Publisher documentation

Install the Founders Today widget on your site.

This guide takes you from approval to a verified, revenue-ready placement. You will learn where to get your publisher ID, how to add the two-line embed, how to choose a useful placement, and how to confirm impressions are being recorded.

What the widget does

The Founders Today Publisher Widget is a lightweight product discovery module for websites with an audience interested in startups, SaaS, AI, productivity, and technology. It displays curated products and gives readers a direct path to discover them.

Two-line installation

Load our asynchronous script once, then place a widget tag wherever you want a product recommendation to appear.

Responsive by default

The widget is designed to fit the width of its container and work across desktop, tablet, and mobile layouts.

Qualified tracking

Our system validates widget impressions so your reporting is based on legitimate reader activity rather than raw page loads.

Publisher support

Use the publisher program page and contact support when you need account, placement, or reporting help.

Important: apply before installing

The widget requires an approved publisher account and a publisher ID. If you have not applied yet, start on the Publisher Program page. Do not use the example ID from this guide on a live site.

Before you start

Have these items ready before opening your site editor or content management system.

An approved Founders Today publisher account.
Your unique publisher ID, supplied after approval.
Access to the HTML, template, or page builder for the site where the widget will appear.
A page with original content and an audience that will find startup product recommendations useful.
A clear placement decision, such as after an article or in a sidebar.

Keep your publisher ID private enough to stay organized

The ID is designed to appear in the widget markup and is not a password. Still, use only the ID assigned to your account and contact support if you suspect it has been copied or used on an unauthorized site.

Install the widget

The standard installation has two parts: load the widget script once, then add one or more widget elements. The script can be placed in the page head or just before the closing body tag.

Replace the example partner ID

In the code below, replace pub_123456 with the publisher ID from your approval email or publisher account.

Load the script once

Paste the script tag once on the page or in your shared site template. The async attribute lets the page continue loading while the widget script is fetched.

Choose a placement

Place the widget element inside the content area where the recommendation should appear. Give its parent container enough width to remain useful on mobile.

Publish and test the live page

Test the published URL, not only the editor preview. Check the widget on a desktop and a narrow mobile viewport before promoting the placement.

basic embed.html

<script async src="https://api.founderstoday.org/widget.js"></script>
<ft-widget partner="pub_123456" theme="light" count="3"></ft-widget>

Load the script only once per page

If you have multiple widget placements on the same page, keep one script tag and add additional <ft-widget> elements. Repeating the script can create duplicate initialization and makes troubleshooting harder.

Installation in common site builders

Custom HTML or code block: paste the widget element where you want it to appear, and add the script in the global head or footer area if your builder provides one.
CMS theme or template: add the script to the shared template and the widget element to the article, post, or sidebar template.
React, Vue, or another component-based site: render the widget element in the desired content section and include the external script through your document head or site-wide HTML settings.
Newsletter platform: use the newsletter partner option instead. Most email clients block JavaScript, so do not paste the website widget into an email unless your approved instructions explicitly support it.

Configure the widget

These attributes control the account, visual treatment, and number of products shown in the placement.

Attribute	Example	What it controls
partner	pub_123456	Your publisher account. Required for attribution and reporting. Replace the example value with your assigned ID.
theme	light	The widget visual theme. Use the value supplied in your publisher setup instructions; the standard embed uses `light`.
count	3	The number of products requested in the placement. Start with three so the widget remains easy to scan, then adjust only if the placement has enough space.

Choosing a product count

More products are not always better. A compact recommendation near the end of an article usually works best with three products. If you use a wider module, follow the layout and count guidance provided with your publisher account rather than adding many repeated placements.

Using more than one placement

You may place more than one widget on a page when each placement serves a clear purpose. Use the same publisher ID for all placements and do not reload the script.

multiple placements.html

<script async src="https://api.founderstoday.org/widget.js"></script>

<ft-widget partner="pub_123456" theme="light" count="3"></ft-widget>

<!-- Add another placement only when it improves the page -->
<ft-widget partner="pub_123456" theme="light" count="3"></ft-widget>

Do not alter the widget element name

Keep the custom element spelled exactly as ft-widget. Changing it to a regular div or adding a different prefix prevents the widget from being initialized.

Placement and performance

A useful placement feels like part of the reading experience, not an interruption. The best location depends on your page type and audience intent.

Avoid

Placing it before the main content, between every paragraph, inside a button area, or where it makes the primary action difficult to find.

Keep the page fast

Keep async on the script tag and load it once.
Do not copy the script into every card or list item.
Use a stable container width and avoid repeatedly mounting and unmounting the widget as the reader scrolls.
Test the page with your normal analytics, consent, caching, and content security settings enabled.

Mobile behavior

The widget is intended to sit inside a responsive content area. Do not set a fixed width that exceeds the viewport. On narrow screens, verify that the product name, description, and actions remain readable without horizontal scrolling.

Verify your setup

Use this checklist after publishing the page. Testing from the live URL catches issues that can be hidden by a page builder preview.

The widget appears in the intended position and shows product content.
The layout works at desktop and mobile widths without covering or pushing away important page content.
The page source or rendered markup contains your real publisher ID, not pub_123456.
The browser is allowed to load api.founderstoday.org/widget.js.
Your page does not load the script more than once.
You can see the placement in your publisher reporting after normal processing time.

A page view is not automatically a qualified impression

Reporting uses validation to maintain trustworthy publisher metrics. Avoid refreshing repeatedly, opening the page in automated tabs, or asking readers to click or reload solely to increase earnings. Artificial activity can be excluded from reporting and may affect your publisher standing.

Troubleshooting

Start with the item that matches what you see on the live page.

Nothing appearsConfirm the script is present, loaded once, and placed before the widget element. Check that the publisher ID is not empty and that the page is using the published version.

The example stays visibleReplace pub_123456 with your assigned ID. The example value is only for documentation and should never be used on a live site.

The widget is cut offRemove fixed widths from the parent container, check for overflow rules, and test the narrowest mobile breakpoint. The widget needs a responsive content area.

The style does not matchConfirm the theme attribute is spelled correctly and uses the value supplied for your account. Also check whether your site or consent layer is overriding embedded content styles.

Products do not loadOpen the live URL in a private browser window, check for blocked third-party scripts, and verify that your content security policy allows the widget asset domain.

Metrics are lower than page viewsThis is expected. Publisher reporting uses qualified impressions and filters invalid or suspicious activity; raw analytics page views are not the same measurement.

There are duplicate widgetsSearch the page template for repeated script tags or repeated widget elements. Keep one script and remove any placement that is not intentional.

Still blocked? Send the right details

Contact support with the live page URL, your publisher ID, the site builder or framework you use, the browser and device where the problem occurs, and a screenshot of the placement. Do not send passwords or private account credentials.

Ready to become a publisher?

Apply to the Publisher Program or review the partnership details before you install.

Open publisher program

Need personal help?

Our contact page is the right place for account, approval, and widget support questions.

Contact support