Should you use Google Adsense to try and make money from your blog traffic?
I’ve done it in the past, but not currently on any of my blogs or sites that are tied to my name, our family or my business.
Here’s the problem with putting Google Ads on your blog: we work hard to earn the loyalty and trust of our readers and customers. It’s easy to lose that trust. Google ads are uncontrolled, full of gimmicks, scams and junk sites. By making money off them via our loyal readers, we abuse their trust in us. We’re making a fast buck and trading their trust for it.
You CAN control the Google ads to a small degree, but I can tell you from experience, it’s impossible to keep OFF ads that you don’t want, ads that will offend your audience, ads that will send out the message you approve of something you don’t really approve of, and ads that are gateways to scams and gimmicks.
You ask your users, by implication, to trust you… they enjoy YOUR content and assume ALL the content on your site meets your approval and you promote it. Your trusting readers are subjected to ads you can’t control, products you haven’t tested, researched or used yourself, and the onslaught of junk sites, gimmicks and traps. I used Adsense for years and finally had to embrace the truth about them, even though I lost income.
Even now, it really “pinches” me because I could be using Google ads to fund the operation of MckLinky – but it would make me a hypocrite. You may have to give up income too because Google Adsense CAN be a source of revenue for sure… however, you have to choose between respect for your loyal blog friends, and a quick buck.
IF Google comes through with a way to properly control what shows on your blog, then I’ll let you know. If they already have, and I just haven’t heard, please let me know.
You can never go wrong by protecting the loyalty and earned trust of your clientele, and open season Google Ads gives a “low rent” taste to a website or blog.
That’s just my opinion and experience, which a LOT of people will disagree with.
~ Brent
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{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
I have nothing good to say about Google Ad Sense! I am with AdBrite now and LOVE them. way more control over your ads, and the ads that come up really seem better inline with your content.
I tried adnonsense from Gobbledy google for 30 seconds. The first ads that showed up were HIGHLY offensive, and I mean HIGHLY!!!! ZAP!!! GONE!!!!
Thanks for this. I'm slowly building my blog, and Google Adsense was recommended to me. I was hesitant. Now I'm going to wait until I see that they have better ways to control the ads, which they'll probably not do unless there's a massive boycott…
I tried adsense for about a week. I wasn't happy with the ads that were coming up related to my topics. I blog about recipes, daily life and a few product reviews. I wrote a post about my mother getting married in Australia and next thing you know, I had all these ads up for Asian women or mail order bride type things. I was so glad I had popped on to my blog otherwise I wouldn't have even known those showed up!! You can never be sure what they are going to run in that space you give them!! (and I didn't have a single click on any of the ads)
Thanks for your thoughts. I agree, I kind of put off by adsense because on average, I dont like the ads that pop up. The majority that pop up are single momindebts links because of my blog name, http://www.newyorkcitysinglemom.com which just plain annoys me. Also if I write about a product review a competitor link will pop up.
I am new the blogging world and I have come to the conclusion that Adsense is a scam. I have made pretty much no money to speak of.
your article is giving me impetus to just take all of them off and be done with google.
I agree with you about Google Ads. You can't control it and for me it just doesn't look nice on my blog. I just try to keep it clean and simple. And if somebody wants to sponsor an ad on my blog they can, but only if I find it is what my readers would like to see.
I just want my readers to come back and have fun….And not be hassled with google ads….
When I read about it I thought it wasn't a wise move for all the reasons you name, so thank you for writing this.
I don't use Adsense, myself, but wanted to address the issue of the ads offending our audiences.
I simply block the ads out. If I didn't belong to the EntreCard community, I'd block those out, too. After all, I'm stopping by someone's blog to read what they've written. Not to check out (or judge) their layout or to see their ads.
Just 2c… clearly, I'm the minority, since many people use Adsense and make money from it.
I am frustrated with all the marketing done on blogs and have done just a little bit myself, but no adsense, just widget boxes. It's not earning me any income, but because of my personal irritation in seeing so many ads, I have refrained~any ideas other than adsense how to make money without glazing over my reader's eyes with ads or losing their trust with products I don't endorse??
What about Amazon widgets/search button? You can control and promote books/products you trust. Just a thought! You get enough traffic, it might help.
My question would be then, what are good ways to monetize your blog? Are there better ways?
I agree entirely, I have tried the ads in the past both as a visitor and a blog owner – I was seriously unimpressed and found the lack of control…well….terrifying really. I admire you for sticking to your principles and I think you are right when you say you risk losing your valued followers trust if you enable ads. That said – some people seem to love them!