Untold AdSense Facts

Due to all the AdSense buzz generated by the media lately, I felt it only fitting to write a small e-book that addresses many questions I receive about AdSense.
Yes, the concept of the program is super simple, but making a lot of money takes time and work.
Right-click here and download my free e-book Untold AdSense Facts to learn what separates those who make money from the program and those who don’t.
Warning: This book does not contain any secrets, hype or unrealistic info. It’s a great reality check for those just starting with AdSense or those who can’t seem to make much money from the program.

Finally! AdSense Ads for Feedburner

If you login to your AdSense account and try to create a new ad unit, you may notice a new link titled “AdSense for Feeds”.
Yup, you guessed it. Now you can display AdSense ads right inside your Feedburner feed.
You probably knew this was coming because there were rumors about Google testing this out on certain accounts.
Well, now it’s available to all AdSense account owners.
Before you can activate this long-awaited feature, you need to migrate your Feedburner account over to Google by simply emailing adsense-support-aff@google.com the following details…
1) Your Feedburner username
2) The email address you used to sign up for AdSense
After this, Google will follow up with migration instructions (I’m still waiting on my e-mail.)
Once activated, you’ll be able to choose your ad type (text or image), frequency, post length and position of the ads.
This is pretty exciting. It’s always great to have additional ways to monetize existing content.
Happy feeding!

My Top 7 Money Making Programs

I’ve noticed from reading other blogs, readers seem to enjoy learning how other sites make money. So I’ve developed a “Top 7″ list of my top income generators based on nothing more than monthly income earned.
Note: This list is from all my sites combined.
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1. Domain and Web Hosting Reselling
This program is a great example of why you should look for affiliate or reseller programs in your niche that pay residual commissions.
If my site got wiped out today, I would still be able to live off the residual income I’ve generated since joining this program in 2002. If you have a site that targets Webmasters, reselling domains and web hosting is a great way to build a long-term income that continues to grow and grow.
As a reseller, you receive your own customizable website that allows you to set your prices and determine your profit. The parent company handles all the customer and technical support, so all you do is promote your own reseller store.
It would be hard for any other affiliate program to bump this from the #1 spot.
2. SiteSell
I’ve been receiving checks from SiteSell’s affiliate program since 1999, but nothing like the ones I started getting when I bought Site Build It! and displayed my own success story.
(See the post about my February 2008 check)
This was my biggest lesson in the importance of knowing and actually using products you refer from your site.
SiteSell’s affiliate program pays a generous $75 per Site Build It! sale, plus residuals on all yearly renewals. I really wish more affiliate programs would put the same amount of time and energy SiteSell does into helping affiliates.
I’ve never known another company to offer so many tools to help their affiliates make sales. From videos with your affiliate links embedded in them to over 60 audience-relevant landing pages, this program has it all.
3. Affiliate Networks (CJ.com, ShareASale.com, etc.)
I promote a variety of products that I find on some of the larger affiliate networks. From web software, web hosting, HTML editors, to anything I can find that’s useful and related to my audience.
Belonging to an affiliate network has its advantages…
1) If you’re looking for a specific product to promote, you can do a search to see if there are any relevant affiliate programs that offer the product.
2) You can join multiple programs with a few mouse clicks.
3) All of your earnings are tracked in one place, so you have one-stop reporting instead of multiple affiliate account logins.
The downside is that many companies who run their affiliate programs through large networks tend to have sub-par customer support.
There have been many occasions where I’ve sent an email to a company I’m affiliated with through CJ and never received a response. Companies that run their own in-house affiliate programs seem to have better customer support over all.
Nevertheless, large affiliate networks are definitely worth exploring, particularly if you’re looking for a specific product to promote on your site or blog.
4. AdSense
I hate using the term “easy money”, but if you have enough traffic, AdSense has got to be one of the easiest ways to generate an income from your site or blog.
AdSense performs much better on my sites not targeted to Webmasters and Bloggers - which is a big reason why you don’t see AdSense on this blog.
Bloggers and Webmasters tend to be immune to Google ads so they ignore them. However on my fitness site, my click-thru ratio has been as high as 8 or 9%.
My main site, 2CreateAWebSite.com, does OK with AdSense because it gets enough traffic to make displaying the ads worthwhile.
5. ClickBank
With ClickBank, you really have to feel it out and see what works for you. Even though it’s on my Top 7 list, I must admit there is a lot of garbage on ClickBank.
Many of the eBooks you can sell are a bunch of recycled facts you can find anywhere on the web.
They are usually promoted by an over-hyped landing page with a loud sales pitch that promises you to either get rich quick, lose weight tomorrow, or get out of debt in seconds.
However, if you really comb through the ClickBank marketplace, you can find some winners. I was able to find a few good digital products to promote that convert well on my sites.
The great thing about ClickBank is that the commissions are extremely high since product development and delivery costs are low. You could earn up to $75 on certain products in their marketplace.
6. AdBrite
Many people use AdBrite’s cost per click program (similar to AdSense). However, I use them to manage my own flat-rate ads.
I have various advertising spots on 2CreateAWebSite.com where I charge a flat fee for the week, month, etc. and AdBrite manages the payments, ad rotation, etc.
If you’re looking to offer advertising on your site, but don’t want to deal with collecting the payments and setting up an ad rotation script, you may want to check into AdBrite.
They still have some kinks to work out (support response time, ad rotation options, better targeting for network ads, etc.) but they are getting better with time.
7. Amazon.com
With its extremely low commission payout, it’s amazing this even made it to number 7.
Even though Amazon only pays 3-4% on most products, it’s still not a bad program to belong to because they sell almost every product known to man.
They also have widgets you can place on your pages that will display a small selection of products that match the theme of your site.
Let’s say you have a site on stress relief, you can add an Amazon widget that will display 3-4 books on stress relief with links directly to the product pages.
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I didn’t create this list so you’ll join all seven programs here. Many of these programs perform well on my sites because of my traffic and theme. Of course, you’ll have to discover what works best for your audience.
I encourage you to diversify your income streams as much as you can. If you are only earning from AdSense, join some of the larger networks (CJ, ShareASale, etc.) to look for other relevant products.
Take a peek at AssociatePrograms.com. Allan has a nice directory of affiliate programs organized by subject.
And finally, don’t discount lower paying programs like Amazon.com. Even at .50 cents per sale, if you can sell large volumes, that money can add up over time.
The large product selection and brand recognition is what keeps Amazon.com on the list of good affiliate programs to join

Why Most Fail With AdSense

I call it the “Hodgepodge Theory.” And if this applies to your site, it may be a big reason why you aren’t seeing your AdSense earnings increase.
Watch the video below to learn more about why I believe many people struggle with building their AdSense revenue

AdSense Member Earns $120,000

One of my Website Babble forum members posted a link to an article from USA Today about a retired gentleman who earns $120,000 in Google ads in one year.
I wasn’t as amazed by his story as I was the skeptical responses to the article. Then again, people are often skeptical when they hear stories about people making extreme amounts of money online.
Especially when they’ve tried it and haven’t had much success themselves.
No one is saying it’s easy, but it is doable. One guy even replied and said that you had to have millions of hits to your website just to make $1,000/month with Google ads.
I wish I could tell this skeptic that he’s dead wrong.
Either he’s been burned by other programs in the past or has tried the “Google AdSense thing” and hasn’t had success, so he assumes no one else can.
It really is a shame that there are so many scams out here that it is difficult for people to believe some of these programs are legit and do work.
I’m not making $120,000 in Google ads, but I’m doing quite well and I sure as heck don’t have a million visitors in a month.
If you want success with AdSense, the formula is super simple. Notice I said the formula is simple, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be rich in 2 days.
You do have to understand that it takes time and it’s about building a useful site, understanding the basis of Internet Marketing and having some patience.
Now, if patience and hard work is not your thing, then maybe Google AdSense isn’t for you. But if you…
1) Set realistic goals
2) Build a site on something you enjoy
3) Be prepared to L-E-A-R-N
4) Understand you may fail once or twice before you succeed…
You really can make a lot of money with the program.
The bottom line is, most of these AdSense success stories you read about are true. And my response to the person who said, “…if this is true then why doesn’t everyone do it” would be…
Everyone doesn’t want to put in the work required to become successful with AdSense. They are often wowed by the earning potential, but when they suddenly realize it does take work, they quit.
My hat goes off to the senior earning $120,000. And I’m sure he could care less that some don’t believe his story… especially when he’s headed to the bank with a fat check courtesy of Google.

Beware of AdSense Overload!

As the AdSense popularity grows among Webmasters, it’s hard to find a site without at least one AdSense unit displayed.
And in my opinion, many Webmasters overdo it.Because you want to get as many clicks as possible, it can be very tempting to lace your page header with multiple AdSense ads. After all, the more ads, the money you’ll make right?
Not necessarily…
… especially if your site is in a niche that targets Webmasters or other Internet savvy groups. These audiences are often immune to Internet ads in general and are twice as likely to ignore them.
So instead of AdSense becoming an additional revenue stream, it becomes a sign that may suggest you’re more interested in getting clicks than giving useful content.
Too Many Ads Looks Amateur-Ish
Arial of attackdepression.com told me she immediately thinks “amateur” when she comes across a site where the Google ads take up more real estate than the actual content.
And she really hates the sites where you have to scroll down just to see the first line of real content because the AdSense ads are in the way.
I have to agree. First impressions are everything. And if your visitors first impression of your site is “too many ads and not enough info”, you’ve immediately lost some interest, credibility and perhaps a repeat visitor.
Your visitors shouldn’t have to dig through your ads to find your content.
Maximize But Don’t Overdo It
Don’t get me wrong. I think you should maximize your AdSense revenue potential by using multiple AdSense units - that’s why Google allows up to three.
Just make sure they don’t overpower your site’s layout and you have good content to supplement the ads.
Remember, it’s your content relevance and site usability that keeps people interested and encourages them to return - not your advertisements.
So rather than being so eager to show off your AdSense ads with the contrasting bright yellow background, why not show them why your site is worthy of a bookmark and a return visit. There’s no better way to do that than through useful info and site usablity.
AdSense Awareness
These days Web surfers are much more ad conscious than they were years ago. And with the media stories that have flooded newspapers and news programs, it’s getting harder to find people who don’t know a little something about “making money with Google ads.”
In other words, people are much more aware, and it’s getting easier for the average surfer to spot a greedy Webmaster.
A few years ago, more people would click ads out of curiosity or confusion. These days the only click many surfers are making is the “Back” button because they know exactly what this Webmaster is up to.
It’s all about balance. There’s nothing wrong with using 3 AdSense units on a page. And there’s certainly nothing wrong with having them highly visible to increase the chances of a click thru.
But if your ads overpower your content, and it becomes obvious you’re only out to make a fast buck, is it really worth the loss of credibility and a potential repeat visitor?
AdSense should supplement your content, not BE your content.
It doesn’t matter how you slice it. Content has and will always rule. And I’d much rather sacrifice a few clicks with the hopes they will find my site useful and want to return again.
And should they happen to click an ad in the process of browsing my site, that’s an added bonus!
And who knows, maybe on their next visit they’ll make a purchase that is worth a whole lot more to me in commissions than 8 cents from an AdSense ad click.
AdSense is a wonderful, lucrative program. But don’t let the dollar signs overshadow what it really takes to make a site succeed for the long haul.

AdBrite - A Good AdSense Alternative?

Some people wanted to know if it’s legal to use with AdSense. Others were curious if it pays well.
First of all, yes, it’s OK to use AdBrite in conjunction with AdSense. It does not violate Google’s Terms of Service if you want to use both programs on your site or blog.
As far as earning potential goes, you’ll get the same answer as you would for any contextual advertising system. A lot will depend on your traffic, niche, and ad targeting.
A Few Kinks
Unlike Google, AdBrite has got lots of work to do in the targeting department.
In fact, the network ads were so unrelated I had to turn off the “auto approve” feature because I had ads for cars and jewelry showing up on my site about web development. Yikes!
I guess AdBrite must realize this is a problem because they give you the option to approve the ads before they show up on your site.
This can be a pain because it requires you to login to your account and manually review each new ad. However, if showing targeted ads on your site is a priority (and it should be), then this step is a must.
As I mentioned in my last post, I didn’t join AdBrite for their CPC (cost per click) program. I personally think AdSense is the best program for that.
I use AdBrite to sell ad space to 3rd parties. So the only time the network (CPC) ads appear on my pages is when I have not sold all my flat rate ad spaces.
Their 3rd party ad management is pretty good. You have complete control over how your customer’s ads will appear. You can change the font style, text size, etc. and choose either a horizontal or vertical layout.
Is AdBrite Worth It?
That’s one of those things you’ll have to test for yourself. I certainly like them better than programs like Kontera where they underline your text and display the ad when the person hovers over the hyperlink.
I don’t know why, but I find those kinds of ads to be terribly annoying and distracting. Yet, others may say the same thing about AdSense, AdBrite and the likes. So, to each their own, right?
Even though AdBrite’s targeting needs work, they’ve certainly gotten better over the past six months. And the good thing is, it’s not going to cost you a thing to try them out.
For me, they are worth it because I like having a 3rd party manage my flat-rate ads. So if you’re looking to sell ad space from your site, you may want to look into AdBrite.
And if you’re searching for a new monetization option or perhaps you’ve been booted from AdSense and you’re looking for other CPC programs — give AdBrite a try to see how it works with your site or blog.
In my opinion, it doesn’t hold a candle to AdSense in terms of earnings for CPC, but depending on your niche, you may find that certain ads perform very well on your site

AdSense: Are You Earning Your Max?

Mel Ann and Tim of the Australian AdSense team put together a nice video (below) to help you optimize your AdSense earnings.
While some of the information in the video is common knowledge to most publishers, there are also some very useful tips.
Create Channels
Pay close attention to the part about creating channels so you can track and compare different ad units.
Most people don’t do this. They just create different sized ad units and slap them all over their pages, then focus on their overall earnings without tracking the results of each unit.
However, when you learn which ad units perform the best, you can maximize your earnings from the program.
Blend, Blend, Blend
I was also glad they pointed out that blending the ad background with your site’s background has proven to generate higher click-thru rates.
Many people still think it’s best to make the ads stand out by using outlandish or contrasting backgrounds. Mel Ann and Tim explain that it’s best to make the ads look as if they are part of your content.

Google Gets Strict and Frustrates Bloggers

If you are already an AdSense member, you may not know that Google recently tightened up their acceptance policies for their popular AdSense program.
Gone are the days where you can throw up a quick Blogger blog today and get accepted into the AdSense program by tomorrow.
According to their policies, you must adhere to the following guidelines…
1) Your website must sit on a top-level domain (yoursite.com not yoursite.host.com).
2) Your domain must be active for at least 6 months
3) Your AdSense application info must match your domain records
Due to the fact I am already a member, I was not aware of some of these policies until I began getting more emails from people who were getting rejected because their site didn’t adhere to one or more of the guidelines.
One blogger was quite upset, saying he believed his Blogger blog had very well written content that was unique. Another lady complained that the guidelines were just too strict and should be relaxed.
Take note that both of these blogs were created with the free Blogger service and neither had their own domain name to redirect to their blogs.
Here’s My Take…
If you want to make money online, understand that you are setting up a business. Businesses require investments and work. If you are not prepared to fork over $3-$10/month for hosting then maybe this is not for you right now.
I personally don’t think the criteria is overly strict, and it will eliminate many of the low-quality sites throughout the network. If you ask me, this is long overdue.
What people need to understand is that Google must protect their advertisers — the lifeblood of their business. And because Google started out with such a relaxed acceptance policy, things got out of hand.
Worthless blogs and websites with plagiarized content were going up left and right. Numerous people tried to cheat the system by inviting friends to click their ads or using other computers to click their own ads.
Instead of treating AdSense as a monetization model for their business, people behaved as if this was some way to get-rich quickly with Google ads.
What Publishers Should Know
If you’re an AdSense publisher, understand that being a member is a privilege, not a right. Some webmasters seem to feel they are entitled to get paid by Google because they have a website, but as I stated earlier, Google’s top priority is the AdWords advertisers.
We the publishers are helping Google advertise and Google is paying us a percentage of what they earn. If the advertisers complain about the quality of the sites or click fraud, then it’s in Google’s best interest to rectify the situation.
Now of course, the AdWords advertisers can choose NOT to display their ads on the publisher websites, but that’s not the point. Publishers need to respect and understand how the AdWords and AdSense relationship works.
I applaud Google for their policies. If you think about it, everyone wins in the end. If the overall quality of the publisher sites improve, more AdWords advertisers may opt in to display their ads on our sites, thus giving us publishers the opportunity to earn more.
In the last two months my AdSense earnings are up quite a bit. Some analysts speculate Google’s cleanup and stricter policies are causing more AdWords advertisers to opt into advertising on the publisher sites.
There’s no way I can know this for sure, but I wouldn’t doubt this has an impact.