Install & set up the PubExa plugin

What PubExa does

PubExa shows a slim ad tab on mobile that slides in as the reader scrolls, in the space they have already passed — so it earns attention without taking over the screen. On desktop you place ads with a shortcode or let the plugin place them automatically. You can run your own ads, ads served from the PubExa ad-server, or a mix of both.

Before you start

• A WordPress site where you can install plugins (administrator access).
• Optional, only if you want server ads: a PubExa Site ID (see Connecting to the ad-server).

Installing the plugin

1. In your WordPress admin, go to Plugins → Add New.
2. In the search box, type PubExa.
3. On the PubExa card, click Install Now, then Activate.
4. A new PubExa menu appears in the sidebar. Open it to reach the dashboard.

The dashboard has five areas: General (connection), Mobile (the tab and ad source), Desktop, Local Ads (the ads you create yourself), and Analytics (your views and clicks).

Connecting to the ad-server

This step is only needed if you want external ads served from the PubExa ad-server and to earn money from your website traffic. If you only want to run your own ads, you can skip it.

1. Open the PubExa → General tab.
2. In the Connectivity section, paste your Site ID into the field.
3. Save. The Connection status will show Connected.

Choosing your ad source

In PubExa → Mobile → Ad Source, pick how the tab is filled:

• Local only — show only the ads you create in the Local Ads tab. No connection needed.
• Remote only — show only ads served from the PubExa ad-server. Requires a Site ID.
• Hybrid — alternate between your own ads and server ads: one of yours, then one from the server, and so on, until your ads run out.
• Preview — show sample ads, useful for testing the look, colors and animation.

Creating your own ads

On your WordPress site, open the PubExa plugin dashboard → Local Ads and add an ad. Each ad can be one of two kinds:

Text ad

A title, up to two short lines, and a link. Good if you want to advertise your own product or service, or to direct your visitors to an important article on your site, or affiliate links you want to promote.

Image banner

Choose Image banner, upload or pick an image, and add the destination link. The recommended size is 320 × 100, the standard mobile size, so it fits the tab cleanly. JPG, PNG, GIF and WEBP are supported.

Reordering ads

In the Local Ads list, drag any row up or down by the grip handle next to its number. The order you set is the order the tabs rotate through. New ads are added to the end.

Mobile tab settings

In the Mobile tab you can shape how the ad tab looks and behaves:

• Tab height and background opacity.
• Animation — how the tab slides in (and an optional bottom tab).
• Colors — to match your site.
• Scroll distance — how far the reader scrolls before the tab appears.

Hiding ads on the homepage

If you would rather keep the homepage clean, turn on Do not display on the homepage in the Mobile tab. It applies on the front page and the blog home, whatever ad source you are using.

Desktop ads

The slide-in tab is for mobile. On desktop, place ads where you want them with the PubExa shortcode, or enable automatic placement in the Desktop tab. Desktop ads can use the larger standard ad sizes, and any desktop ad you set up will also appear on mobile, woven into your content alongside the tab.

Still need help?

If something is not working or you have a question, reach us through the contact page and we will get back to you. Have an idea to make PubExa better? We would love to hear it on the same page.