Going from $2.30 to $102.00

In the first 6 weeks that I started to pay attention to my Google AdSense account, I started to make money. The first thing I did was to read some eBooks on the subject. Five of them actually. They all had something to offer so I focused on the common threads between them.

The first thing I got out of my reading was that you MUST have good content. I had good content so what was the next common thread between all the eBooks I read. Ad Placement.

The placement of the ads is critical. My ads were at the bottom of the page because I didn't want the ads to distract from my content. Actually, there is a hierarchy of preferred spots on a page for ads and the bottom of the page is at the bottom of the list. Go figure.

My idea of ads distracting from the content of the page was also misguided. The ads actually provide a very good service to my visitors because Google has a way of targeting the ads displayed to be in line with the content of the page. In other words, the ads displayed actually pertain to the content on my page. this is a good thing for the visitors so they are more likely to click on the ads.

The second thing I did was to blend the ads. What I mean is that the ads I had originally placed on my page were contrasting in color and border color. I figured that would make them stand out and draw attention so they would get clicked on.

On the contrary, I found out that the tendency is to block out or ignore the things that look like advertising. The idea is to blend the ads so they look like part of your website. This is not deceptive as I originally thought. Since the ads actually pertain to the content of the page, it is a good thing for your visitors.

Just by implementing those two simple changes on all the pages (about 8 in all) I was able to go from $2.30 to $102.00 in the first 6 weeks.