How to Make Money Using Google Adsense

So, you've decided to jump on the bandwagon and try to make a little money using Google's Adsense program. You and so many others -- including me. In fact, that's the reason I'm creating this blog in the first place.

What is Google Adsense?
The Google Adsense program has been around for quite some time, but a lot of people still don't know much about it. I teach at a small state-supported university in northeastern North Carolina, and many -- perhaps most -- of my students had never even heard of the program. That's another reason I thought I might write a basic article to help beginners get started in the Google Adsense program.

First Things First
To get hooked up in the Google Adsense program, first go to www.google.com . Once you're there, click on the link to Advertising programs. Go to Google Adsense and just follow the instructions that will ask you to register and supply all the pertinent information. Now, it won't do any good to go to the Adsense program if you don't at least have a blog, or a Web site where Google can place their ads. So, you'll need to take care of that little item first.

Google Adsense Likes Sites With a Theme
Web sites that are organized around a certain theme seem to attract the right kinds of Google Ads. When Google "spiders" your site, it will pick up recurring key words or phrases. Now, if you want Google to cross you off their list forever -- without ever making any money from them -- just start adding key phrases indiscriminately, or start filling up your site with key phrases that have been "white-inked." Please, do not do this!

On the other hand, if you've done a good job organizing your site around an easily discerned theme, and have strategically used your key phrases a half dozen times or so, you stand a good chance of prompting Google's spider to give you a good report when Google takes a look at your site.

Good Key Phrases Bring Good Ads
If you don't have a good number of key words, chances are Google's spider won't be able to figure out what kind of site it's just visited. As a result, you'll probably find only Public Service Announcements (PSAs) on your site. While PSAs are really good, and many of them draw attention to worthy causes, you won't make any money with them -- even if visitors are clicking your ads. That's why you'll need to use key words and phrases that really reflect the focus of your site. Once you've started with the Google Adsense program, check your sites to see what kinds of ads they're bringing in. If the ads are totally unrelated to your the content on your site, do some tweaking to see if you can coax Google into sending some better ads. Then, when visitors find your site while looking for information on their topic, you'll stand a better change of getting some clicks. Google pays according to the number of clicks your ads get. That's how it all works.

Well, I hope this basic discussion of the Google Adsense program has been helpful -- especially if you're a beginner who's trying to find out about the program. As I learn more, I'll pass it along. In the meantime, thanks for stopping by -- and, good luck with the Google Adsense program.

All the best!

--John