Google Adsense versus your love for your blog

I was very impressed by what Robyn found on Adsense Integration. While its true that the site may have pushed the TOS of Google Adsense a little, it is by far the best integration of Adsense I’ve ever seen!

In fact, I was so motivated that I finally decided to do something to my trekking blog to see if I could push the conversion rates up a little. I also found this WordPress plugin called the Adsense Beautifier that comes with the default pictures… but of course, I felt that the default pictures are really too common, so I replaced it with my own photos.

Trekking Blog

It took some time, but I really love the way the leaderboard looks now. It just looks so clickable! Let’s observe and see what happens over the next few days. I also realise that I’ve been updating this blog so often and I’m kinda neglecting the trekking blog – which actually brings in more revenue… so I guess its time to do what I did to Blogoprenuer.com back to my trekking blog.

I’ve read a couple of books on maximizing Adsense Revenue, and two of the key ways recommended by the authors is use images to grab attention (which is what Adsense Beautifier does), and to really put your ads at the first fold of the page, simply because most web surfers do not go beyond the first fold!

Well, you might have noticed that I have not been quite as “aggressive” in ramming out my ads, so to speak, for this blog! Why is that so? Hah… frankly, I’d tell you.

I’ve kinda fallen in love with this blog! :mrgreen:

I mean, really, its so exciting! While I’d really love to work on my Adsense revenues, I think (at least for now) I’d prefer to have readers read my posts! And it so nice to see people coming back again and again to drop their thoughts and comments! Awwww… so sweet!

But it may be a bad thing! I’m not getting revenue because my ads are all the way to the bottom… but I guess I’ll find another means when I’ve build a good flow of traffic to this blog… I just love my goodie blog so much, I’d feel bad if I spoil the first fold with ads. 😉

I guess when I start to really work on my trekking blog again, and start to meet fellow bloggers in the same subject, I’ll have to think of a better strategy to keep my ads displayed yet not be too aggressive in displaying my ads. Anyway, its great that at least now the ads come with some nice personal pictures at the side or the top, so they don’t look that bad. :mrgreen:

Comments

  1. Yeah, I’ve seen that. Very interesting idea. Would that be considered some sort of fraud? Maybe not, as long as the pictures are associated with the ad.

    I think we need a good “HOWTO” on this.

  2. I agree completely. While I want good adsense results, I love my blog too much to make it feel smarmy to my savvy readers.

    However, for your Trekker blog, I think it works. Let me know if it helps 🙂 I might consider it for my little subject blogs.

  3. Jim, I think as long as there is a border between the image and the ads, it still lies within the adsense TOS 🙂 The author of the wordpress plugin actually sought advice from Google, which is great.

  4. Hey Robyn, heh… alright! I’ll update you again after two weeks to see what’s changed with the additions of the little pictures 🙂