AdSense are you just making money for Google?

[temi]

I wonder if other webmasters are making any sensible money off AdSense or if we are just mugs making money for Google and promoting them on our sites free of charge. I have made about $20 dollars last month despite giving them thousands and thousands of exposure

[Paul_KY]

I don't allow my Adword ads to be seen on Adsense. And I know I'm not the only one.

I'm not sure if it was this forum or not, where I talked about Google Adsense ads vs Banners. I compared the fascination with banners, in their early stage, to Google Adwords, in their early stage. I see a parallel. And with all the hype surrounding Google, that's why I saw a much higher CTR with Google Adsense than that of the original banner.

Tons of your visitors don't even see the adds due to installed ad blockers.

I'm sorry for those webmasters who put up sites built around adwords. I know they were making good money in the early stages. But it's all too obvious they're not making anywhere near the amounts they were making in the beginning.

Adsense sure as heck added tons of fuel to the, "Pre-IPO" Google fire. And helped those boys get wax rich (Now on the Forbes list), though I don't think that was the motive behind Adwords at all.

Think about it, when was the last time you clicked on a banner, then made a major purchase?

Google Adwords Dependents, I wish you well.

Google needs to get back to work, fixing their ALGO, and let the accountants count all their money.

IMHO

Paul

[temi]

You started with and excellent analysis Paul and you end up with anti Google rant

So do lots of people use Ad blocker this days? I know of pop up blocker, but I am not sure adsense blocker is common place yet.

The reason I think AdSens may not be working is the same reason banner ads went out of fashion, it eventually become "part of the furniture", you tune you mind to ignore it an concentration your surfing experience so you don't even notice the Ads.

It could also bee the amount of unique visitors you get, forum tends to attract the same members again and again so less people see the ads in a forum compared with a site that attract lots of unique visitors.

Temi

[Paul_KY]

Temi,

Forums, historically, were in general, never big money makers. There are only a few making serious money, and they've been around eons ago. I'm sure the members of those boards click the adwords adds just to provide the administrators with revenue, and having absolutely NO intent to buy. That's JMHO.

As for my, "Anti Google Rant"... :blue:

You know, I used to love the days where I'd have a question, or be looking for something and all I'd need to do is type G O O G L E . C O M.
Now, and I'm not the only one, after sifting through the SE SPAM, many times I can't find what I'm looking for at all. :bang: I then go to Yahoo, MSN, Teoma, etc. I really liked Google results back then.

Most of the people I see REALLY bashing Google, are the ones who've listings have dropped, or sites have been blacklisted, etc. None of this has happened in my case. When I speak of Google ALGO, I'm sharing my own searching experiences.

Recently, I posted a site about doorway pages. I used the site many a time, yet couldn't find it in my bookmarks. I did a quick Google search, knowing I'd need to go to the 3rd/4th page to find the site, but POOF!, there it was, yes, sitting in the #1 position for a high traffic keyword. :brow: The site then gets blasted for it's amateurism, lack of professionalism, being out of date, etc. But it's #1. I admit that site had information on OTHER pages within the site, which I DID NOT post, but it's #1, Temi.

The avg surfer must give some credence to the #1 listing, correct? So perhaps I'm not the only one in sharing these search experiences via Google.

Peace :toast:

Paul

[temi]

Paul,
Do you like ask.com ? They has stopped accepting paid inclusion because they think it will make their search result more credible, I think that is a pretty noble thing to do.

I don't use ask.com , I sort of don't like their search results.
Temi

[Paul_KY]

Ask.com/AskJeeves.com's results are, "OK". They'll get better though, as their results are powered by Teoma. I don't like the fact they show my site/s in, "Frames" though.

I don't like, "Paid Inclusion" in, "Natural Results" either. Although I love, "featured/sponsored" listings :wink:

[temi]

So what is your favourite search engine?

[Paul_KY]

ALL OF THEM :mrgreen:

[temi]

That is good, I am not as nice as you, only like the one that ranks my site high, it used to be Google now its Yahoo

[Paul_KY]

I like advertising on Yahoo the best, if that's what you mean. :rock:

As for, "Free" traffic, it's pretty much equal across the board, with Google traffic converting the least, AOL the best, Yahoo the second best, MSN the third. But this amounts to a mere 20% of our traffic.

From the get go, I never relied on, "Free" SE traffic. Whenever things are, "Free" one really has no control over them. :up2:

IMHO, the SE's see their portals as a way for companies to get wax rich off the sweat of THEIR brows. Thus you see the current, "Shake up" in the SERPS. Whether some like it or not, IMHO this is a way for them to start getting the businesses to, "Pay Up". :deal:

The free ride is over. And I'm truly thankful I didn't build our advertising foundation on anything, "Free". :banana:

Given that, the, "Free" traffic is nice, providing it's targeted and converts.

My two cents

Paul