Seeking The Adsense Treasure - Some Observations Along the Google Way...
posted October 4, 2009 - 9:04pmXomba Writing Contest Entry.
October 2009 - My Adsense Report - Chapter 7 of a series - This article is the latest chapter in a series of articles involving my search for the Adsense Treasure. It has been a long journey with twists and turns and dead-ends. Although, it continues, there have been discoveries which have treated us well - thus, the reason to advance still further....
Since my last report in August 2009, I've been trying all types of tweaks, readings, tests, and adjustments to my articles in the continuing attempt to unlock the secrets to the Adsense treasure. I know a lot of folks read my first six chapters (weeks). Many times I've read something, got interested, and then a series of articles just stop in mid-air.
I hate it when that happens. So, I thought it important to not have such a happening occur with this series, and, thus, here is my report to date:
I use for my writing two writing platforms, Hub Pages and Xomba. I've got more of an insight into Adsense when I started setting up my own website for “pinktaxi.us” and “josephehoward.com.” Both URLs go to one website. Now, instead of just writing using adsense, I was actually picking the design, color, positioning, and what ads to actually select. Since plunging into the website-side of adsense I, again, find myself scratching my head, just as I did (or do) with writing using Adsense.
Here's a tip I believe to be valuable, if not right now, certainly, a valuable asset in your future. Go buy the URL (if available) with your name. As, example; if your name is John Smith, try and get “johnsmith.com.” The “.com” address, let's face it, .com is the industry standard know worldwide. If the .com is not available you can try securing your name using .net, .org, or the newest U.S. designation “.us.” .us stands for United States.
By securing your name on a URL you solidify yourself. Then, if not now, but at a later date you want to set-up your website to present your writing works you can do it with your own name. This makes YOU a unique address on the Internet. If you do not write under your own name, but use a pen-name, then solidify yourself by getting a web-address (URL) unique to your pen-name.
URLs are pretty cheap these days and can be paid for by the year, or two, five, ten years, whatever you choose. I use GoDaddy.com as my hosting company and the company I buy my URLs from. “.com” addresses are only $10.69 per year, and if you choose to pay for multiple years the price per year is less. They are a website hosting company, but, more important, they are an URL Registar. Registars are officially authorized to distribute URLs. If there ever is a problem regarding your-URL it is the Registar who you go to. I also have my website hosted with GoDaddy. With all the tools I need to create a website, and keep it up to date, including unique email addresses, and 24/7 tech support via telephone, I pay $4.99 month. The price includes five pages for my one website. For pennies a day you can upgrade to accept credit cards, get more pages, have a shopping cart, whatever your heart desires.
Another excellent company is Netfirms.com. (There are many other quality companies to select from, just do a little research before you commit.)
The difference between GoDaddy and Netfirms is GoDaddy will bill you monthly after an initial 3-month payment to start and Netfirms bills yearly only. GoDaddy is based in Arizona, and Netfirms is based in Canada. I give 5-star ratings to both companies. And, best of all, both companies offer their help-services from where they are based, not half way around the world.
I have used the Internet since 1994, and let me tell you that there are a lot of shotty companies offering the works for a website. I have learned from my own bad-experiences to go with a company with a proven track record. I personally have dealt with Netfirms since finding them in the sea-of-Internet-crap back in 2002. I have watched GoDaddy grow since discovering them through a friend. I have had hosting with them for two flawless years.
Here's the one rule I follow; if they don't have 24/7 FREE tech support via telephone, “find another company!” Building a website can be mind boggling at times and there's nothing better than picking up the phone and getting compassionate tech support, and having things well-explained, so, you can move on with the building.
Why your own website? No one will take the care of marketing you better than you. If you've amassed enough writing on any of the writing-platforms (Xomba, Hub Pages, Wordpress, etc.) you can link your website through your posted articles on the platforms.
For me, using links to my website and links back to the platforms steer traffic to my site. It may not be a lot, but, its a start. Also, I don't have to “store” my articles on my site and take up a lot of space. I keep my articles on the platforms and their links on my website. Having a website is like your piece of real estate on the Internet. In a way, you're open for business. You could sell ebooks, and/or what ever else tickles your fancy. And you control the content and you control the censorship. I've been censored. When you've devoted time and research to a piece and then have it labeled "unacceptable material," it's frustrating and hurtful. There are sites that may censor you for any number of reasons. One, in particular is "writing about advertisers." Sites are fearful of "rocking the boat" and loosing advertising revenue. I hold to this rule "no advertiser will take away my right to free speech!" But, I do clearly understand why censorship occurs and I do my best to play by each writing-platform's rules.
On my own site I do whatever I want based on my right to free speech. On my website I do not censor my own works. But, my aim is always for general audience reading.
A website is something to think about for your writing future. And, a website with your unique name, I believe is the best of all.
Lastly, a word about free websites. They are limited and do not properly present us, if, our aim is to present ourselves. Yea, you sort of get a website address, but, you do not get “the website address.”
The website address should look like (using John Smith, as example) johnsmith.com
It is not as effective using something like “internetgroups.com/johnsmith,” or similar.
And, by building a website you will harvest more Adsense knowledge. Google has a treasure-trove of useful information on how to set your website up and profit using Adsense.
On the writing platform Hub Pages you have the option of adding eBay and Amazon ads of your choice. I try to keep my ads consistent with my topic. I encourage anyone writing in this platform to use these advertising options. It's another way to flash for-sale and give you, yet, another chance to put some coin in your pocket.
And, I'm still working my way through my many articles adding keywords, and adjusting my text so my selected keywords flow within the content.
Just a quick word about tags. I wrote an article about Tyler Weinman. He's the 18-year old who is accused of mutilating and killing 19 cats in Florida and I've been following the on-going events working up to the trial. I have a tracker set up with Google News so I can get the latest news on this subject.
It's been through my research of this article that I've learned about bogus-tags. I'm getting updates from sites and articles which have nothing to do with the case. I wondered for awhile, how could this be? My previous trackings using Google News have always been fairly good. But, not this time. When I started checking things out, I found websites/articles which had nothing to do with the case I am working on. It, so happens these authors had added to their usual tags the name “Tyler Weinman” just to draw traffic, and no other reason.
It appears some people use high-profile words/names as a way to draw additional traffic to their sites. It is my understanding Google frowns on such tactics. Bogus-tags can't possibly do anyone any good.
My point, if you're going to be a writer on the Internet, using bogus-tags degrade your work.
Awhile back I wrote a Chapter 7X of this series especially for my readers on the Xomba Platform. In it I made mention of 600 full-written articles being a good aim to start getting reasonable pay from Adsense. I am just shy of 200 fully written articles. It took me 18 months to make my first $100, and three months to make my second $100.
To me, making money using Adsense is like kicking a snowball off the top of a mountain. The roll down the mountain increases with the number of written articles you've written. In time your ability to gain revenue will “snowball” into a worth-while amount. For me, the magic number of articles I need is 600.
Previously, I have said Adsense is like a crap-shoot, and I still hold this to be true. You may realize fast-high-revenue by being lucky enough to achieve a high click-through rate on one piece out-of-the-blue. It does happen and its happened to many, but, it hasn't happened for me, and, probably not to you.
I just wanted to bring everyone up to date and let you know I'm still out here in Googleland with my pick and shovel looking for the illusive Adsense treasure.
Thanks for reading, and I'll be back to give you my latest report in November.
Here are some links you might find useful:
My Adsense Report - Unlocking The Secrets Of Adsense - Week 7X
Free Site - LOTS of Help for "all" Writers:
Go Daddy Web Hosting and Registar Services
Netfirms Web Hosting and Registar Services
3000 Words on Maximizing AdSense Revenue *
http://hubpages.com/hub/3000-Words-on-Maximizing-AdSense-Revenue-with-Hub-Pages
*this article is written for writing on Hub Pages, but, it has superb information useful across all platforms.
Post Script!
I was looking over in Adsense help on Google the other day when I noticed a little yellow box at the bottom of the page with a little lightbulb in it.
Here's what it said: “"Do you use a web publishing platform such as Hubpages, Xomba, Wordpress, MediaWiki, or Weebly? Your site or service may offer instructions for using AdSense..."
It was pretty exciting to me because XOMBA is a “publishing platform." No longer just a site! I would think that to be important for our growth. It's great advertising....and we're moving up to the top of the heap. I think I see light!
And, please make comments as they help with the sharing of information and knowledge. You can write me direct on Xomba under “Joseph E Howard,” and on Hub Pages under “pinktaxi,” or from my website. I will answer all inquires.
This article is copyright 2009 Pink Taxi Communications XCM , Tualatin, Oregon, USA 97062
http://www.pinktaxi.us or http://www.josephehoward.com
The Google Adsense logo is the property of Google Inc.
Website addresses are the property of their respective owners.
Join Xomba Today
Do you like to write? Would you like to make a little extra money on the side? These people do. Join the Xomba community today.
Become a Member
Comments
Seeking The Adsense Treasure -- Correction made...
I actually have a copy of those key-words. If you'd like to see the list send me a Xomba email and I'll send it to you. Sorry about the link-problem...
Visit: "Along The Merry Way..." - Good Reading Every Day
The link you posted above to
The link you posted above to http://hubpages.com/hub/50-Keywords-which-pay-2-10-per-click-Adsense%C2%A0 does not work...it says the page does not exist.
http://www.macrofind.com - we don't search, we find.
Adsense - 1st $100 took 18 mo, 2nd $100 took 3 months
By March of 2009 (15 months) I had a Adsense total of about $54.00. I had about 90 articles (bytes) published after 18 months. Up until Month 15 I had never done anything with the 90 articles regarding Adsense. I started checking my keywords, book marking via InfoPirate and Onlywire, and linking some of my articles to each other. I, also, changed the title on some that were not gaining any $$.
By June 30 I had $100.06. I now have, on Xomba, 170 Bytes. But, keep in mind, the newest 80 articles have been fortified from the start using everything I've learned. I have 57 articles published on Hub Pages.
I'm still a babe-in-Adsense-land. But, I can see there is MUCH to gain - both in exposure and in revenue - using and learning and experimenting with the many tweaks-of-Adsense.
I've garnished a little bit better grasp since I started building my own website. It's nowhere near a point of public-viewing but setting it up and doing a lot of reading via Google, and here, and over on Hub, I believe my higher figures and speed-of-revenue into my account is getting better because I continue -- a little time everyday -- to keep chipping away at the Adsense Mountain.
Some day I'll yell Eureka! And, then I can write, yet, another chapter of My Adsense Report.
And, let me say that many of my Xomblurbs have out preformed my Xombytes by leaps and bounds. Most of my Xomblurbs are about crime, crap, and gadgets - three things the public feeds off of.
Some of my articles, which are my favorites, and were fun to write have not generated any revenue. Weird, huh?
Thanks Prism for your comment
Visit: "Along The Merry Way..." - Good Reading Every Day
Tips for Writing with Adsense
Very information Joseph! It's interesting how it only took 3 months to hit your second $100 when it took 18 months for the first. What a big difference. Would you say that you were publishing articles more frequently in that 3 months also or about the same pace as before.
Great article!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Earn for Your Writing on Xomba
Earn for Your Writing on Bukisa
Check Out My Writing on Bukisa
Post new comment