Google AdSense is arguably one of the simplest and most popular tools to help you profit from your online content. In 2020, Google gained around $146.92 billion in advertising revenue, which shows how profitable online advertising can be.
With various tools, such as online website builders, affordable VPS hosting plans, and free SEO software, having a well-performing website is easier than ever. Once you have a website, a great next step is to monetize it using AdSense.
However, making money through AdSense is not as easy as it might seem. Web admins need to be patient and practice specific strategies to maximize their income.
This article will help you understand the pros and cons of using AdSense and the types of ads it supports. We will also look at six methods of how to make money by using this tool.
Pros and Cons of AdSense
Although using Google AdSense can be beneficial, it also comes with several drawbacks. Let’s discuss the pros and cons of earning money by using Google AdSense.
Pros
- Easy revenue. Using AdSense allows you to monetize your website by simply displaying advertisements. Depending on your website’s popularity, advertisers might be willing to pay quite a lot of money to display their ads on your page.
- Free. You don’t have to allocate any budget to join AdSense and prepare your website to display ads. As long as your website complies with Google’s program policies, you can register and start making money.
- Intuitive. To use AdSense, simply make your ad space available by pasting ad codes on your site and choose where you want the ads to appear. Google also provides a help center and online learning tools to help you set up and run your account successfully.
- Customizable ads. Customize your ads to match the look and feel of your page. There are various ad sizes and formats with options to block certain categories of ads or even specific advertisers.
Cons
- Payment threshold. Google will only pay you once your revenue reaches $100. Smaller and less popular websites might have to wait longer to reach this threshold.
- Potential account shutdown. Google might shut down your account for various reasons, including click fraud and other alleged policy violations. If AdSense is your only source of income, this may affect your profits significantly.
- Exclusivity. If you decide to use AdSense on your website, you can’t use any other online advertising platforms.
- Unprofessional appearance. A website that displays advertisements is sometimes considered to be less attractive and unprofessional. This might negatively affect audiences’ opinions of your website.
Types of AdSense
There are various types of ad units available in Google AdSense. Each ad type has its own strengths and weaknesses, and some require additional approval. Let’s take a look at several ad types you might want to consider.
Display Ads
On 17 June 2019, Google decided to combine text-based ads and image-based ads under a single ad unit called Display ads. This advertisement type comes in various formats and sizes, including:
- Horizontal. Large leader board (970 x 90 pixels) and Banner (468 x 60 pixels)
- Vertical. Skyscraper (120 x 600 pixels) and Wide skyscraper (160 x 600 pixels)
- Square. Square (250 x250 pixels) and Small Square (200 x 200 pixels)
Display ads are a great all-rounder and work well almost anywhere. They are also responsive, which means they automatically fit your page layouts and user devices.
In-Feed Ads
In-feed ads are advertisement units placed within your feed to help you monetize content such as articles, news, and product listings. This ad type can blend into your feed and look like it is part of your content.
Since in-feed ads match the look and feel of your content, they may improve users’ experience since these ads are typically less intrusive. In-feed ads are also ideal for monetizing your content on mobile devices since they work well on smaller displays.
However, displaying in-feed ads on your page might require additional technical skill since it is impossible to paste the code into your feed loop.
In-Article Ads
In-article ads are another type of native ads. Just like in-feed ads, they match the look and feel of your content and offer a more seamless appearance for your page. In-article ads are typically displayed between paragraphs of your written content, such as articles and blog posts.
They also use a layout that fits their placement and follows the reader’s flow, which is better for the user experience. In-article ads are optimized by Google, making them work well on your article pages.
Matched Content Ads
Matched content ads allow you to promote your site content to your visitors using Google’s recommendation algorithm. These content recommendations are based on topic similarity and are personalized for the reader.
This ad unit can help you keep visitors on your website, which may increase your page views, reader loyalty, ad impressions, and ultimately, ad revenue. It is possible to customize this ad unit by adjusting its number of rows, columns, and other parameters according to your website’s layout.
Your website needs to meet Google’s minimum requirements for traffic volume and number of unique pages to display matched content ads. The option to monetize your matched content ads is turned on by default, but it is possible to turn it off.
6 Ways to Make Money with Google AdSense
Now that we covered the main details about Google AdSense, it is time to look at various ways to make money with it. Here are some tips that can help you maximize your profits.
1. Read and Understand Google’s Policies
Before you join the AdSense program and display advertisements on your website, it is crucial to understand Google’s AdSense policies and webmaster guidelines. Web admins need to comply with these policies to avoid getting their accounts suspended by Google.
Remember to check these policies regularly since Google can change the rules at any time. It is your responsibility to keep up to date with and adhere to these policies.
2. Create Good and Relevant Content
Some types of content might help your AdSense ads to convert better. Consider creating content that attracts new audiences and turns them into loyal visitors.
Google recommends several content types that might attract new and repeat visitors, including:
- Blog posts
- News articles
- Forums and discussion boards
- Niche social networks
- Free online tools
Although your options are not limited to this list, they are arguably the easiest content types to monetize using AdSense. The most important thing when creating content is to make it valuable and relevant to your audiences.
3. Utilize Different Types of Ad Units
Depending on your content type, you might want to use a certain ad unit that works well with said content. Since companies will make different types of ads that suit their products or services, it is also good to incorporate various ad units on your website.
This will give your audiences more chances to connect with advertisers and potentially improve your ad revenue. Remember to prioritize users’ experiences when deciding which types of ads to use and present more content than ads on your page.
Link your Google Ads and Analytics account to analyze the best number, placement, and style of ads on your site depending on your content type and visitors.
4. Use AdSense Custom Search Ads
Including AdSense Custom Search on your website can improve user experience, especially if you have a vast content library. Aside from allowing visitors to search for specific content on your site, it may also improve your revenue by showing ads alongside the search results.
Keep in mind that you need additional permission before you start gaining income from AdSense Custom Search Ads.
5. Monetize Your YouTube Content
In 2020, YouTube generated around $19.7 billion in revenue. If video is your primary content type, monetizing it on YouTube can be a great way to generate income.
Start by turning on the monetization option from your YouTube channel, then connect your YouTube account to your AdSense account. Make sure to understand and fulfill the requirements before you join the YouTube partner program.
6. Monitor Ads Performance Regularly
To further improve your AdSense performance, try your best to monitor and analyze your data regularly to see your results.
One way to track your performance is by using custom channels, which allows you to get a better sense of what’s working and not working to generate income on your site.
Conclusion
Monetizing your content is one of the best ways to earn passive income through a website. By using Google AdSense, it is possible to make money by simply displaying advertisements.
In this article, we have learned about some pros and cons of using Google AdSense. We also learned about several types of ads that it supports.
Lastly, we looked at six steps to making money with Google AdSense, including:
- Read and understand Google’s policies
- Create good and relevant content
- Utilize different types of ads
- Use AdSense custom search
- Monetize your YouTube content
- Monitor ads performance
After reading this article, hopefully, you understand more about how Google AdSense works. Follow the steps provided in the article and start monetizing your website content.
