Google Adsense & Earnings

To make any sort of money with Adsense requires one of two things : a few pages with LOTS of traffic or a lot of pages with low to moderate traffic. Let's do the math. The average CTR (Click Through Rate, or the amount of people, expressed in percentage terms, that view the add and actually click on an ad) varies from publisher to publisher and web page to web page, but a 2% CTR is considered "good" in the web publishing industry. Thus, if the "Ads by Google" is displayed on your site 1000 times in a day (also known as how many impressions you get), if you have a 2% CTR, you can expect 20 clicks a day, on average.
How much you earn from each of those clicks is highly variable. Your earnings depend on your sites topic, internal Google algorithms as well as how much money advertisers are willing to "bid" in Google AdWords to have their ads displayed. There is no general rule how much you can earn for each click. On Big Sky Fishing, I've earned anywhere from between .04 cents per click on the low-end, to over $3.00 on the higher end. The average earnings per click tends to run between .20 cents and .30 cents, fluctuating somewhat during the year (higher in the summer, less in the winter).
So, for simplicity, let's say you earn .25 cents per click. And you get 20 clicks per day. This leads to a daily income of $5.00. From here, you can let your imagination run wild - coming up with all sorts of various earning potential estimates by varying the click-through rate, the amount paid per click, how many times your ad is displayed, etc...

Your Pages Content

More than anything else, the content of your page drives your earnings. Pages that are about specific topics and which are in high-demand by advertisers (and thus, there exists a lot of "ad inventory") will earn more money than general news pages or pages that are "multi-topic."
The moral of the story is this. For maximum Adsense revenue, it's generally good to have shorter pages that are laser focused on a specific topic.

Ad Placement

Ad placement is crucial in Google AdSense. If people don't click on your ads, no matter how many times they're displayed, you'll still earn nothing. Where you place ads really is dependent upon your site layout and your traffic. But, a good starting point on the best places to locate ads is by visiting the Google Heat Map page on the Adsense help section. 

I'll be the first to admit that Big Sky Fishing.Com is not a "model site" in terms of ad placement. On this site, most of my ads are displayed below the "fold"...that is, a visitor does not see them immediately when they view the page. Generally, and my statistics prove it, ads displayed "below the fold" have a lower click-through rate than those displayed "above the fold" (how much you earn "per-click" remains the same, but how many times people click on an ad is lower).

So, why do I keep the ads there? Simp...I have no better place for them. My site's layout is sort of set, and to make room for Google Ads "above the fold" wouldn't look good (and regular visitors wouldn't like them), require redoing my entire left-side menu system or redesigning the whole layout (especially the top header) of the site. Ultimately, and also because my content pages tend to run a 1.5% to 2% CTR, I've decided to leave things as they are. I guess I'm a believer in NOT forcing ads on people. And if that means acccepting less income in the short-term, then so be it.

Ad Blending

The term ad blending refers to how your ads "blend in" with the content of your page. The general  idea is to make your ads "blend in" with your content, in hopes that people won’t simply ignore them due to ad blindness.

There is logic behind this, and to some degree, I use this logic on Big Sky Fishing. However, for several years, many Adsense publishers pushed this to the extreme, laying out the ads in such a way so as to confuse visitors about "what was an ad" and "what was a link." In particular, what was popular was putting a graphic just above a horizontal banner, leading visitors to the site to believe that they were clicking on a menu choice and not an ad.

This was bad for visitors to the web page (it was a huge inconvenience) and, moreover, it was also bad for the advertisers (people were clicking on the ads by "accident" instead of "deliberately"). As such, Google changed their policy, requiring that all ads not be "so blended into" the content of the page that they are indistinguishable from normal links on the web page.

Additionally, fooling your web site visitors is a one-trick pony. Would you visit a web page ever again if you thought you were clicking on an interesting menu link...only to be whisked away to someplace else? Remember, web publishing is more than just about "making money" NOW. It's about having a web site that makes money today AND tomorrow.

Conclusion

Let's summarize this length article. You, as a publisher, can earn money simply by writing content by using Google AdSense. You simply sign up for their program (you must have a website to do this), post your content, slap an Adsense banner on your site, and pres...you’re in business.

How much money you make depends entirely on how much traffic you get to your site. Scant  traffic = little to no income. Additional factors that impact your earnings include your sites "niche," the actual content of the web page itself, the time of year, how you place your ads, and several other things, too.
There are many true success stories about Adsense publishers earning $10,000 or more a month. However, the ranks of these Adsense publishers are small. If you’re just starting out, don’t expect to be pulling down $1000's of dollars a few months later. While it can happen, the odds are long. Instead, Adsense earnings tend to increase slowly - as you expand your site and as more people find it. 

Long-term success with Google Adsense requires writing quality content that will, over time, draw in people to your site. Google Adsense, except for a few lucky people, is not a get-rich quick scheme. Instead, Adsense provides a nifty way to have a "anything but steady" monthly supplemental income...all for doing something you enjoy doing (publishing content on the Internet).

Social Media Marketing Strategies

Social media is playing more and more of a role when it comes to building traffic online because so many people are using it. You may be defiant against using FaceBook, Twitter, etc. because you feel these sites are narcisitic and a waste of time.
But let me tell you, that's probably where a lot of your potential website visitors are hanging out -- so why not take the opportunity to reach them?

When I first heard about Twitter in 2008, I wasn't impressed. I didn't think it would last long and I found it odd people were microblogging about every little detail of their days.
Then in 2009, celebrities really helped put Twitter on the map. (Remember Ashton Kutcher's 1 million follower goal?) Since then, Twitter has really blown up.
So it was only a matter of time before Internet marketers started using social media to market their businesses.

The other component of social media is branding yourself as an individual. Social media will help you do that.
The days of anonymous blogging and webmastering are over. People with successful sites and blogs are not only great writers, communicators etc., but they are well-liked and have developed a brand as an individual.

Twitter

Twitter is a microblogging site that allows you to send a 140-character or less message out to anyone who is following you. I use Twitter to announce my weekly blog posts and chit chat with people who have questions about Internet marketing.
The key to Twitter is NOT to just self promote your site all day. You should take time to follow and respond to people who have sites related to yours (Use the Search function.)
I also use Twitter to send out helpful articles, videos, etc. that may interest my followers. That's a great way to build credibility and interest in your Twitter feed.

Facebook

You can create a Facebook page to accomplish the same tasks above, however you have a lot more room to write since Facebook has a higher character limit. And since FB has a threaded-comment design, it's a great way to start conversations with your followers.
I often post thought-provoking questions in order to spark juicy discussions. People love giving their opinions and feedback. Facebook is a great way to poll your audience and get their feedback on various topics.
Of course I also use Facebook to promote my websites, YouTube channel, etc. but I also use it as a discussion platform.
Here's a video that shows you how to engage your Facebook fans. These tips actually work for most social media sites.

Google Plus

This is Google's answer to Facebook. It's very similar, but you can create circles to organize your connections.
I like Google Plus. The crowd there seems to be a lot more technically savvy compared to the other networks, but I do feel the layout is much cleaner. I've also made some great connections there.

Google Plus is new compared to Twitter and Facebook, but in 2012 many marketers gravitated to Google Plus because of the emergence of Google Authorship.
This allows you tag and associate any content you own with your name.
So when you write an article on someone else's blog, you would link your name back to your G+ profile. And of course, your G+ profile would also have your website listed in your profile.

Getting Followers

If your website is new and has little traffic, getting followers/friends/subscribers/likes may be a challenge at first. I would highly recommend following people who have sites related to yours. Reply to their tweets, posts, etc. and engage in conversations.
For example, say you have a site on cars. You can join popular FB pages related to your niche. Join in the discussion with other "fans"/members. You can also change your FB profile to display your own Facebook page name instead of your real name.
That way when people click on your "name" they will go to your FB page. You can update this in your Facebook Profile Settings.

Just remember. You have to give to get. Social networking is not just about you blasting ads and links to your own site. The words "social" and "networking" both imply multiple parties are involved, and that is true.
Take the time to comment on other people's work or posts. Write a response blog post to a controversial article someone wrote and tweet it to them.
If the person also has a FB page you can "Like" the page then cross link your pages together by typing @nowkaa when you post it to your FB page. 

So let's say you write a blog post responding to an article another car blogger wrote about. You can post the following on your Facebook page...
Here's my witty response to @nowkaa 's article about Car Emissions.
Now the link will also be posted on their page.
Note: Be responsible about the above strategy. If the article is worthless and clearly just an attempt to get a link back to your page, the person may remove it.

Balancing Social and Business

There's a science to promoting your site via social media marketing. You want to find the right mix of being social and promoting your business.
Obviously you don't want to go overboard on the personal posts (what you ate for breakfast, etc.), but throwing in something casual is fine every now and then. It helps people connect with you and it shows you are human.

In addition, you should also recommend other resources and sites not affiliated with your website. If it's always about you then you may appear greedy and selfish. Take the time to show love for another site that your followers may find interesting.
How you use social media will really reveal a lot about you over time. People who have the most success with this type of marketing have found the right balance between business and personal.

Social media can be a great place to promote your business, but more importantly, it can enhance/promote you as an individual. Letting people get to know you as the human behind your business can really benefit you in the long run.

How to Register a Domain Name

Hey there future site owner,
I'm going to clue you in on some tips most people don't absorb prior to registering a domain name.
There have been a lot of changes on the web in recent years so make sure you read this entire page so you pick the ideal name for your website.
NOTE: If you already know about domain names and don't need any extra advice, go here to register.
A domain name is the home of your website and often ends in extensions like .com, .net, .org, .info, .us, .biz, .tv and more. Today there are numerous extensions available, but .com is still the most popular by far.
Once you have registered your name, you will select a web host (2nd step).  The web host is the guts of any website because this is where you create and publish your pages, create a blog, create email addresses, add functionality and maintain your site.

Steps to Registering a Domain

Reserving a domain name is easy, inexpensive and only takes a few moments. The big name companies like Register.com and NetworkSolutions.com charge ridiculous prices such as $30-35/year for one domain name, and you get the same service at WebsitePalace.com.
It doesn't matter where you register your domain.  Almost every registrar provides the same services.
You can save a bundle at WebsitePalace.com, and you'll have access to free domain forwarding. (Forward any domain to any site for FREE!)

Keyword Rich Domains

For search engine optimization (SEO) purposes, many experts recommend registering a domain with keywords you want to be found for. While this was a must years ago, it's not quite the necessity it once was.
In fact, there was a very big Google update in October 2012 called EMD (Exact Match Domain update) that targeted domain names that were only ranking because the name matched the targeted phrase.
That's not to say you shouldn't register a name that has the keywords you want to target, but don't expect to rank well just because you choose a keyword-rich name. Getting ranked well in Google is a very complex task. The domain is not as big of a factor as it used to be.

Going For The Brand Name

Some people prefer to go for a shorter, brandable domain that's easier to remember -- especially because so many "good" domains are taken these days.
So instead of registering a keyword-rich name like HealthAndWellness101.com, you would register a made-up name like Fitzee.com. Fitzee means absolutely nothing, but it's short, catchy and easy to remember.
Plus, it would look a lot better on a shirt, mug or hat than a 4-letter domain. :-)
I still think it's a good idea to aim for the keywords you want to target. Descriptive names can have advantages. For example, it automatically tells the potential visitor what the site is about.
Having said that, don't make your domain name so long and awkard that it's hard to read and remember. It's really about finding a balance. Also, don't be shy about bouncing ideas off your friends and family before registering.
Here's another tip. Write the name down to give you an idea of what it may look like on business cards, T-shirts and other printed materials.
Remember, your domain is a big part of your brand, so take your time coming up with the right name for your site.