Analytics data includes views, clicks, click-through rates, and performance trends over time.

Yes, through the campaign system:

• Create a Campaign: Go to Ad Banners > Ad Campaigns > Add New
• Set Dates: Configure start and end dates for your campaign
• Add Banners: Assign your banners to the campaign
• Automatic Activation: Banners will automatically appear and disappear based on campaign dates

You can also set specific times of day and days of the week for banner display in campaign settings.

To set up Google Analytics tracking:

• Get Your Tracking ID: Find your GA tracking ID (starts with “G-” or “UA-“)
• Enter in Settings: Go to Ad Banners > Settings and enter your tracking ID
• Save Settings: Click Save to activate tracking
• Verify Setup: Check your GA dashboard for SkylarkAds events under Events or Real-time

The plugin will automatically send banner view and click events to your Google Analytics account.

This error occurs when:

• Wrong Banner ID: The ID in your shortcode doesn’t match any existing banner
• Deleted Banner: The banner was deleted but the shortcode remains
• Draft Status: The banner exists but isn’t published
• Database Issues: Rare database corruption or plugin conflicts

To fix: Check your banner list in Ad Banners admin, verify the correct ID, and ensure the banner is published.

Custom fonts are available in SkylarkAds Premium:

• Supported Formats: TTF, OTF, WOFF, and WOFF2 files
• Upload Process: Go to Media > Add New and upload your font files
• Font Selection: In banner settings, select your uploaded font from the font dropdown
• Web Optimization: The plugin automatically optimizes fonts for web delivery

Note: Custom font upload requires SkylarkAds Premium and a valid license.

Yes, developers can use PHP code:

• Basic Usage: <?php echo do_shortcode('[ad_banner id="123"]'); ?>
• Conditional Display: Wrap in conditions like if (function_exists('do_shortcode'))
• Dynamic IDs: Use variables for banner IDs: do_shortcode('[ad_banner id="' . $banner_id . '"]')
• Error Handling: Always check if the plugin is active before using functions

This method is useful for adding banners to headers, footers, or custom page templates.

To activate your Premium license:

• Install Premium Plugin: Upload and activate the SkylarkAds Premium plugin
• Go to License Settings: Navigate to Ad Banners > License Settings
• Enter License Key: Input your license key and API key
• Verify License: Click “Verify License” to activate premium features

You should see a success message and premium features will become available immediately.

Campaigns and banners serve different purposes:

• Individual Banners: Single advertisements that can be displayed independently
• Campaigns: Groups of banners with shared scheduling, rotation, and management
• Campaign Benefits: Centralized scheduling, banner rotation, performance tracking across multiple banners
• Use Cases: Use campaigns for seasonal promotions, A/B testing, or coordinated marketing efforts

You can use banners individually or organize them into campaigns for better management.

To change text orientation:

• Edit Banner: Go to your banner edit screen
• Find Text Orientation: Look for the “Text Orientation” dropdown in banner settings
• Choose Option: Select from horizontal, vertical-left-to-right, or vertical-right-to-left
• Preview Changes: Use the preview to see how your text will appear

Vertical text orientation is useful for narrow banner spaces or creative design layouts.

Yes, SkylarkAds automatically tracks banner performance:

• Automatic Tracking: Views and clicks are tracked automatically when banners are displayed
• View Statistics: Go to Ad Banners > Ad Banner Stats to see performance data
• Click-Through Rates: The plugin calculates CTR automatically
• Historical Data: Track performance trends over time

No additional setup is required – tracking starts as soon as you publish your banners.

Common image loading issues:

• File Size: Very large images may not load properly – try optimizing your images
• File Format: Ensure you’re using supported formats (JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP)
• Permissions: Check that your WordPress media folder has proper write permissions
• CDN Issues: If using a CDN, ensure images are properly synchronized
• Plugin Conflicts: Deactivate other plugins to check for conflicts

Try re-uploading the image or using a different image to isolate the issue.

To configure Matomo tracking:

• Get Matomo Details: You’ll need your Matomo URL and Site ID
• Go to Settings: Navigate to Ad Banners > Settings
• Enter Matomo Info: Input your Matomo URL and Site ID
• Save Settings: Click Save to activate Matomo tracking

Matomo provides privacy-focused analytics as an alternative to Google Analytics.

Yes, you can display the same banner in multiple locations:

• Multiple Shortcodes: Use the same shortcode [ad_banner id="123"] in different posts/pages
• Widgets: Add the same banner to multiple widget areas
• Template Files: Include the banner in different template files using PHP
• Gutenberg Blocks: Add the same banner block to multiple pages

Each display location will be tracked separately in your analytics.

SkylarkAds compatibility requirements:

• WordPress Version: WordPress 5.0 or higher recommended
• PHP Version: PHP 7.4 or higher required
• MySQL Version: MySQL 5.6 or higher
• Browser Support: Modern browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)

We recommend keeping WordPress and PHP updated to the latest versions for best performance and security.

To backup your SkylarkAds data:

• you must use the Premium Banner versionExport Banners: Use SkylarkAdsPlugin’s built-in export tool (SkylarkAds Premium > Import/Export
• Database Backup: Your hosting provider may offer database backup options

Regular backups ensure you don’t lose your banner configurations and analytics data.

To completely remove SkylarkAds:

• Deactivate Plugin: Go to Plugins and deactivate SkylarkAds
• Delete Plugin: Click “Delete” to remove plugin files
• Remove Shortcodes: Manually remove any [ad_banner] shortcodes from your content
• Clean Database: The plugin removes its data automatically, but you can use a cleanup plugin for thorough removal

Warning: This will permanently delete all your banners, campaigns, and analytics data. Make sure to backup first if you might want to restore later.