AdSense: Benefits and practical usage

Google Adsense is one of the free forms of making money

What is Google Adsense?

Google AdSense is a free program that allows website owners to earn money by displaying targeted Google ads on their websites, blogs, mobile apps, or videos.
The way AdSense works is different from other advertising networks in that Google will automatically match ads that match the content and audience of the website. The website owner then receives a commission when users click on the ad or interact with it.

There are two types of Google Adsense accounts:

• Google AdSense Hosted (GA Hosted):  This account type only applies to Blogspot and YouTube, with a payout rate of 51%. This means you can make money as soon as Google reviews your YouTube channel. However, you can only run ads on YouTube or Blogspot, not on other websites.
• Google AdSense Content (GA Content):  This is an account with a higher payout rate, up to 68% of revenue. This is a popular choice for websites, blogs, and YouTube channels. However, to be approved, content is required to comply with policies and provide value to readers or viewers.

Differences between Google AdSense and Adwords

Google Adwords and Google AdSense are both online advertising platforms provided by Google. However, there are significant differences between these two platforms:

Google AdSense

Google AdSense is a product for publishers. If you own or manage a website, blog, or forum and want to monetize them, AdSense is the right choice. Ads will appear on your digital platforms, and you’ll earn money based on the number of views or user interactions with these ads. Other platforms for publishers include Google Ad Manager and AdMob.
To understand better, read the article  “Comparing Ad Manager, AdSense, and AdMob”

Google Ads

Google Ads is a program for businesses that want to advertise their products or services on different websites and applications. If you want to advertise your products or services on a website or application to grow your business or increase sales, you should choose Google Ads. Your ad will appear on Google search results pages and on the publisher’s network of sites. Businesses pay per click (CPC) or per impression (CPM) of their ads.

See more: What is Google Ad Manager? How to use Google Ads Manager

Benefits of using Google AdSense

Using Google AdSense brings many benefits to website owners. More than 2 million people have chosen AdSense for the following reasons:

• Make money online from your website:  Google AdSense is a great way to make money online from your website. With millions of advertisers competing to show ads on your site, you’ll have more opportunities to earn more. The way AdSense works is that it automatically displays relevant ads on your website and you receive a commission when users click on the ad.
• Easy to use and save time:  Add a snippet of code to your website and Google will automatically handle the rest. Google AdSense ads automatically resize to fit every device, ensuring the best display and seamless user experience.
• Relevant ads:  How AdSense works uses advanced technology to show ads that are relevant to your site’s content and audience. This helps ensure that ads don’t annoy users and are more likely to engage them.
• Detailed reports:  Google AdSense gives you detailed reports on the performance of your ads, helping you track performance and optimize earnings. You can also create, schedule, and save reports to easily track changes in metrics over time.

How to use Google AdSense

How AdSense works is subject to some rules and terms that you need to follow to participate in the program. Google may reject or suspend your AdSense account if you violate these rules. To use Google AdSense, you need to follow these steps:

Register an account

If you’re using Gmail or any other Google service, you already have a Google Account. If not, you can create one when you create your AdSense account. Next, you need to have a website, blog, or other content that complies with the AdSense Program Policies. Even if your site isn’t finished, you can still create an AdSense account and explore the platform while perfecting your content.

Steps to create an account include:

• Go to https://adsense.google.com/start/
  Click “Start”
• Sign in to your Google Account.
• Enter the URL of the website you want to show ads on (you can add it later if you don’t already have one).
• If you use YouTube or Blogger, follow the specific instructions for each platform.

Activate your account to use

On the Google AdSense home page, you will see a list of steps to take before your account is activated. Specifically, you need to provide your payment information, including your full name, banking address, and a valid phone number. Then, select the URL of the website you want to display ads on and confirm and test.

Google will review your payment information and check your site for compliance with AdSense Policies. After your information is confirmed, Google will send a notification email when your account has been fully activated. This process can take from a few days to 2-4 weeks.

You can turn on Auto Ads so your ads appear as soon as your account is activated. If activation fails, Google will send you an email explaining why and giving you the next steps to resolve the issue.

Set up Auto Ads on Google AdSense

After successfully logging in to your Google Adsense account, go to the Overview section to enable Automatic Ads in your website’s settings. You can enable different options like Intent-based formats, Overlay formats, In-page formats, and Excluded areas to adjust how ads appear on your site.

Then, select Apply Now then Save to apply the settings to your site immediately. Or to test your settings, you can select Run test first then Start test. The test will run on 50% of traffic for 90 days to collect data.
Note: Make sure your site is listed on Google AdSense and complies with privacy regulations before setting up Auto Ads.

Track and optimize ad performance

Track your ad performance using the detailed reports that Google AdSense provides. Use these reports to determine which ad types perform best and adjust your advertising strategy accordingly. From there, optimize your website content to attract more visitors and earn more money with AdSense.

After completing the above steps, you can make money with Google AdSense. So, you have learned about what Google AdSense is, its benefits, and how to activate your Google Adsense account. Depending on the target audience and nature of your business, you can choose the appropriate advertising form.