It’s been just over two years since I first signed up with Google Adsense. Like most people, when I first put Adsense on my first blog, I thought I would soon be earning large sums of money, but it didn’t happen. In fact, two years on, I’m still not making that much money on my other blog. However, I’m making a respectable amount on this one. I’ve been thinking about why this is so and I’ve come up with a few things that I have done differently with this blog.
I started my Writing Lab blog because I was told that I needed a blog to drive traffic to my site. It worked, up to a point, but it was never terribly successful. That’s probably because I didn’t have a particular niche or purpose for the blog, so I just posted whatever came to mind.
In contrast, when I started Get Paid To Write Online, I knew exactly what the blog was about. I had a lot of good content already (nearly 150 posts) and I had plenty of ideas for content that fit with that niche.
That made a difference when it came to advertising. If you look at my tag cloud, the top three tags are my core subjects, with most posts focusing on one or other of those areas. With Sharon’s Writing Lab, I have no core subjects. It’s a creative writing blog, but the truth is that anything goes on that blog.
The result is that Adsense ads on this blog are about writing, blogging and other areas of interest to my readers, while ads on the other blog are for all kinds of things. That means more people click on ads on this blog and fewer people click on them on the other blog.
The other difference between this blog and my other blog is that I have a real passion for the subject of freelance writing. I love to share what I’ve learned about the writing business and promoting myself as a writer. I like to think that this makes a difference to how I write and how readers perceive the content. On my other blog, I occasionally publish things that I am very proud of, but sometimes the posts are utilitarian, and no one gets excited about those.
After months of ignoring my Adsense account, I’ve now gone back to checking it regularly, because I’m amazed at what’s happening. It took my 15 months to reach my first payout when I had the other blog. I have already had three payouts this year and am heading for my fourth.
The lessons I have learned from my Adsense experiment include:
- have a focus for your blog and stick to it
- care about what you write and write as if you care
- pay attention to your language – using the right keywords will get you the right ads
So that’s my story. What’s yours? Are you earning with Adsense on your blog? Got any tips you want to share?
Article by Sharon Hurley Hall
Sharon Hurley Hall has been mentoring writers here at Get Paid To Write Online since 2005 to help them improve and build sustainable and successful writing careers. Check me out on sharonhh.com. Feel free to connect with me online on Google+.
Sharon has written 659 awesome articles for us at Get Paid to Write Online
Twitter: @SHurleyHall | Facebook | Google+ | Blog → Writing Portfolio
I envy your focus. I would have no idea how to do this with my blog, but am very happy it’s working for you.
Twitter: danaprince
November 5, 2007 at 21:37
Hi Sharon,
I have been doing well with adsense but mostly on a particular hosted blog and in a particular niche. That blog has a good PR and everything seems to get indexed quickly although I’m limited by rules and regulations and the fact that I pay 10% of my earnings to the blog host. It’s not a bad price to pay considering the exposure I seem to get there though.
For my writing focused blog as well as my health blog and cooking blog, I haven’t figured out the magical formula yet but on my one hosted blog I’m getting $100-$150 payout every 2-3 months.
Thanks for your insight on using Adsense. I haven’t tried it on any blogs, but if I do I’ll be using your tips.
Hi Sharon,
Thanks for the tips on Adsense. Since I’m fairly new to blogging I wasn’t sure what to expect. Your article answered several of my questions!
I have yet to earn much of anything with Adsense although I’m sure not having a single solitary focus for my blog is at least partially to blame. Still, I write about the things I wish to write about so I don’t think I would enjoy it as much if I had to narrow my focus too much just to make a few bucks with Adsense. I know $400 or $500 a year isn’t small change, but it is hardly worth the effort of maintaining a blog if that’s the only reason you’re doing it.
This is a great post and not one you read every day. Often you only hear about those that make tens of thousands a month off Adsense. Your results are more realistic of the average Adsense publisher.
Reality is Adsense is a good source or revenue for a blog or website but it should not be used as the primary income source. It’s role should be more of a secondary or thrid income stream – after all once they click on that Adsense ad they are gone from your site and you only make a few cents off that click, there are far more profitable revenue stream to tap into before Adsense.
I think you’re right, Chris. Many more of us make a little bit with Adsense. It’s a good idea to diversify as you suggest. I’ve been experimenting with that on this blog, and will probably post about it one day.
Sharon,
I enjoy reading what you write. I really do.
What’s interesting is that we started Adsense about the same time. Every month for at least the last 10 months I’ve opened the mail box and pulled out that glowing envelope.
If I could punch out content the way you do, I’d be very satisfied….even with ghosts visiting my website.
Hey, Austin, what can I say? I have lots of ideas and sometimes I manage to write them down before they disappear. Coming up with new content ideas is a tricky part of both blogging and writing. I think everyone gets stumped at some point, but you just have to keep going.
I started using Adsense in June with my main website. I made a little over $40 my first-month each month it keeps increasing, and now I make about $100 weekly.
Wow! You’re a real inspiration!
Hi there,
Nice article, it’s great to find people that are willing to shere with others, so everyone become successful. I am starting my own blog learning Spanish, but so far I haven’t added any advertisement. Can I have on Adsense account for two sites at the same time, do you know?
Twitter: shurleyhall
January 26, 2008 at 15:19
Hi Henry, once you have an Adsense account you can put your code on any site that complies with Google’s policies. I have code on about 5 sites at the moment.
Sharon, thanks for the tip. I figured out, if you get a chance check out my blog and tell me what you think! anything is appreciated. Thanks again…Henry
That’s great, Dana. It sounds like you’re doing really well with that blog. $100 every couple of months is nothing to sniff at.
Thanks, Pinhole. I keep trying new things and some of them work.
I’m glad, Margie. It’s nice that other people can benefit from my ramblings.
I think it’s nice to combine them, Jason. I didn’t start this blog to make money, but if I can do that while helping other writers, it’s a bonus.