Something very strange has just happened, I’ve just done a search with Google, the result I wanted to click on was one of the sponsored results but before I clicked on it I hesitated. I actually had to spend a few seconds thinking about what I was doing, the thought going through my head was “am I allowed to click on this?” Having had the time to put some thought into why this is I think it’s obvious, it’s because I’m an Adsense publisher!
The fear of being booted off Adsense is something that is deep set within most Adsense publishers, you’ve taken a vow never to click on your own adverts. What I’m beginning to realize is that I have difficulty clicking on ANY Adsense ads. It’s not so much Ad Blindness as Ad Fear, having been drilled for so many years not to click my own Adsense ads at any cost I’m now really starting to avoid any Google ads. I consider myself a reasonably intelligent person so I’ve got to ask I’ve I’m starting to feel like this then I wonder how many other Adsense publishers are “scared” of Google ads?
Since starting this blog I’ve learnt quite a lot, perhaps the most important being that Blogs are by far the least cost effective form of making money online (in terms of time) I’ve found, especially when it comes to passive ad revenue. Perhaps even more importantly “Make Money Online” blogs are the least cost effective method I’ve found! The problem as I see it is 90% of my target audience are people who are already trying to make money online and as such are running ad programs. This not only makes them aware of the ads I run but also perhaps if ad fear does exist makes them even less likely to make me some money. The people making big bucks from blogs all have something in common, selling advertising directly (removing the need for PPC) and enough of a user base to make affiliate marketing worth while. My main aim is to build the visitor numbers here enough so that I can make that switch.
The next time you’re thinking of a niche to target it might be worth keeping some of this in mind, ad blindness is one thing but ad fear could really hurt you. I know that I can say without hesitation that starting a blog about making money online has been one of the most fun things I’ve done online but in terms of actually making some money it’s also the biggest mistake!
5 Responses to “Ad Fear, The Next Level Of Ad Blindness?”
Marguerite Jasmin
October 19, 2007
I wouldn’t call it ad blindness but rather ad consciousness (or the fear of Google). I’m not really ad blind except on websites that I visit regularly where the ad formats don’t change often. I believe most bloggers are ad conscious especially those who monetize their blogs. With a readership consisting of mostly bloggers you need to be the first to tell them about a particular affiliate program or a product in order to make money from that program or product.
|I’ve noticed that your adsense ads were back. You’re using non-blending colors for some of your ads how about writing about whether they convert well compared to the blending ads?
Adam McKerlie
October 19, 2007
I’m definitely scared when clicking on other ads where I’m apart of that ad network. I’m scared that I’ll be booted from it like I was from AdSense (because my site made Diggs frontpage).
|SEO Optimization
October 22, 2007
Oh yeah, I do recognize that fear Paul
As far as it regards the making money online with a make money online through ads like Google AdSense is pretty tough, the easiest way I have so far experimented to make money online through AdSense is by using non internet related sites (pardon me for the link, remove it if you think it is not appropriate).
If you look at John Chow’s blog (which you do very often) you will notice that his money maker is private ads (reviews and link sales) as far as it regards the affiliates, the best affiliates that work for him are the ones that are closely hooked with the make money online scheme (but he is lucky that has the audience to who can sell that, and us the small fishes already present those things to people that have already signed up).
Btw, any cure to heal that fear?
|Paul B
October 22, 2007
Alcohol works for me, after a few beers I become a merry clicker and all fear leaves the building.
Oh and that reminds me, I now qualify for paid reviews with sites like reviewme and PPP so hopefully my income from this time stealer should see some improvement soon.
|SEO Optimization
October 22, 2007
Thats a great news Paul and it will definitively help boost your earnings for a bit. Right now I am experimenting something for the make money online thingie, we will see how it will end up.
Looking forward to read on your blog “This months blogs income”
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