Thanks for your interest in advertising on Fringe Guru.  To make it as easy as possible to get your ad ready, this page describes in detail all our requirements on your artwork.  That sounds very fancy, but you don't have to be the next Picasso - "artwork" is just the technical term for the image which makes up your ad.

We're expecting that you'll prepare your own artwork, using a graphics program like Paint Shop Pro or (if you're a more advanced designer) Adobe Illustrator.  But if you need us to, we can prepare artwork for you, based on a photograph and message from you.  There's a £20 fee for this service.  If you'd like to take us up on that, just write to us at ads@fringeguru.com.

About the two ad slots

As you'll see if you look around this page, there are two different "slots" for advertising, which require artwork with different shapes and sizes.  We know that producing artwork is a real hassle for a lot of people, so we've carefully designed our slots to make the best use of anything you already have to hand.

At the top of this page, you'll see the banner slot.  The great thing about this placement is that it's right at the top of the page.  The downside is that your ad needs to be exactly the right size - there's absolutely no flexibility here.

If you want your ad to go in the banner slot, it must be precisely 468 x 60 pixels.  This is a "standard" online ad size, so you may already have an image which fits the bill.  For example, if you've placed a banner ad with the Edinburgh Fringe, Broadway Baby or FringeReview, it's the right size for us too.

Over on the left, you'll see the sidebar slot.  This ad's also visible as soon as you load the page - without having to scroll down - and many people think a boxy ad is easier to design than a banner.

Our recommended size for this placement is 180 x 180 pixels.  We can also accept 160 x 160 (as used by the Edinburgh Fringe and Broadway Baby), 176 x 176 (as used by FringeReview), or 180 x 150 (a standard size called "Rectangle").  We may well be able to accommodate other sizes too, so ask us if you already have artwork which might fit the bill.

What else should you know?

Whichever size you go for, you'll need to send it to us in PNG, JPG or GIF format.  We recommend using GIF format only if you're sending an animated GIF (more on this below). 

If you're not sure what to choose, go for PNG.  If you absolutely have to save your artwork as a JPG, always choose the highest-quality option your software gives you - saving your ad as a low-quality JPG might cause problems such as blurry text or distracting ripples.

We're sorry, but unless you've paid us to design your ad, we can't resize or otherwise change your artwork and we'll send back anything which don't meet these requirements.  It's not that we want to be unhelpful - it's just that, like you, we're very busy at this time of year.  If we included any design work in the price then we'd have to charge everyone, whether they needed our help or not.

Are there any rules?

In common with most publishers, we reserve the right to ask for changes to your artwork.  We'll check each ad individually, and we'll get in touch with you if we have any concerns.  But as guidance, here are a few of the points we'll be bearing in mind.

• Bad language.  Sorry, but we don't accept ads containing strong language.  If you have a naughty word in your show title, it's normally OK if you star part of it out.
• Sexual content.  We try to keep our website safe for children.  We may accept artwork which is discreetly suggestive, but we don't want anyone learning the facts of life from your ad.
• Shocking or revolting imagery.  We understand that many shows deal with challenging topics, and that challenging artwork may be justified.  At the same time, for simple commercial reasons, we can't accept images we feel will put people off from visiting Fringe Guru.
• Distracting animations.  We accept animated GIFs as a way of including more information (for example, ads which cycle between your venue and your performance dates).  But we don't accept animations which we think will detract from the experience of using our site.

If you think you may come close to any of these boundaries, there are two things you can do.  One option is just to go ahead and submit your ad; either we'll accept it, or we'll write back explaining the problem.  Or, if you'd prefer to get an answer before you put the effort into designing your advert, you can contact us at ads@fringeguru.com.

We will be checking your ad only against our own policies.  It remains your responsibility to ensure it is legal.  For example, it's up to you to make sure you have copyright clearance for any images you're using, and it's up to you to ensure all the statements you make are truthful.

What next?

If you haven't already, you can read our overview of advertising on Fringe Guru.

Then, just drop us an email and we'll take it from there.  You can reach us at ads@fringeguru.com... or if you'd rather call us, we're on 0131 20 80 403.

Best of luck for your run at the Edinburgh Fringe!