6 Ways To Optimize AdSense Ads To Increase Revenue

Yesterday, we talked about some things you should consider before starting off your blog in 2013, and in that, we discusses about some SEO-related things. For a lot of blogs out there, the major purpose is to make money, So today, we’ll carry on the idea, and talk about Google AdSense. For beginners as well as advanced users, the start of a new year would be a good time to start thinking about your AdSense campaign. Are you making the most out of your ads? Now would be a good time to review your ad performance, and make changes accordingly. So here, we’ll provide you with a checklist of 6 things you can do to optimize AdSense and make the most out of your ads.

Recommended for you: Top tips to optimize Google AdSense Ads on your blog

1. Are you utilizing your ad spots?

This is the first questions you should be asking yourself. AdSense won’t allow you to add as many ad units as you like. But are you even utilizing all the ad-spots that it does allow? For every page on your website, AdSense will only let you place three AdSense for content units. These vary in size, so you can utilize the best possible locations your ads can fit in. But you can only place one 300×600 ad unit. Apart from this, you can use three text-ad units, and two AdSense for for search boxes units. Before placing all these ad-units though, take some time to consider whether you have a sizable quality content to ad unit ratio. It just doesn’t make sense if all the ad spots have been used, but there is no actual content on that page.

2. Take a look at your ad sizes

Generally speaking, wide ad units tend to perform better than tall ones. For example, the 728×90, 336×280, and 300×250 ad sizes are usually the highest performers. You should try on multiple ad sizes, and find out for yourself what works best for you. The ad size should also correspond to the placement of your content. For example, a tall and thin ad-unit doesn’t make sense within a written post.

3. Use text and images too

Usually, publishers just focus on image ads, and forget about the other options available. Adding text ads is a good idea as well, because they compete with the image ad units for the same space. Using a combination of text and image ads can help you earn a lot more.

4. Add search boxes

As mentioned above, image ads are not the only thing in the world. AdSense will allow you two AdSense for search boxes units per page as well. They let you place a custom search engine on your site to provide users with web search. And you might earn from relevant ads on the search results page.

5. Make your ad units accessible

Pay special attention to where you actually place your ad units. They should complement, and fit in with your content. And also, users should be able to easily identify and access them. Generally, ads should be above-the-fold. Google offers a lot of guidelines to help you place your ads.

6. Check out color combinations

Last, but not the least, use trial and error, and play around with various color schemes and ad styles. They can play a big part in how much revenue you earn. There are three strategies you can choose from. Blend, Compliment, and contrast. Compliment is normal placement, where ad units are used within content, and are distinguishable. Blending ad units into content means using the same colors, so that it is hard to distinguish the ad unit. Contrast means you use contrasting colors that scream out an ad-unit’s presence. You can use any of those, as long as you follow the guidelines from Google.

That was it for now. Stay tuned for more on AdSense. For any questions, please use the comments section below. Peace 🙂

Why Every Freelancer Today Wants To Be A Blogger?

Freelancing and Blogging are among the many ways you can earn money online. We have been sharing tips on both at this blog. But the question is, which one is better? Sure, they both have their share of pros and cons,
but the fact is, they are increasingly becoming inter-dependent. Most
freelancers are now aspiring to become bloggers at some level or
another. Why? Because it’s their need of the hour! So the greater
question is, should one start blogging as a career?
Freelance work is increasingly demanding the presence of blogging,
which is why a lot of Freelancers are now bloggers as well. Here’s why
you should blog if you are a freelancer.

An easier way to get yourself noticed

Blogging gives freelancers an opportunity to represent themselves on a
whole new level. Let’s face it, the idea of describing yourself in just
two lines in a profile is just ridiculous. Hence, when applying for a
freelancing job, that is when a blog comes in handy. Besides your bio
and portfolio, you can add a link to your blog. Now, you can tap into
the vast power of a blog, and show them your entire work. You can show
stuff that’s not even related to the job you’ve bid for. This creates a
really positive impression, which is why many freelancers are now
starting to blog.

More credibility

Established bloggers have credibility. They have had contacts with
professional people, and they have gotten a name out for themselves, and
hence gained some recognition. They are also active on social media.
Now freelance clients always prefer giving a project to someone who
seems real enough, and whom they can contact through multiple channels
in case of an emergency.

Take a case study for example. You want some work done, and you’ve had
some bids regarding your project. There’s this guy who just has some bio
and profile filled out, and then there’s another one who has linked to
his blog and social profiles, and has testimonials or references. Which
one of them would you hire? Or more precisely, whom will be easier to
trace, should there be any emergency? See what I mean? Having a blog
means you won’t be running away, which provides some level of
security-comfort to the clients.

Bloggers are prioritized

Bloggers, and people with online presence are always prioritized. This
is because bloggers tend to have a broader perspective on thing
especially related to the internet, and they are open to ideas. Many
bloggers even have a skill-set regarding web-mastering, web designing,
working with graphics, and so on. Hence, in projects that require
multiple skill-sets, bloggers are preferred as their skills can easily
be judged from the blogs they manage.

Something new to learn

Above all, blogging isn’t just about writing. It’s a lot more than that.
Freelancers or people who don’t have a clue about web-design can start
blogging. But along the way, they get to learn new things, and new
technologies such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and PHP. And these are
valuable skills to have, and expands the variety of jobs they can bid
for.

Take a graphic designer for example, who earns his living through
freelancing. He might not know about web-development. But once he starts
blogging, he will start learning new things. Knowledge is something
that stays with you throughout your life. And using these newly-learned
skills, a freelancer can pick up the relevant jobs as well, in addition
to the jobs matching his previous skill-sets.

Additional sources of income

And then comes the money. We have discussed about making money from a blog
countless times. Blogging can prove to be a substantial source of
income if done for some time with hard work and dedication. A freelancer
does not know whether he will find work next month or not. But to a
blogger who has an established blog, this isn’t a concern. Income from
blogs is more dependable, which is why blogging looks to freelancers
like a regular office job, but only one which can be done at home.

When it comes to blogging vs freelancing,
both offer real opportunities. But why not take advantage of both if
you can? Looking at the opportunities bloggers have, it’s no wonder more
and more freelancers are coming over to this practice. If you are a
freelancers, then it definitely would be a good idea to at least try it
out. Who knows, it could be the break you’ve looking for :D. All the
best 🙂