Google Adsense =Easy to compile fresh information and if incoming traffic becomes targeted then the publisher can find a fair few clicks filtering through without much effort. I still believe traffic from the SERPS does monetise well with Google Adsense. The difficulty here would be to try and make a living out of just Google Adsense alone. I reckon with a great paying niche you would need roughly 1000 daily uniques ($1x50clicks-5%CTR) and for ($0.10x500clicks-5%CTR) you would require 10,000 daily uniques. For the $0.01 earners, were talking 100,000 daily uniques - not gonna happen! Of course, a 5% CTR is being pretty generous. Affiliate Marketing =Requires a course of action that is difficult to obtain. Despite this, to equal that 50$ day, it could take just three Clickbank sales, or 15 or so general commissions. Against the 1000(1$)/10'000($0.10) required web visitors for Google Adsense, I reckon you would only need between 100 and 300 daily uniques looking at fairly targeted visits of course. Some people never make a bean with affiliate marketing, but if you are skilled at SEO, then you should be able to attract targeted buyers quite easily. With Adsense, people use SEO for high paying keywords, but with affiliate marketing, it can be easy to dominate such low competition queries which can be targeted. Sounds to me like affiliate marketing far outways the advantages of Google Adsense. I enjoy the personal relationship between merchants and like having a choice of who is being promoted. I do like and use both methods though. Do you think that affiliate marketing is the way to go? And do you think it doesn't have to be as challenging as people make out? I just wonder if people are chasing empty dreams with Google Adsense and could probably find a brighter pathway if they mastered SEO and found the perfect products to pitch. Any thoughts? Cheers.
@BluSmash12 - Yes this works. The main thing you need to consider with that approach is expiry of CPA offers but other than that it's a cool strategy. Dean
There's not many CPA networks here in the UK and not many people tend to buy into the whole Clickbank thing. Have always worked with the high street brand names and niche stores. I think it's definitely good to cover as many angles as possible. Still love mixing up Google Adsense, but just can't imagine having to have to rely on it alone.
Affiliates is where the real money is. With Adsense you are acting as the middleman and often can be advertising affiliates. It makes no sense to be getting cents per clicks when you can be making a nice commission, but it depends on the traffic.
Affiliate marketing works well on both sides. Merchants only pay out on action and the affiliates receive a healthy commission; many merchants offer a nice rate of 10% and even add performance bonuses on top. As you say with Google Adsense, it may be lining Google's pockets, but what is a publisher to think when he/she finds a crappy $0.01 click for their troubles?! They are very strict and pretty much command the boat. Even away from Adsense, most internet marketers have to rely on them (G) for traffic cos all the other search engines are crapola. I just wonder if Microsoft can offer something special with their new PubCentre? This could change things. We'll have to see. Cheers.
There are no good or bad answers. It all depends of website content, traffic, audience, visitors countries, targeted market, conversation rate, etc. You are the best person being able to determine this, but you need to test. I think there is a real problem if you have a limited advertising space on your website and you need to choose between two options. Otherwise, you can wisely integrate both options on the same pages. Many times, affiliate links on require a link in the text. If you can use both, it would even be better. Sometimes it is forbidden on the same page. If you have a significant amount of traffic, you can make some tests: 1 month affiliate and one month AdSense.
I use both. I view Affiliate marketing as the first priority in making money and earn a living online. Google Adsense earning as a secondary income, something extra.
I started pulling my adsense placements a couple days ago after I saw 2 clicks = $0.01 on the arcade side of my site. I had put the ads up for a month for testing as I read some good things. Hell, 2 gamefly converts pays more than I have earned in total from adsense and my ctr was not low. Not to mention ALL of the policies! God I hate policies. I do see other Big store fronts having Adsense. I imagine they get special treatment though. I know by Monday I will be adsense free.
My take on this is that it all depends on the traffic and how targeted your traffic is. and fro me i would incorporate them both into every web page so I got two choices. But only problem is they may not clik on the adsense and will neither buy from that affilite links Shellaine
Both methods have advantages and it all depends on niche. Usually affiliate marketer use adwords instead to drive traffic to their site.
it all depends on how you promote your website. adsense of affiliate. and the way you target customers and visitors to your website..
In my opinion, the choice really depends on the amount of effort and time, one is willing to invest. If one is fully dedicated and committed to this segment of business, then concentrating on AM works very well as it provides good revenue as well as growth. Regards, RightMan
Although I have become more favourable with affiliate programs these days, I still have to admit I love the simplicity of Adsense. I have always been interested in CPM advertising, whereby you don't have to gage clicks or commissions - get visits and you can make money. I think Adsense offers the best CPM advertising across the market.
I earn more on affiliates compare to adsense so i think you should prioritize affililates more compared to adsense.
Most of the webmasters here in dp are more successful with affiliate marketing rather than adsense, imo; Although I have both AM and adsense, I have more dollars flowing from adsense but the trend may be reversed in future.
It's always a personal decision about what is most effective on an individual blog. I think that certain types of information based sites can make more money through displaying adsense ads. But other types of sites appear to be more successful at affiliate promotions, especially product centered websites that follow a click bank based theme to them.