***NOTE: I originally posted most of this in a reply to another poster in this thread: http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=134395 *** But I figured I'd make another thread in case someone skimming missed it. Let me start by saying that I have not been in this game long. I've been lurking at DP since I found it in May and finally registered in June. Since then I have lurked and learned a LOT. I haven't posted much (in relation to how much I have read) because I am still so new that I don't feel that I have a huge amount to offer. However, I feel that I have done pretty well so far (for being a complete n00b) and I would like to share some of my thoughts on Google Adsense. It seems to me that some people are placing waaaay too much emphasis on Google Adsense alone. There are PLENTY of other revenue streams out there other than Google Adsense. In fact, Adsense has only comprised about 10% of what I have earned so far. I don't like to have all my eggs in one basket, so to speak. Look at it this way: You spend you time and energy making a site that you hope people will come to just to click away from on an Adsense ad. If people are return visitors, then they are going to ignore the Adsense ads even more because they are there for the content that you are providing. Essentially, you have to keep building more and more and more traffic, just to get those "first time visitors" to click on your Adsense ads because the return visitors most likely won't. That also means that you are gearing your site more towards new and one-time visitors instead of your loyal, target audience. It doesn't make sense to me. So I figured I would use other means as well. I got into this business to be my own boss, not be a slave to Google. I mean, I have nothing against Google but there are too many other revenue streams out there than to spend my life looking for the almighty perfect Adsense ad placement. So look up some good affiliates that jive with your content. Talk about them if they are relevant (and they should be). If people want it, then let them get it. Never ask or suggest. I just use lines like, "So I put up this new advert for this widget to see what demand would be for it. I have one like it so I wanted to see what my readers thing...blah blah blah" My personal ethics only allow me to do that with stuff I really do have or have experience with so I'm not lying. Actually, I'm doing nothing more than giving a review, as it were.I ask for lots of feedback too. Feedback gives you two things: it lets you know who your readers are and what they want and also makes them take "mental ownership" of their site. Think about how you feel about DP. Most of the regular posters here think of it kind of like "their hangout." Let your audience do the same for your site. Return visitors already trust your site, so they are going to be much more likely to trust your words and your reviews of products/services too. And then have the Adsense sprinkled in to monetize anyone else. Hell, I had a few sites that had just Adsense on them and they did crappy. I'd rather give them (or sell them) to someone else that can make more with them than for me to fret over them. Some people are Adsense Gods. I'm not. I don't like to analyze tons of CTRs and eCPMs and placement, etc. I just like to talk to my readers, because that's what I feel I am good at (hense the loooong post). In that respect, Adsense just ain't my gig, per se. Affiliates just work better for me. Of course, I'm not trying to steer anyone away from Adsense or anything. Hell, it's my personal goal to make 100K with Adsense alone in the next 12 months. Will I reach it? Probably not, but I'm damn sure going to try. And I'm not about to lose my hair over it, either. Shoemoney and many of the other ethical big boys around here have said it a million times - diversify, diversify, diversify. I see posts on this forum every day from people that have gotten banned from Adsense and it sounds like they are about to take a nose dive off a tall building. If I got banned, I'd be mad (mostly because I play by the rules) but I wouldn't just hang up my PC and go flip burgers. I'd just look for another revenue stream to fill the hole. Personally, the main reason I don't focus on Adsense is that the more web surfers get savvy, the more they consciously avoid anything that says, "Ads by Goooooooooogle." However, people like to shop - they don't like to be sold to. So if you let them shop on your site you have a winner. Just my thoughts. Hope this helps a few of you out. I have an afterthought for anyone that isn't located in the U.S. or knows a foregin language: You guys are sitting on a freaking GOLD MINE and you don't even know it. If I were to offer you one piece of advice, it would be to ditch English-speaking sites altogether (or for the most part) and concentrate on sites in your language. Seriously. By far, most webmasters seem to be English-speaking. Your expertise of your nationality can be your ticket to big-time income, I would imagine, because even if an American (or Australian or Brit) learned the language, he/she wouldn't know the ins and outs of the culture enough to identify with the audience. Just my thoughts (again).
This is true and i have been doing this for the last one year I am orignally from India and live in UK and i guess my english is as good as any other british webmaster but i thought of taking some advantage of being from India and targeted Indian traffic instead and its been working very well so far although the per click revenue is not as great as what a click from north america or UK would get you but the main advantage for me for targeting Indian traffic is that i actually get traffic thick and fast and my sites which targed Indian traffic get 15-20 times more traffic and hence more clicks on ads and it compensates the less per click revenue big time. Hint hint nudge Broad band revolution >>>> India The internet penetration in India is shooting like a mad rocket
@sd2001: Another thing to consider is to mix up Adsense ads with ads from a CPM network like ValueClick. As you've mentioned, regular visitors become ad-blind over time and no amount of optimisation would induce more clicks. With CPM ads, you are using the good traffic that you get to good effect. You still get your Adsense clicks here and there, plus you are now also making a little via page impressions. I'm testing out ValueClick now and it's a nice little side earner. For me, even though it's not as much as Adsense clicks or a TextLinkAd link, it's satisfying so far. Sometimes I could have days when I would have no clicks but my regular visitors are still generating CPM income for me.
The only "research" that went into it is my own sweat, trial, and error. However, it's all just my opinion, so take it or leave it as you may. I'm just sharing what works for me. If Tyler thinks that it's false, then so be it.
And I said in my original post that I don't care to dig into volumes of CTRs and eCPMs, etc. I want what is best for my readers. Obviously, that makes me a minority in some respects but it pays off well (for me, at least) and I expect a portion of flack. Yours included.
this is the best thread i've read since i've been here, thanks for your words,may i ask what your sites URL is?.. also what other adsense "type" companys would YOU your self recommend?? Smiry Kin's
Hey Man , Thanx for sharing, I liked the fact that you actually posted alot of words that made sense, I agree with this alot as well. Yes , there are the big boys that make huge dollars with adsense, just like there are lottery winners, not sayin that the big boys didnt earn there money , but what I am saying is what you said , not everyone is going to make 25k a month. I am also a firm believer of not throwing ads in the visitors face, sure I use banners(fastclick and such) but when you get or see a result for my site in google and actually open my page you can also see the content, not 2 HUGE 336 X 300 adsense ads top on of one another, and then finally scrolling down for a half and hour, to find three lines of useless information. So once again thanx for taking the time to post , There will be people here that say " yea, dude this sucked" , but alot of them are the same ones that post " pm sent to you " or " submitted mine -thanx". So keep on posting brother man, for the few people that are above this level and know all this stuff already , hey thats great. But there are so many others that will use this advice wisley Cheers
Sorry, but I keep my URLs to myself. Check out Commission Junction and Azoogleads. Be sure you keep to the niche of your site.
Could you PM me the URL? if you take that much care and dedication in your site, i want to check it out!! i already use cj, but problem is you dont get paid for clicks its hard to find something people will actually buy since 50% of the people on the net get everything free via WAREZ.
Thanks for sharing. As some people have said before, yeah a lot of this stuff probably has been posted before but a newb to DP wouldnt know to look for it or how to find it if he/she looked. Therefore I think it's important to raise it back up. Adsense isn't the only revenue source and isn't even the most lucrative. Of course, some posters are so stuck in their ways that nothing out of their line of thinking is "right" and so it must be "wrong" but screw them. I do what makes me the most money and allows me to sleep at night (meaning WH sites). As long as I know I'm providing a service to my readers and my bank account at the same time, screw what other webmasters think. Until they pay my bills, they can suck a lemon.