A Guide to AdSense

If you’re a regular internet user, you have undoubtedly used Google recently. And why wouldn’t you? It’s a great service. It’ll find what you’re looking for faster and more accurately than anyone else. Of course, Google is a publicly traded company that needs to make a profit and in the process of commercializing their technology, the company has created one of the most consistent revenue streams for webmasters today, AdSense.

AdSense is a pay per click program in which ads are targeted to search results and website content with advertisers paying for each click received. In contrast to other types of affiliate programs, AdSense can be more profitable to publishers because it requires no spending on the customer’s part. Advertisers are paying for the interested traffic.

Part of the reason the program is so successful is that the ads are unobtrusive text that can actually be useful to visitors. By matching the ads to the content, the message is relevant, and therefore advertisers can convert more clicks into sales.

Once you have a site running, and if the content does not go against Google’s terms (gambling and adult sites are not allowed, for example), you can join the program. After applying, your site will be reviewed to make sure it does not contain objectionable material. This should only take a few days, then you’re in. There are no other requirements, such as the traffic levels that other advertising networks require. You will now have access to the code to add to your website.

However, there is more to profiting from your content than just joining the program and pasting ads randomly on the page. For one, the content of your page must be useful to readers (to keep them coming back) and at the same time valuable to advertisers. Website hosting, for example, is a consistently profitable phrase. Of course, that field has become crowded now. The key remains to find an untapped niche.

Also, sites are limited to three units on a page so as to not overwhelm readers. Positioning is crucial. Studies show that the most viewed area of a page is toward the top and left (think of where you normally start reading). Placing ads right after the content or embedding them in the articles are also effective techniques. Google has examples of placement to guide you once you join AdSense.

Last, but just as important, is the appearance of the AdSense units. The program allows their colors to be customized to match the look of your site. Use this ability to make the ads look like the rest of the links on your site and be sure to match the background color as well. Visitors will respond better as they see will give the text a chance instead of unconsciously rejecting them as advertisements.

There is a lot more to explore and experiment with, but by now you should have a general idea of how AdSense works. Good luck! (Chris Rivers - ClickForDeals.net)