I'm glad you found this article because you are about to learn something that most web hosts won't tell you about building online stores. It will keep you from making a common mistakes countless people make when creating their first store.
Now before I get started, let me just say that I didn't write this article to discourage you from building an online store. I wrote it to educate so you won't fall into the same trap so many other beginners find themselves in when first starting out.
To begin, creating the store is not the challenge it used to be. These days the "development part" is pretty easy. There are thousands of web hosts now that offer a free, built-in shopping cart when you pay them to host your site.
Another alternative is to use Yahoo!'s shopping cart program and have them build and maintain your store for a monthly fee.
Heck, you can even use Paypal.com for free! All you do is sign up and paste some HTML code into your website and Voila....you've got an instant online shopping cart.
Paypal handles the credit card transactions while depositing the profits into your bank account. (They take a small percentage of every order, of course).
So hopefully you can see that actually building the store is not the tricky part anymore.
The Biggest Obstacle . . .
The real challenge is actually getting enough traffic to make a profit from your store. After all, what's the point in spending time and money into building a store if you haven't a clue how to bring in traffic from the Internet.
Ninety eight percent of the people that try to create online stores or shopping sites struggle because they don't understand how to get a top ten ranking in the major search engines.
It's not as easy as just submitting to MSN, Google and Yahoo and then your site just shows up on the first page of results.
So people spend all this money on a fancy website and storefront and have no idea how to make their site rank high with Google.com -- which is the best source for free traffic on the Internet.
Why would someone search for Luke's Shopping Site to buy something when they know they can go to reputable companies like Yahoo, Overstock, Amazon and many of other popular online retailers to buy the exact same items you're trying to sell?
In other words, how are you going to get your store noticed among all the billions of online stores already out here?
The answer is...you probably won't going after generic terms like "shopping" or "online store". Unless, of course, you're prepared to fork out millions of dollars in advertising every month like Yahoo, Amazon and some of the others did way back when.
Not to sound discouraging, but unless you've got an enormous amount of capital, you will go broke trying to compete with the gazillion online shopping websites.
Big name companies like Amazon.com have spent years and millions of dollars in advertising to build their own brand awareness and it's hard to get in on this market share if you're just starting out.
But don't worry... there IS a solution to being found. And the good news for you is that most people will never figure this next part out. You'll be light years ahead of your future site's competition and you'll be rich if you do it right.
So if you can grasp and implement what you're about to read, you're way ahead of the game already! Congratulations in advance. :)
Take the Google Test
Try this now. Go to Google.com and type in online shopping or shopping. Look at the number of total search results that come up (upper right hand corner gives you the total number of sites). There are literally millions.
These are all the sites you will be competing with if you try to go after a broad term like that.
The reason I use Google as an example is because more than likely this is going to be your best place to get free traffic. People often underestimate the amount of visitors that are possible from this growing search engine.
I can definitely tell you that you won't want to ignore Google and this should be where you focus on getting a lot of your visitors -- especially since it's free!
Getting back to the example...
"Online shopping" would be a bad term to try and target because it's too generic. You need something more specific.
Find Your Online Niche
Before you even build your store you need to determine your niche. So instead of trying to build a shopping site that sells everything under the sun, start out small and capitalize on a niche you are familiar with.
Why Niche Sites Work
1) They often have much less competition. Compare the results in Google when you type in "online shopping" versus "baseball cards".
Sure, "online shopping" is a much more popular searched term, but you'd have a hard time getting traffic because you're competing with so many other webmasters who want their sites to be #1.
2) One of the keys with getting traffic to Google is content, content and more content. If you build your site on a hobby you can write pages and pages of content on this subject to help funnel in more traffic.
The more pages you have on your site, the greater chance the search engines will find your site, thus bringing you more visitors.
More traffic will hopefully mean more sales for you in the long-run.
Juggling All The Way To The Bank
My favorite example of a successful niche store is jugglenow.com.
Instead of trying to create an ABC Online Store that sells everything, the owner Jim Nelson created an information site about juggling that links to his online store.
Notice when you go to www.jugglenow.com, there's much more than just shopping to be done there. Jim includes tons of articles and information about the sport of juggling.
These pages are very important because they draw in traffic from the search engines. So instead of just promoting his online store by itself, these other pages help do the marketing for him.
This is what I mean when I say draw traffic to your main site first. Even though Jim's money maker is the actual store, he draws traffic to this store by providing tons of content for the major search engines to pick up.
Jugglenow.com is a perfect example of creating a successful, niche store. There are tons of sites out there like his but with different topics. You can do the same with the topic/niche of your choice.
Build Your Main Website First
Many people don't ever get this, but the key to making your store popular and successful is to build your main site and have that act as a gateway to your online store. I can't stress how important that is.
In other words, work on getting traffic to your main site via the search engines and then link your store to this main website.
The reason is, it's much easier for the search engines to find your main, content-rich website than it is to find a single stand-alone store.
In fact, most search engines won't even add your store to their index by itself, but they will list your main website that links to your store. So that's why you need to focus on that main site first.
So if you want to sell your knitting needles online, you would first create a content-rich site on sewing. Offer tons of tips and guidelines on this subject to help draw in search engine traffic.
Then from those search-engine-friendly pages you would link to your online store. This is much more effective than just trying to promote a stand-alone store.
Use Site Build It For Your Website
As I mentioned above, building the actual store is not going to be the challenge. You can go to Yahoo Store or any web host out there that will offer some kind of online shopping cart solution. Once that's setup you just link to your store from your main website.
What you need to be focusing on right now is how are you going to get traffic to your store. What is going to be your main marketing source to bring in the visitors? What will be your niche?
If you plan on relying on the search engines, you'll need more than just a Yahoo Store because they won't help you get the traffic.
Sure, they'll setup your store for you, but they won't help you get noticed in Google, MSN, Yahoo Search and more. This is the job of your main website that will link to your store.
Anyone who is serious about starting an online store and making good money should always consider Site Build It.
I'm not saying it's the only solution, I'm just saying it's the best. Hands down.
This is actually the same tool that Jim from jugglenow.com used to create his website. Notice he still relies on Yahoo Store for the actual store part of his website, but the rest of his site was created using Site Build It.
Like Jim, you need to create a main website that will draw traffic in from the search engines first, and then from this main site link to your online store.
What Is Site Build It?
Learn how to increase your search engine rank using Site Build ItSite Build It (SBI) is an all-in-one web hosting/online marketing tool at your fingertips. As a customer, you'll receive a login and password and will be able to manage your entire site right from a browser-based application.
You don't have to know anything about HTML, PHP, CGI or any other acronyms you may or may not be familiar with. Creating web pages is as simple as typing text into a blank form and hitting "Save".
SBI registers your domain for you, they act as your host, provide email accounts and everything you need to build and maintain a website.
You won't have to worry about going to a separate site to register a domain name then go someplace else to find a host. Everything is done in one place.
So if you decide to go with SBI for your site and online store, you can ignore the website building steps here at 2 Create a Website because SBI acts as your web host and domain registrar.
Many beginners find this tool a breath of fresh air because everything you need for your website and store can be found inside this one tool that walks you through everything step by step.
Sounding promising yet?
Well I haven't even told you about the best feature of SBI.
Probably the most useful part of this package is the search engine help you'll receive. There's no other web host on the planet (and I mean that literally) that will do what SBI can do when it comes to getting traffic to your site.
There are no tricks or hidden secrets used -- only proven techniques that show you how to build web pages that the search engines will love so you can bring traffic to your site and ultimately your online store.
As you create your pages, there will be an "online coach" telling you how to improve your content to achieve the rank you want for various keyword phrases.
You will learn what the search engines look for and how to ensure your site is always listed with all the popular engines.
Not getting enough traffic is the number one reason people end up quitting their online businesses. They don't know how to get their sites ranked high with Google, MSN, Yahoo, etc so they find themselves frustrated.
If you use SBI, you won't have to worry about this. The online guide will literally walk you through the steps to submitting your site and improving your rank. It's a MUST if you want to profit from your online store.
My Recommendation
If you are new to building a website, I strongly recommend you consider Site Build It to help you get started with your store.
Even if you use Yahoo Store (or outsource) your actual online store and shopping cart, at least use Site Build It to build your main site because the search engine help will be well worth it.
No other web host will give you this kind of assistance.
A Solid Guarantee!
Not only are the folks at SiteSell (the creators of SBI) backed by the BBB, but they're good people. They realize that this tool may not be for everyone BUT they want you to at least give it a try.
So if you're worried about spending money on something that's not right for you, worry no more. They've got a rock-solid guarantee that puts you at zero risk.
Read the SiteSell guarantee and the letter from the president, Ken Evoy.
Learn more about SBI here.
Monday, July 2, 2007
No Products to Ship or Manage
No Products to Ship or Manage
The nice thing about information websites that make money from affiliate programs (rather than selling hard goods) is that you can leave your website for days, weeks or months and still continue to make money without having to handle inventory or talk to customers.
Remember, your site serves as the middleman and refers products for other company websites. The actual company that pays you is the one that ships the products and deals with the customers.
Here's the best part...
Now that my sites are established and generating traffic automatically from Google, MSN and Yahoo... I can go on vacation for months if I wanted to and they would still generate revenue without doing a single thing.
That's me in the pic enjoying a summer vacation in The Dominican Republic, May 2004. My websites continue to work for me while I relax on the beach.
That's the major benefit of making money from affiliate programs instead of selling your own tangible products that you'd have to ship and manage.
However, I want to make clear that I had to work to GET my websites to that point by building a lot of content... and that does take time. Remember, there's no such thing as "get rich quick" out here and I've certainly done my time.
Even though I only have to work on my sites a couple of hours per month now, I started out spending several hours per day on my sites.
An online business is no different than an offline. Even though there are some differences in how the businesses are run, they both require time, work and patience.
But the great thing about online is once you are established you can leave your site for months and still come back to the same income. I don't know many offline companies that can say that!
The Best Way to Build Your Site
Now that you know a bit about how you can earn money with an information website, you need to select a web host so you can build your website.
If you've read any other parts of the "Making Money" section of this site, you'll see the words "Site Build It" (SBI) everywhere. I get so many emails from people asking me why I promote that product so heavily.
My answer is always very simple...
I am a customer and it works!
Think about it. When you buy any product (it could be a household cleaning product or a new car) that OVERdelivers and goes above and beyond your expectations don't you happily tell others about it? Well, that's why I heavily push Site Build It on this site.
Success excites me....just like the guy on the left. :) So that's why you see the product mentioned numerous times on this website.
It is the ONLY web host I'll ever recommend to anyone who wants to create a successful money-making website.
I can personally guarantee you won't find any other host that guides you through the process of building a profitable website without involving you in the technical gibble gabble.
When you've been building sites on the web as long as I have, it's exciting to find a web host that actually delivers what it promises AND has the successful websites and testimonials to back it up.
The key to succeeding with an information website is not about deciphering the difference between ASP and PHP or learning how to CHMOD your CGI scripts while you FTP your HTML.
Yeah... sounds confusing, huh?
It's about choosing a topic you have an interest in. Next, build content so the search engines will find your site, and then select affiliate programs in your niche to earn money from the traffic you receive.
I'll say it again. No other product on the Net walks you through this entire process from start to finish AND can display the success videos to prove it works.
What Exactly is Site Build It?
It's an all in one website building AND marketing machine that does all the technical coding in the background while you focus on two things...
1) Writing your search-engine friendly content so you can get as much free traffic and...
2) Incorporating affiliate programs throughout your site so you can make money from the traffic you receive.
After all, making money is really the goal, right?
Who wants to spend hours trying to figure out how to develop a design, code HTML, and FTP a web page?
Huh???
Why not choose a web host that does all this for you so you can focus on writing content and earning revenue. After all, that's what gets you the money....not the coding and programming.
View the SBI! video tour to see how it actually works.
My SBI Website
In June of 2005 I purchased SBI and created, www.flat-stomach-exercises.com. I'm writing this in February 2007 and the site gets about 2,000 unique visitors per day and earns about $1200 per month in affiliate revenue. This is amazing success after such a short time.
I didn't use Site Build It! to create this site in 2002 and it took me about 4 years to achieve those kinds of stats.
All the traffic comes from the free search engines and the profits are courtesy of Google's free Adsense program (described above). As I continue to add more information to the site, these totals will only increase.
It's purely a numbers game. The more content you have on your site, the more traffic the search engines are likely to give you. In the end, the more revenue your site will generate.
I Had Doubts at First
I learned about SBI way back in 2000 when it first launched. I didn't buy it at first because I wasn't sure it was for me. I had already built a couple of websites on my own and I really thought it was mainly for beginners. That's why I didn't use it for this site.
I had this know-it-all attitude and felt that it couldn't really teach me anything I didn't already know. Boy was I wrong. Even though I had some knowledge of creating websites, I never received the marketing help that SBI provides you.
It was further proof that building a successful money making website is more about the marketing and building content and less about the technical aspects.
Just because I knew how to build a website didn't necessarily mean I was good at writing content to keep my visitor's attention, attracting free traffic via the search engines, and getting my visitors to buy products I recommend.
These are all things you MUST do if you want success with an information website. I guarantee you a regular web host won't help you do all this. Only Site Build It does.
I'm Not The Only Success Story
SBI has helped so many people create successful information websites that SiteSell.com has created a page just to display the results. Go to http://website.sitesell.com/results.
What's most important to note about these sites is that they weren't built by programmers or "techy" people. Most of them are people like you and me who are just looking for supplemental income or perhaps even a way to quit their 9 to 5 jobs.
Look at the array of topics. This shows you that almost anything is fair game. The bottom line is if you have information about something, there are people out there searching in Google, MSN and Yahoo for your content!
When you view this page, take note that every site listed here is at least in the top 1% in terms of website traffic.
This is primarily because SBI helps with creating your pages so they score high in the popular search engines. You'll notice my site, www.flat-stomach-exercises.com is listed there too.
I want to repeat this again. A regular web host will NOT help you with marketing and search engine rankings. They provide you with the platform to build your site but the help stops there.
You are on your own. Only Site Build It takes it to the next level and helps you build and helps you rank high in the search engines.
I can confidently say this because I have tried at least 6 other web hosts in my years of building websites and no one has ever come close to what SBI can deliver. Whether you're a beginner or advanced webmaster, YOU NEED Site Build It if you want financial success.
"...But I'm Not Computer Savvy."
I don't know if you realize it or not, but the people that are making good money on the net aren't necessarily programmers, computer geeks or people that are computer savvy.
Thanks to user-friendly web hosts, anyone can get a website up pretty easily these days. The real key with an information site is actually getting traffic to your site and writing solid, convincing content that holds your visitor's attention so they purchase products you recommend.
Content is what sells - not Flash animations and cool web designs (unless you are in the web design field). Look at my flat stomach site again. Does it look stunning?
Nope!
But the useful, bookmarkable (not sure that's a word!) content convinces people to buy products and services I recommend.
People generally bookmark websites because they provide good content and/or they like the benefits they read about - not because they like the flashy animations going across the screen.
Don't get me wrong. You want your site to look nice, but as I said, that's the easy part these days. SBI has templates already pre-made and you simply choose one and your framework is done in seconds. The real challenge is getting the visitors. That's why you need a web host like SBI.
Now, if you want the bells and whistles you can still do that by all means, just understand that's not what is going to make your site a success. It's your content.
So what if you have a fancy site with cool animations, scrolling images, etc. if no one is actually finding you in Google, Yahoo or MSN.
The key to making money with an information website is offering valuable content to a target audience and getting them to purchase products and service you recommend. That's what Site Build It focuses on helping you do.
So don't worry if you have never built a website or you just aren't too computer savvy. Most people on the SBI results page aren't either, but they managed to succeed with their websites despite being a novice.
Why?
Because they've figured out the importance of choosing a topic they are passionate about and providing useful information to a target audience.
In other words, they've become the expert in their targeted niche (baseball, knitting, skin care or whatever the topic may be). Yes, it is that simple. It takes work, of course -- but the concept is very simple.
100% Money Back Guarantee
SBI not for you? No problem. SiteSell.com understands something like this is not everyone. However, there's no harm in trying it out right?
Not only will you get your money back in full if you are not satisfied, but there is no trial period. If you've had your site for 10 months and you realize it's not for you, SiteSell will refund you - no questions asked.
The folks at SiteSell realize building a website is not for everyone (see for yourself). So there's no point in wasting your money if this is not for you. Just give it a try. You literally have nothing to lose.
Check out the Visual Tour to see if SBI is for you. Then check out the SBI homepage.
How to Make Money With an Information Website
How to Make Money With an Information Website
Home >> Making Money >> How to Make Money With an Information Website
The Internet has been life changing for me over the past few years. I now earn enough to stay at home full-time and never dreamed I'd have this kind of success online.
How can you earn a living from a website like me?
Simply pick a topic you love and write a website about it. All you need is information. You don't even have to have your own product or service to sell.
The more passionate you are about the topic, the easier it will be to keep adding information and expanding the site. The larger the site, the more it will benefit you in terms of free search engine traffic and revenue. You'll see why in a bit.
I earned over SIX FIGURES on the Internet
in 2005 and 2006. And it looks like 2007 will be another record-breaking year.
I didn't put that message up to brag. I want to show you that it is possible to make an honest living online without spamming or scamming people. All you need is time and the desire to learn.
Yes, I did invest some money (I paid for my websites, of course) but time was the biggest investment of all by far. And I will tell you now, if you don't plan to invest in either, then this is not for you.
Any business requires an investment of time and money, whether it's online or offline. There's a reason you don't read stories about people quitting their jobs and living off their MySpace or FaceBook websites.
While these free hosts are popular, they aren't ideal for building a long-term web business. There are too many restrictions and the search engines don't rank you well. Trust me, I used to own a free site, and it's no coincidence it's resting in peace now. :-)
You won't make much money unless you can generate free search engine traffic. That's why it's so important you create your site with the right foundation. Free is definitely the wrong way because you will get ignored by Google, Yahoo and MSN.
Another point I'd like to make is that I didn't start spending much money until I was actually making it. As I said, I did invest in my website but that was about it. Keep in mind I was only 21 at the time, so I didn't have a lot to begin with in the first place.
I can now say however... it has all paid off. Literally and figuratively.
I've worked hard over the years. Very hard. In fact, I still do even though the money is rolling in now. I sacrificed many evenings, weekends, holidays, etc. to devote to this venture.
I'm constantly reading, adding new information to my sites, researching and observing what others are doing to stay ahead of the curve. However, the best part about it is, it doesn't feel like real work because I thoroughly enjoy it.
That is important and unfortunately most people don't get that part of it. They believe that the desire to make money will be enough motivation to become successful.
It's not.
If that were the case, everyone would have a successful money-making website. I mean, who doesn't want to make a lot of money, right?
The money is only a result of doing what you enjoy!
It's not the other way around. If you don't enjoy it, you won't be successful because you'll eventually get burned out.
So many of my friends and family want to try this because they are fascinated by the money. That's great...but you still have to enjoy yourself. Money cannot be your only motivation.
You'll never meet a successful Internet entrepreneur that says, "I hate spending time updating my website and learning how to market on the Internet, but I'm still making $300,000 per year with my site."
The people that are successful out here enjoy themselves and work at this continuously, and they chose a website topic they are passionate about.
The Truth...
Let me be honest. The online world is not for everyone. Many people don't want or even have the time to spend in front of their PC going through the learning curve, researching, writing content, etc.
However, if you have some time and don't mind learning...you could clean up out here. However, don't expect to spend one hour a month on this and make $100,000 a year.
You have to set realistic goals and understand that the earnings will start out small. Mine certainly did. My first check in 1998 was for $14.95. But it was all I needed to make me believe "I can do this!"
No Get Rich Schemes Here!
If you're looking for a get-rich-quick-scheme, this is not the place. I don't care how other websites make it seem, there is no such thing as quick money. Please don't believe the hype.
I roll my eyes at many of these websites that scream phrases like, "Make Millions Overnight!" They are usually run by people who have never made a dime.
Nevertheless, they want you to spend your hard-earned dollars on a "how-to-course" that they haven't even bought or used themselves. They just earn a commission if you buy what they have to offer.
Well, before you spend money on any of these products, be sure to ask the website owner to show you some proof of their success. Can they show you any of their checks they've received like I can?
Make sure they can also explain exactly what you have to do.
I don't know about you, but if I'm going to learn how to make money out here, I'd want to learn from someone who is actually succeeding - not from someone selling a cheesy course they haven't even used or read themselves.
How It Works
The Internet is the information highway. Everyday millions of people go to Google, MSN and Yahoo to perform searches on anything from potting plants to investing stocks.
People want information and the way you can benefit from this is to build a website that gives people what they are looking for.
Achieve a top 5 ranking in the major search engines for popular keyword phrases and you can really rack in a ton of free traffic like I've been doing.
The money comes in with affiliate programs. These are programs that are offered by companies that pay website owners to refer their products.
Generally, they pay a certain percentage for every sale that comes in as a result of your site's referral. Amazon.com has one and it's very popular among website owners.
So let's say you have an information website on baby toy safety. Your site is #3 in Google.com when someone types in "safe baby toys" and other related terms.
On your site, you've written various reviews on various toys based upon your own experiences. The more content you have, the greater the chance you'll be found in the search engines for free.
To earn money, you could join the free eToy.com affiliate program and when you recommend various toys for parents, eToys will pay you a percentage for every sale your site refers. (Companies provide a special tracking link to use on your site so they know when your site generates a sale).
You could also join Amazon.com's free affiliate program and recommend their books on baby safety. Amazon doesn't pay very high commissions (3-5% on most products), but if you refer large volumes, the commissions can add up.
Google's Free Affiliate Program
Thank goodness for programs like Google Adsense. This is a slightly different type of affiliate program because you don't have to get your visitors to buy anything.
You simply help Google advertise by displaying some text ads on your pages and they pay you for every click each ad receives. Thanks to Google's technology the ads that will be displayed match your site's content.
So if your site is about baby toys, the ads that show up will relate to that topic, thus improving the click-thru percentage. The more pages of content you have, the greater the earning potential for programs like this.
I use Adsense on three of my websites and I am quite pleased with the results. As of October, 2006, my checks average about $1700 per month.
Make Money With Google AdSense
Anyone who owns or is thinking about creating a website would be crazy to ignore this.
I am happy to say that making money with your site, no matter the topic, has become easier than it's ever been before - and it's 100% legitimate.
If AdSense had been available in 2000, I would have NEVER shut down my soap opera fan site that received 200 hits per day. I would have been able to earn money from that traffic and probably turned a small profit.
$1 Million Dollars From AdSense? Is It Possible?
Yes! The webmaster of plentyoffish.com earned $1 million dollars in two months from AdSense thanks to his free dating site. Join in the discussion here!
From AdWords to AdSense
Google.com earns most of its revenue by allowing other website owners to advertise on their search result pages. All this is managed through a program they call AdWords.
Now you can earn a share of the revenue that Google earns from AdWords by placing these same text ads on your site. In other words, you're helping Google advertise and they pay you a percentage of what they earn.
This program is called AdSense.
Every website owner should be involved in this. It's just too good of an opportunity to pass up. Even if your site is just for information purposes, you can still participate and make decent money with AdSense -- or at least enough to fund your website.
So if you are one of those people that don't like the idea of paying for a site, this is an excellent way to earn your money back and then some.
Even if you earned as little as $10 in a month, it would more than likely cover some or all of the costs for your web site. Perhaps you are simply looking for ways to add additional revenue to your website, then it's perfect for that situation too.
This program is getting so popular, people are creating websites just to display the ads and profit from Google's AdSense alone.
I don't usually like to use the term "easy money" because there really is no such thing. You still have to create your own website and learn how to bring in traffic in order to make good money with this program.
I certainly don't want to make it sound like you get something for doing absolutely nothing. There's no such thing.
However, I've got to say that AdSense is probably the closest you'll ever come to fast money on the Internet -- especially if you already have a website that gets a good amount of traffic.
What's even better...the program is completely free. You can also use it on multiple websites and there is no limit to the amount you can earn.
How AdSense Works
If you go to Google.com and do a search for almost any keyword phrase, you'll notice some "Sponsored Links" that appear on the right side of the screen that are relevant to the keywords you just searched for.
Website owners pay Google to display these ads and are charged a predetermined amount every time their ad gets clicked by a web surfer. With the AdSense program, you will display these same text ads on your site just like Google and get paid for it as well.
All you do is copy and paste some provided HTML code into your pages and Voila! the ads will show up. Every time an ad is clicked on your site, you will receive a certain percentage of what Google receives from the advertiser.
Once your account reaches $100, you'll receive a check in the mail.
"Is Google Crazy?"
I know what you're probably thinking...
"What's the catch here? Why would Google just give away money advertisers are paying them?"
The answer...
Because Google is very smart.
Now that I understand how AdSense works, I can see that it's a win-win situation for everyone involved, and the bottom line benefits Google. Let me explain...
Since the advertiser's ads are now being displayed on more web sites all over the internet (instead of just Google's site), they are getting much more exposure. More exposure means more clicks and even more traffic for their site over a shorter period of time.
This is good news for Google because the more traffic the advertisers receive, the faster their advertising funds are used up.
Remember, they get charged every time their site gets a visit; and of course, it is Google's hope that they'll continue to keep funneling more money into their account for more ad exposure.
What an ingenious way for Google to increase the amount of money they earn from advertisers while building loyalty with website owners (like us) who are now getting paid to help them advertise.
Of course, I'd expect nothing less from the most popular search engine on the web. :)
My Personal AdSense Story
I have been receiving monthly checks from Google since 2003, and I've read numerous success stories of websites earning 5 digit incomes per month with AdSense.
Now, I will admit, a 5-digit commission in a single month is probably not the norm for most participants. I promote AdSense on three of my websites and my checks have been as high as $4,000, but usually average around $2,000.
I would estimate that my earnings are above average and that is mainly because I keep adding more content to my sites on an ongoing basis.
The more information you have, the greater chance you have of attracting free search engine traffic. That's why it's so very important you choose a topic you have an interest in so you can keep building and building.
My checks weren't always that large. I think my first month's earnings in 2003 totaled less than $20. However, I kept getting more and more search engine traffic by adding more content and the checks slowly began to increase. I had no idea it would grow to anything like this.
COPYCATS BEWARE!
I read an article about a lazy person that copied someone else's content word for word and pasted on their own site. They tried to join AdSense and they were rejected for unauthentic content. I don't know how Google found out their site was a duplicate of someone else's but they did.
Not to mention, the search engines are now ignoring pages with duplicate content. So all the thieves out there that are too lazy to come up with their own content are now finding that they cannot get their site ranked in Google, Yahoo and MSN simply because they've copied someone else's work.
It's not worth the risk. Not to mention, it's illegal to republish someone else's work without permission. That's why you should choose a topic you know a lot about or at least have a great interest in.
There's no reason to copy off someone else's site. Be original. Laziness always comes to bite you in the long-run.
"How Much Can I Earn With AdSense?"
Google does not disclose exactly how much you'll earn per ad that is clicked.
The commission you receive per click depends on how much advertisers are paying Google for the particular ad. You will earn a share of that amount. I've heard of earnings anywhere from 2 cents to $15 per click.
So it is logical to believe that keyword phrases like debt free, employment, make money, mp3, sex, etc. will earn you more per click since these are highly competitive keywords that are searched for quite a bit on the web.
Advertisers generally pay more for popular terms because they are searched for more.
Even though Google will not reveal how much you are earning for each ad that is clicked from your site, you can still login to your account at any time and see the total amount of revenue you've generated that day, week, month, year, etc.
For example, if you see that you've made $12.60 today from 9 clicks then you can calculate that your average click-thru commission was $1.40 per click. That's as detailed as their stats will get. Also remember, that's only an average. You won't know how much each specific ad brought in.
The amount you'll earn also depends largely on the amount of targeted traffic you receive to your own site, how well the ads match your audience's interests, the placement of the ads on your pages, and of course the amount you receive per click.
Ideally, you should create a site on a topic you know a lot about. That way you'll have a much easier time creating a generous amount of content on that subject.
How Google Matches the Ads to Your Site's Content
One of the main reasons this program is so successful is because the ads that are displayed closely match the content of your website. This increases the chances that someone will click on the ads.
Here's how Google accomplishes the content match...
"...We go beyond simple keyword matching to understand the context and content of web pages. Based on an algorithm that includes such factors as keyword analysis, word frequency, font size, and the overall link structure of the web, we know what a page is about, and can precisely match Google ads to each page."
So let's say you have an information website about yoga. Once you join AdSense and paste their ad code into your site, Google's technology will determine the topic of the pages by scanning for keyword repeats, page title, etc.
If successful, you will see ads that relate to yoga displayed on your web pages. Of course, the more related the ads are to your site's content, the better the click-thru.
Keep in mind, the ads may not be an exact match because it depends on the ads inside Google's database. So instead of seeing yoga ads, you may see more generic ads like exercise, healthy eating, etc. This is not a bad thing because these are topics your visitors will likely be interested in as well.
Why I Believe AdSense Works So Well
For years, website owners have tried to make money from their sites by putting up banner ads in hopes of visitors clicking them. The problem with banner ads is that the Internet audience is so immune to them, people do not click on them anymore.
When's the last time you clicked a banner ad?
...Exactly!
Second, in order for the web site owner to earn money from that banner ad, usually the web surfer that clicks has to purchase something. With AdSense, your visitors just have to click the ads. They don't have to purchase a single thing.
Third, most people that use banner ads do not do a good job of matching the ads to the website's content so the click thru percentages are dismal.
With Google's AdSense, not only are you displaying text ads, (which tend to receive a much higher click-thru rate than banner ads), but you are displaying contextual ads that match your website's content....thanks to Google's advanced technology.
Lots of times people think the ads are part of your site's content so they click because the information is relevant to your site. Whereas with banner ads, they often have little relevance and people tend to ignore them no matter how much they flash and fly across the page.
Creating Your Website for AdSense
Before you even begin your site, make sure you've come up with a topic that you feel you know plenty about. That way it will be easiest to write a lot of content.
The more content you have, the better chance you have getting accepted into the program. Also, the more content, the greater the earning potential. AdSense is nothing but a numbers game. If you want to make a lot of money, prepare to write a lot of content.
Now let's talk about building your website. There are two ways you can approach this:
1) Do it Yourself (DIY) from scratch
2) Use Site Build It! (SBI!)
The Do It Yourself Method
I've actually used both methods for building my site and there are advantages and disadvantages to both.
If you use the DIY method, you will have to go and register a domain name (yoursite.com) and then sign up for a web host and build your pages. You can either learn HTML or buy some kind of web editor like Microsoft FrontPage to build your pages. That's the method I used to build this site.
Averaging between $7 and $15 per month, the DIY method is usually the most cost friendly of the two but you are mostly on your own in terms of learning how to create your web pages and adding the AdSense code to your site.
Web hosts are generally there to house your site. They don't specialize in helping you market and optimize your site for the search engines to help you get traffic. So don't expect a lot from them in terms of helping you market your site.
This is not necessarily a bad thing. I had to learn how to build this site on my own and it wasn't very difficult.
I bought Microsoft FrontPage and in about a day or two my site was up and running. So if you don't mind learning, it's definitely doable. In fact, most people use the DIY method to build their websites. The 2nd method below is fairly new in comparison.
Site Build It! - A Web Host Made for AdSense
This is a revolutionary web host like no other. I use it for my site, www.flat-stomach-exercises.com, and after only 11 months the site was earning over $700 per month for AdSense alone.
It took me over 2 years to earn that kind of AdSense income with this site using the do-it-yourself method.
Today, the site continues to earn money from AdSense yet I have no products to sell. I'm simply offering information on a topic I know a lot about and SBI showed me how to rank high in the search engines for various keyword phrases. Over 90% of traffic comes from the free search engines.
The reason SBI is different from the other do-it-yourself hosts is that first it provides all the web page building and marketing help all in one place. Your domain registration, web hosting and marketing help come with the price.
Super Easy Web Page Builder
Creating your pages is as simple as entering text into form fields and using the user-friendly editor to add text, create links, add pictures and more. No software is needed to install or download. You simply select a template you want to use and your site is built in seconds...literally.
I took a screenshot of the SBI! interface...
Free Guides
What's even better is that you will have access to tons of free guides that show you how to optimize your site for the popular search engines so you can get as much free traffic as possible. Remember, without traffic, you won't make any money with AdSense. That's why having a host like SBI is so important. Keep in mind, a regular DIY host does NOT help you with search engine rankings and traffic.
Brainstorming Tool
Site Build It also comes with a powerful brainstorming tool. So for all of you sitting there wondering about a topic, this tool literally scours the net and helps you decide on the best topic by showing demand and supply (i.e. number of sites on X topic and roughly how feasible it will be to bring in traffic for that particular subject). It is amazing.
The creator of Site Build It even built a micro site that describes how to maximize your AdSense earnings. And since Site Build It's main goal is to show you how to build income through content...it's almost as if AdSense was designed specifically for a web host like SBI.
See the SiteSell AdSense site here.
I highly recommend using SBI -- especially if you plan on building a site specifically to earn money from AdSense. It is the kind of host that stands for everything AdSense is about -- rewarding website owners for building an abundance of useful content.
Even though the two companies are not related, it really is the perfect marriage between a great concept like AdSense and a web host that is dedicated to showing you how to make money by simply providing information.
Successful SBI Websites
Be sure to also take a peek at all the successful SBI websites created by mostly beginners who have never created a site before. Every site listed on this page is in the top 3% in terms of amount of traffic received on the web - thanks to the SBI search engine help.
How to Join AdSense
After you have created your website, click the button on the right to join. Most sites are either accepted or rejected within 24 to 48 hours, so you shouldn't have to wait too long to find out if your application has been approved.
Once you've been accepted, simply copy and paste the provided HTML code into any page that you'd like to show the ads. If you've done a good job of defining the content on your web pages, the ads that show should be relevant to the content of your page...increasing the chances of click-thrus by your visitors.
You can either display the ads vertically along side the page like Google does or in a banner-like formation horizontally across your pages. The placement is up to you. You can even customize the colors to match your site's theme.
If Your Site Is Rejected by Google...
If you receive that email from Google stating that your site has not been accepted, the first thing you should remember is that as an AdSense member, you become a partner and are representing Google, Inc.
They have to make sure the websites that display these ads are up to par or they could run the risk of losing advertisers. Imagine if you were paying Google to display your ad and you found it showing up on a poorly developed, junky website.
Of course, if your site is rejected, it doesn't mean it is poorly developed. There may be other reasons:
1) Is your site an "About Me" page?
Google does not usually accept these kinds of personal sites because most of them do not have a specific topic or theme. They are usually just random facts about the website owner or their hobbies, pictures, etc.
It would be difficult for Google's technology to display targeted ads on these kinds of pages because the topics vary from subject to subject.
They are looking for "themed" sites that contain a generous amount of information on a specific topic. It could be anything from sewing tips to sports. Just make sure there is an obvious theme with adequate information.
2) Is your site organized?
Be sure your site has a neat and clean navigation that's easy to follow. Also ensure all the links work and that there are no typos. Keep the colors to a minimum and make sure each page has a consistent layout.
3) How many pages are on your site?
Even though Google doesn't specify a page number requirement, many believe they are looking for web sites with a certain amount of content. Again, it's not likely a two-page site will get accepted. Try to strive for at least 15 pages.
4) Is your content solid?
Don't just submit a website with a bunch of links to other sites. Be sure you have a themed/niche site with enough original content of your own.
5) Is your site an exact carbon copy of someone else's?
Some believe Google can find out if your site is original or not. Don't risk it and steal from someone else. It will come back to haunt you.
If you're stuck, write a few articles of your own and then go to sites like www.articlecity.com and sprinkle a few of their articles around your site to beef it up.
6) Be sure to read their program policy and procedures carefully and make sure your site hasn't violated any of the terms.
Tips on Succeeding With AdSense
Here are some tips for achieving success with AdSense.1. Create a website with your (YourSite.com). Don't try to use a free web host because your site will likely have banners and pop-ups and get rejected because it looks unprofessional. Not to mention, a free web host will give you a website address like this:
http://thefreewebhost.com/yoursite/member1234/home.html
instead of...
http://www.yoursite.com
See how much more clean, concise and professional that last link is?
If paying for a website causes you to frown, remember the money you earn from AdSense could more than pay for the web hosting fees you'll incur.
Look at it as an investment instead of a cost. I never dreamed I'd have this much success with this program. My AdSense earnings clearly outweigh the few dollars I pay every month to maintain my sites.
2. If you don't know web programming or have no desire to learn it, get a beginner's design editor like CoffeeCup. You can publish your content directly to the web from the software.
Keep in mind you can't use FrontPage alone. You must have a web host that will allow you to publish your site to the Internet via FrontPage. (More on web hosting in a sec.)
3. If the main goal of your site is to make money with AdSense, be sure to choose a topic that you know a lot about so you can write lots and lots of content.
Don't like to write? No problem! There are sites like www.articlecity.com that provide free reprint rights. Just search their database and find articles that match the theme of your site.
Don't rely completely on sites like this, however. You'll definitely want to have some of your own unique content. A few articles from these sites is fine, but relying on them for 90% of your information is not going to help your site.
4. Get traffic. Once your site is up and running you'll need to learn how to get your site listed in the major search engines.
Getting into Google is completely free and can bring in hundreds or even thousands of visitors per day. All you have to do is submit your site to them and wait patiently while Google ads it to the index. It can take a few months. Patience is key with Google. Then do the same with Yahoo, MSN, etc.
5. Partner up with other related sites and participate in link swaps. This means that you place a link to another person's site on your own site and they do the same for you in return. This is a great way to get even more free traffic.
6. Get a copy of AdSense Gold. There are tons of books on how to maximize your earnings with Adsense, but this one is different because it's written by someone who actually earns 5-figure Adsense checks every month.
The author gives you some invaluable free tips on his site, but if you want the most profitable strategies, you have to buy the book.
Sign up for AdSense.
I am happy to say that making money with your site, no matter the topic, has become easier than it's ever been before - and it's 100% legitimate.
If AdSense had been available in 2000, I would have NEVER shut down my soap opera fan site that received 200 hits per day. I would have been able to earn money from that traffic and probably turned a small profit.
$1 Million Dollars From AdSense? Is It Possible?
Yes! The webmaster of plentyoffish.com earned $1 million dollars in two months from AdSense thanks to his free dating site. Join in the discussion here!
From AdWords to AdSense
Google.com earns most of its revenue by allowing other website owners to advertise on their search result pages. All this is managed through a program they call AdWords.
Now you can earn a share of the revenue that Google earns from AdWords by placing these same text ads on your site. In other words, you're helping Google advertise and they pay you a percentage of what they earn.
This program is called AdSense.
Every website owner should be involved in this. It's just too good of an opportunity to pass up. Even if your site is just for information purposes, you can still participate and make decent money with AdSense -- or at least enough to fund your website.
So if you are one of those people that don't like the idea of paying for a site, this is an excellent way to earn your money back and then some.
Even if you earned as little as $10 in a month, it would more than likely cover some or all of the costs for your web site. Perhaps you are simply looking for ways to add additional revenue to your website, then it's perfect for that situation too.
This program is getting so popular, people are creating websites just to display the ads and profit from Google's AdSense alone.
I don't usually like to use the term "easy money" because there really is no such thing. You still have to create your own website and learn how to bring in traffic in order to make good money with this program.
I certainly don't want to make it sound like you get something for doing absolutely nothing. There's no such thing.
However, I've got to say that AdSense is probably the closest you'll ever come to fast money on the Internet -- especially if you already have a website that gets a good amount of traffic.
What's even better...the program is completely free. You can also use it on multiple websites and there is no limit to the amount you can earn.
How AdSense Works
If you go to Google.com and do a search for almost any keyword phrase, you'll notice some "Sponsored Links" that appear on the right side of the screen that are relevant to the keywords you just searched for.
Website owners pay Google to display these ads and are charged a predetermined amount every time their ad gets clicked by a web surfer. With the AdSense program, you will display these same text ads on your site just like Google and get paid for it as well.
All you do is copy and paste some provided HTML code into your pages and Voila! the ads will show up. Every time an ad is clicked on your site, you will receive a certain percentage of what Google receives from the advertiser.
Once your account reaches $100, you'll receive a check in the mail.
"Is Google Crazy?"
I know what you're probably thinking...
"What's the catch here? Why would Google just give away money advertisers are paying them?"
The answer...
Because Google is very smart.
Now that I understand how AdSense works, I can see that it's a win-win situation for everyone involved, and the bottom line benefits Google. Let me explain...
Since the advertiser's ads are now being displayed on more web sites all over the internet (instead of just Google's site), they are getting much more exposure. More exposure means more clicks and even more traffic for their site over a shorter period of time.
This is good news for Google because the more traffic the advertisers receive, the faster their advertising funds are used up.
Remember, they get charged every time their site gets a visit; and of course, it is Google's hope that they'll continue to keep funneling more money into their account for more ad exposure.
What an ingenious way for Google to increase the amount of money they earn from advertisers while building loyalty with website owners (like us) who are now getting paid to help them advertise.
Of course, I'd expect nothing less from the most popular search engine on the web. :)
My Personal AdSense Story
I have been receiving monthly checks from Google since 2003, and I've read numerous success stories of websites earning 5 digit incomes per month with AdSense.
Now, I will admit, a 5-digit commission in a single month is probably not the norm for most participants. I promote AdSense on three of my websites and my checks have been as high as $4,000, but usually average around $2,000.
I would estimate that my earnings are above average and that is mainly because I keep adding more content to my sites on an ongoing basis.
The more information you have, the greater chance you have of attracting free search engine traffic. That's why it's so very important you choose a topic you have an interest in so you can keep building and building.
My checks weren't always that large. I think my first month's earnings in 2003 totaled less than $20. However, I kept getting more and more search engine traffic by adding more content and the checks slowly began to increase. I had no idea it would grow to anything like this.
COPYCATS BEWARE!
I read an article about a lazy person that copied someone else's content word for word and pasted on their own site. They tried to join AdSense and they were rejected for unauthentic content. I don't know how Google found out their site was a duplicate of someone else's but they did.
Not to mention, the search engines are now ignoring pages with duplicate content. So all the thieves out there that are too lazy to come up with their own content are now finding that they cannot get their site ranked in Google, Yahoo and MSN simply because they've copied someone else's work.
It's not worth the risk. Not to mention, it's illegal to republish someone else's work without permission. That's why you should choose a topic you know a lot about or at least have a great interest in.
There's no reason to copy off someone else's site. Be original. Laziness always comes to bite you in the long-run.
"How Much Can I Earn With AdSense?"
Google does not disclose exactly how much you'll earn per ad that is clicked.
The commission you receive per click depends on how much advertisers are paying Google for the particular ad. You will earn a share of that amount. I've heard of earnings anywhere from 2 cents to $15 per click.
So it is logical to believe that keyword phrases like debt free, employment, make money, mp3, sex, etc. will earn you more per click since these are highly competitive keywords that are searched for quite a bit on the web.
Advertisers generally pay more for popular terms because they are searched for more.
Even though Google will not reveal how much you are earning for each ad that is clicked from your site, you can still login to your account at any time and see the total amount of revenue you've generated that day, week, month, year, etc.
For example, if you see that you've made $12.60 today from 9 clicks then you can calculate that your average click-thru commission was $1.40 per click. That's as detailed as their stats will get. Also remember, that's only an average. You won't know how much each specific ad brought in.
The amount you'll earn also depends largely on the amount of targeted traffic you receive to your own site, how well the ads match your audience's interests, the placement of the ads on your pages, and of course the amount you receive per click.
Ideally, you should create a site on a topic you know a lot about. That way you'll have a much easier time creating a generous amount of content on that subject.
How Google Matches the Ads to Your Site's Content
One of the main reasons this program is so successful is because the ads that are displayed closely match the content of your website. This increases the chances that someone will click on the ads.
Here's how Google accomplishes the content match...
"...We go beyond simple keyword matching to understand the context and content of web pages. Based on an algorithm that includes such factors as keyword analysis, word frequency, font size, and the overall link structure of the web, we know what a page is about, and can precisely match Google ads to each page."
So let's say you have an information website about yoga. Once you join AdSense and paste their ad code into your site, Google's technology will determine the topic of the pages by scanning for keyword repeats, page title, etc.
If successful, you will see ads that relate to yoga displayed on your web pages. Of course, the more related the ads are to your site's content, the better the click-thru.
Keep in mind, the ads may not be an exact match because it depends on the ads inside Google's database. So instead of seeing yoga ads, you may see more generic ads like exercise, healthy eating, etc. This is not a bad thing because these are topics your visitors will likely be interested in as well.
Why I Believe AdSense Works So Well
For years, website owners have tried to make money from their sites by putting up banner ads in hopes of visitors clicking them. The problem with banner ads is that the Internet audience is so immune to them, people do not click on them anymore.
When's the last time you clicked a banner ad?
...Exactly!
Second, in order for the web site owner to earn money from that banner ad, usually the web surfer that clicks has to purchase something. With AdSense, your visitors just have to click the ads. They don't have to purchase a single thing.
Third, most people that use banner ads do not do a good job of matching the ads to the website's content so the click thru percentages are dismal.
With Google's AdSense, not only are you displaying text ads, (which tend to receive a much higher click-thru rate than banner ads), but you are displaying contextual ads that match your website's content....thanks to Google's advanced technology.
Lots of times people think the ads are part of your site's content so they click because the information is relevant to your site. Whereas with banner ads, they often have little relevance and people tend to ignore them no matter how much they flash and fly across the page.
Creating Your Website for AdSense
Before you even begin your site, make sure you've come up with a topic that you feel you know plenty about. That way it will be easiest to write a lot of content.
The more content you have, the better chance you have getting accepted into the program. Also, the more content, the greater the earning potential. AdSense is nothing but a numbers game. If you want to make a lot of money, prepare to write a lot of content.
Now let's talk about building your website. There are two ways you can approach this:
1) Do it Yourself (DIY) from scratch
2) Use Site Build It! (SBI!)
The Do It Yourself Method
I've actually used both methods for building my site and there are advantages and disadvantages to both.
If you use the DIY method, you will have to go and register a domain name (yoursite.com) and then sign up for a web host and build your pages. You can either learn HTML or buy some kind of web editor like Microsoft FrontPage to build your pages. That's the method I used to build this site.
Averaging between $7 and $15 per month, the DIY method is usually the most cost friendly of the two but you are mostly on your own in terms of learning how to create your web pages and adding the AdSense code to your site.
Web hosts are generally there to house your site. They don't specialize in helping you market and optimize your site for the search engines to help you get traffic. So don't expect a lot from them in terms of helping you market your site.
This is not necessarily a bad thing. I had to learn how to build this site on my own and it wasn't very difficult.
I bought Microsoft FrontPage and in about a day or two my site was up and running. So if you don't mind learning, it's definitely doable. In fact, most people use the DIY method to build their websites. The 2nd method below is fairly new in comparison.
Site Build It! - A Web Host Made for AdSense
This is a revolutionary web host like no other. I use it for my site, www.flat-stomach-exercises.com, and after only 11 months the site was earning over $700 per month for AdSense alone.
It took me over 2 years to earn that kind of AdSense income with this site using the do-it-yourself method.
Today, the site continues to earn money from AdSense yet I have no products to sell. I'm simply offering information on a topic I know a lot about and SBI showed me how to rank high in the search engines for various keyword phrases. Over 90% of traffic comes from the free search engines.
The reason SBI is different from the other do-it-yourself hosts is that first it provides all the web page building and marketing help all in one place. Your domain registration, web hosting and marketing help come with the price.
Super Easy Web Page Builder
Creating your pages is as simple as entering text into form fields and using the user-friendly editor to add text, create links, add pictures and more. No software is needed to install or download. You simply select a template you want to use and your site is built in seconds...literally.
I took a screenshot of the SBI! interface...
Free Guides
What's even better is that you will have access to tons of free guides that show you how to optimize your site for the popular search engines so you can get as much free traffic as possible. Remember, without traffic, you won't make any money with AdSense. That's why having a host like SBI is so important. Keep in mind, a regular DIY host does NOT help you with search engine rankings and traffic.
Brainstorming Tool
Site Build It also comes with a powerful brainstorming tool. So for all of you sitting there wondering about a topic, this tool literally scours the net and helps you decide on the best topic by showing demand and supply (i.e. number of sites on X topic and roughly how feasible it will be to bring in traffic for that particular subject). It is amazing.
The creator of Site Build It even built a micro site that describes how to maximize your AdSense earnings. And since Site Build It's main goal is to show you how to build income through content...it's almost as if AdSense was designed specifically for a web host like SBI.
See the SiteSell AdSense site here.
I highly recommend using SBI -- especially if you plan on building a site specifically to earn money from AdSense. It is the kind of host that stands for everything AdSense is about -- rewarding website owners for building an abundance of useful content.
Even though the two companies are not related, it really is the perfect marriage between a great concept like AdSense and a web host that is dedicated to showing you how to make money by simply providing information.
Successful SBI Websites
Be sure to also take a peek at all the successful SBI websites created by mostly beginners who have never created a site before. Every site listed on this page is in the top 3% in terms of amount of traffic received on the web - thanks to the SBI search engine help.
How to Join AdSense
After you have created your website, click the button on the right to join. Most sites are either accepted or rejected within 24 to 48 hours, so you shouldn't have to wait too long to find out if your application has been approved.
Once you've been accepted, simply copy and paste the provided HTML code into any page that you'd like to show the ads. If you've done a good job of defining the content on your web pages, the ads that show should be relevant to the content of your page...increasing the chances of click-thrus by your visitors.
You can either display the ads vertically along side the page like Google does or in a banner-like formation horizontally across your pages. The placement is up to you. You can even customize the colors to match your site's theme.
If Your Site Is Rejected by Google...
If you receive that email from Google stating that your site has not been accepted, the first thing you should remember is that as an AdSense member, you become a partner and are representing Google, Inc.
They have to make sure the websites that display these ads are up to par or they could run the risk of losing advertisers. Imagine if you were paying Google to display your ad and you found it showing up on a poorly developed, junky website.
Of course, if your site is rejected, it doesn't mean it is poorly developed. There may be other reasons:
1) Is your site an "About Me" page?
Google does not usually accept these kinds of personal sites because most of them do not have a specific topic or theme. They are usually just random facts about the website owner or their hobbies, pictures, etc.
It would be difficult for Google's technology to display targeted ads on these kinds of pages because the topics vary from subject to subject.
They are looking for "themed" sites that contain a generous amount of information on a specific topic. It could be anything from sewing tips to sports. Just make sure there is an obvious theme with adequate information.
2) Is your site organized?
Be sure your site has a neat and clean navigation that's easy to follow. Also ensure all the links work and that there are no typos. Keep the colors to a minimum and make sure each page has a consistent layout.
3) How many pages are on your site?
Even though Google doesn't specify a page number requirement, many believe they are looking for web sites with a certain amount of content. Again, it's not likely a two-page site will get accepted. Try to strive for at least 15 pages.
4) Is your content solid?
Don't just submit a website with a bunch of links to other sites. Be sure you have a themed/niche site with enough original content of your own.
5) Is your site an exact carbon copy of someone else's?
Some believe Google can find out if your site is original or not. Don't risk it and steal from someone else. It will come back to haunt you.
If you're stuck, write a few articles of your own and then go to sites like www.articlecity.com and sprinkle a few of their articles around your site to beef it up.
6) Be sure to read their program policy and procedures carefully and make sure your site hasn't violated any of the terms.
Tips on Succeeding With AdSense
Here are some tips for achieving success with AdSense.1. Create a website with your (YourSite.com). Don't try to use a free web host because your site will likely have banners and pop-ups and get rejected because it looks unprofessional. Not to mention, a free web host will give you a website address like this:
http://thefreewebhost.com/yoursite/member1234/home.html
instead of...
http://www.yoursite.com
See how much more clean, concise and professional that last link is?
If paying for a website causes you to frown, remember the money you earn from AdSense could more than pay for the web hosting fees you'll incur.
Look at it as an investment instead of a cost. I never dreamed I'd have this much success with this program. My AdSense earnings clearly outweigh the few dollars I pay every month to maintain my sites.
2. If you don't know web programming or have no desire to learn it, get a beginner's design editor like CoffeeCup. You can publish your content directly to the web from the software.
Keep in mind you can't use FrontPage alone. You must have a web host that will allow you to publish your site to the Internet via FrontPage. (More on web hosting in a sec.)
3. If the main goal of your site is to make money with AdSense, be sure to choose a topic that you know a lot about so you can write lots and lots of content.
Don't like to write? No problem! There are sites like www.articlecity.com that provide free reprint rights. Just search their database and find articles that match the theme of your site.
Don't rely completely on sites like this, however. You'll definitely want to have some of your own unique content. A few articles from these sites is fine, but relying on them for 90% of your information is not going to help your site.
4. Get traffic. Once your site is up and running you'll need to learn how to get your site listed in the major search engines.
Getting into Google is completely free and can bring in hundreds or even thousands of visitors per day. All you have to do is submit your site to them and wait patiently while Google ads it to the index. It can take a few months. Patience is key with Google. Then do the same with Yahoo, MSN, etc.
5. Partner up with other related sites and participate in link swaps. This means that you place a link to another person's site on your own site and they do the same for you in return. This is a great way to get even more free traffic.
6. Get a copy of AdSense Gold. There are tons of books on how to maximize your earnings with Adsense, but this one is different because it's written by someone who actually earns 5-figure Adsense checks every month.
The author gives you some invaluable free tips on his site, but if you want the most profitable strategies, you have to buy the book.
Sign up for AdSense.
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