Google’s advertising platform for publishers, Google AdSense, can be both rewarding and inexplicably frustrating. Most bloggers who start using AdSense are put off just after a couple of months because they are not making the money they were dreaming of. Surely, getting paid pennies for clicks that rarely come can be a downer but I am here to tell you it’s not the end of the world. Every day thousands of people are making a killing on AdSense, and with a little optimization you can improve your earnings too.
1. It’s All About the Keywords
With Google AdSense, choosing the right keywords can make or break you. When writing blog content, you want to ensure that you are targeting keywords with the highest CPC (cost per click). There are plenty of tools online that will help you find keywords that are great ways to make money. One of the best tools is Google’s own Keyword Planner found in Google AdWords. This little tool will give you an estimate of how much advertisers are paying for certain keywords.
Targeting specific keywords will help you influence the type of ads that are shown to your visitors, making them more likely to click the ad. However, be careful to not over-stuff your content with keywords; Google can and will penalize your website.
Choosing the right keywords is what Google AdSense is all about.
2. Optimize the Size and Position of Ads
When running your own blog, you will have the option to customize where you position your advertisements. Experimenting with positions will ensure that you are getting the best click through rate.
AdSense advertisements come in a variety of sizes, making it easy to optimize your earnings. Running split tests on your site can help you decide what sizes of ads make you the most money.
We recommend starting out with the rectangular 336X280 ads. The ads in this format can play video advertisements which are often proven to convert more visitors.
3. Do Not Spam the Ads
Everybody has been to a site so congested with advertisements that it was un-readable. Do not make the same mistake. It is good practice to maintain a nice ratio between content and advertisements on your site. The last thing you want to do is make your visitors leave by bombarding them with pop-ups.
The logic behind having a ton of ads is that visitors are more likely to click on one of your ads. However, it is often not the case. Many visitors become irritated, they just either leave or read the content, then leave at first chance.
Inserting a few of your ads in strategic locations throughout your content can be more beneficial to your click through ratio.
4. Keep Publishing New Content
New content is what keeps your old visitors coming back and it is also what attracts new visitors. Whether you update your blog three times a day or three times a week, it is important to be consistent in publishing new content. Not only does it give your page more opportunities to display ads, it also establishes authority with Google and helps you rank for more keywords, which means more visitors for you.
5. Start and Grow Your Email List
Email lists such as newsletter can be a goldmine for publishers. They help you retain readers thus increasing the average value that each visitor brings to your site. Starting an email list is easy, and often can be done for free. Many blogs send out a weekly newsletter to their subscribers with links to content they have posted throughout the week. It is a great way to instantly boost traffic.
Vladislav Vagner
