Why have I stopped using Google Adsense?
Are you considering to put Google Adsense on your website or blog? There are many people and groups, organizations, businesses that make money with it and that's terrific.
I have used it years ago when I started my first blogs on Blogger.
But after a while I deleted my Adsense account (after withdrawing the money I had there, of course). The reasons were:
1. Personally, I don't feel comfortable to display and make money with something on my website I don't recommend. Some people have no problems with selling stuff they don't use and like, which is totally fine - think of a salesman in a shop, but I can't do that.
2. Even if I do all the settings so that adsense will only give relevant ads, I still don't have 100% control over what appears on my own site - that I also didn't like.
3. Looked at my websites with the eyes of my own visitors: How would they experience my site?
I myself don't like to see automatically generated ads on any websites, because
a) I find them distractive and messing up the aesthetic of the site - look at this one, for example: wouldn't random ads all over the place look horrible on it? Travel by Andrea Gerak
b) I always instantly have the thought: "Can't this person come up with anything better to promote? Don't they know enough of their field to pick something for me to buy?" -
So what would these kind of ads on my site say about me?
4. That time I didn't know anything about SEO and such, and although some of my sites had okay Google presence, the pennies were only dripping painfully slowly.
Therefore I chose to display ads only for products and services I have indeed used and so can recommend, and in the forms of how I want them on my site to appear (and not how Google would put them there for me).
Other Wealthy Affiliate members will suggest you to use Google Adsense - so what's the deal?
Would I recommend Google Adsense?
No and Yes.
No, if you think the same way as I put it down above.
Yes, if these points don't matter to you much and you would be fine with getting those bucks onto your account from wherever you can. That is totally alright!
Do what feels right for you, go after your feelings about it.
If you fell "Uhm... Idunno... Errr... But what about the visitor experience on my site...?" and so on, it will not bring you what you would like anyway, because your uncertainty and not exactly positive vibrations about it will prevent from all the $$$ goodness coming to you - so why even bother to start.
But if you feel YESSS!!! about it, by all means do it, you will most probably get great results with it.
Recent Comments
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I have mixed feelings about this. I haven't signed up for Google Adsense because, just like you, I don't want my website filled with ads I don't recommend and it gives a messy look. On the other hand, I do want to see some money coming in. But after reading this blog I can see you really don't get that much.
What I'll do is develop a product of my own and do affiliate marketing. One thing is for sure, I want to build/create something I feel comfortable and happy with.
Hi Monica, yes it has 2 sides: feeling of your site vs. money. Everyone has to see what is important.
Creating your own product is definitely the best, and some great affiliate marketing is second - this is what I have seen so far.
Good luck with your product - we will be waiting curiously to see what's that :-)
I have't used adwords, but it is my understanding adwords is a good way to measure your advertising metrics fast. Where SEO takes time to have a page ranked.
Once you get the right metrics using Adwards you can scale up using SEO because you know what advertising works because of your Adwords instant advertising results.
THAT is exactly why I have put Adsense on my site. I guess I am a control freak. If I could CHOOSE what went up there, that would be one thing but I can't.
BTW, I love your eyes in this photo. It really sets them off.
The important thing is that you tried it.
To have a successful business you must try different revenue generating opportunities to see what works and what does not. if you are not doing this you are not running a business.
I currently have AdSense and put it on my site (way down at the bottom and as discretely as possible) against my better judgment.
I think I've had it for about a month now and have made almost six bucks. Heck it's six bucks I didn't have a month ago. I remember my great grandfather saying save your pennies and the dollars will follow.
I'm not certain I'll keep AdSense but it is certainly too early to cut it loose because my site has not become that popular yet. AdSense may or may not be a game changer at that point.
In regards to advertising things I don't use or maybe don't condone I look at AdSense from a different angle. I am advertising what my visitor has been interested in. It's kind of cool in that each visitor is getting an individualized ad based on there own interests (from their own searches.
ROCK ON!
E
Thanks Eric. Great site, as a singer I am sure I will need to come back more often and pick something :-)
Your adsense ads are indeed very discreet! Not sure though if they were anything pertinent to me as your visitor interested in recording devices: I got
- food delivery service
- hygiene pads for ladies for their periods
- something that I can only guess is a cable tv service, advertising it to me with hockey
- Prague-Amsterdam flights
- some service in London (I am in the Czech Republic)
and most of these in Czech that I don't quite understand yet.
Well, you will see on a longer run how will it all work out for you.
oh yeah the famine hygiene products go perfect with recording devices food delivery and hockey - LOL.
I see your point.
Actually I am totally against AdSense, or any similar product, but am doing my due diligence in regard of my business.
hey, if anything at least I got a good laugh from AdSense and your results of it on my site today ;)
That is cool that you are a singer. I've always wanted to be able to sing well but I was given other talents instead. I need to Learn to sing.
Great chatting with you and thank you for your post. I don't see me being an AdSense user for too long.
Eric
Yeah Eric, isn't it funny sometimes? :-)
It's smart of you that you indeed try things so that you can have your own judgment!
Well, singing is fun, and you can start anytime.
For me, recording and all those other tech tasks and details are mystery :-)
I used to sing in chorus in school (a long time ago) but my singing ended when school did. I'll have to give it another shot.
Recording is easy, making a recording sound great is not.
Eric
After 5 months I have only about 3 dollars from Google Addsense, that is how great it is for me. And you do not have control of it. People see on the add on your site things that are not related to your site at all. They see what they bring in their own search history. Jovo
Right Jovo, I had adsense running on 5 blogs but only made the minimum payment of 1, 2 or 300 USD (I don't remember how much was it that time) in 2 years or I think it was even more...
Hi Leah, thanks for asking. Yes there are some other similar options like Adsense but I am not familiar with them.
I believe more in affiliate programs where I am actually using the products/services and love them.
One can display such affiliate links and banners in the Menu bar for example, or link to them in a blog post where it fits. That's how I do it now on the website I am building here with WA: http://liveandtravelyourlife.siterubix.com
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I want to be in control of my website, that this creation would reflect my experience and wish to help people.