Did you know that your blog or website can print money? Well not literally but after reading this blog post, you will be able to use Google AdSense to make a few extra bucks (or more) with your blog and you’ll get a check in the mail after a month. Not quite the money printer you imagined it to be but you’ll be able to easily create a passive income stream that you didn’t know you had. Before we get started, Google Adsense is a free service that allows website owners of all sizes to display targeted Google ads on their website and earn money for it.
Are you right for AdSense?
The first and most important step of the process to setting up AdSense ads on your blog is to make sure your blog fits within Google Adsense policies and guidelines. If you can answer “Yes” to any of the following questions then you’re not a good fit for AdSense according to Google’s guidelines:
- Do you have or post adult content?
- Do you have content that advocates against an individual, group, or organization?
- Do you post copyrighted material?
- Do you have content related to drugs, alcohol, or tobacco?
- Do you have content about hacking or cracking content?
- Do you offer an incentive for readers to click on ads?
- Do you use Google brand features such as logos, screenshots, or other features without permission?
- Do you have violent content present on your blog?
- Do you have weapon related content on your blog?
- Do you have anything illegal on your blog?
If you answered “No” to every one of the above questions then you’re site does not violate any of the AdSense content policies and you’re free to move onto the next steps of creating an AdSense ad. But before we move onto how to get started, you should be aware of the Adsense ad implementation guidelines.
The most important rule to remember is that you cannot click on Google Ads on your site under any circumstances. The second most important rule to remember is that you cannot encourage anyone to click on your Google Ads under any circumstance. Other rules to keep in mind are that you cannot have deceptive ad placements or format your content to mimic ads.
How to get started
Now that we got all of the legal mumbo jumbo out of the way, it’s time to set up your blog to help you generate some extra spending cash. To create your first ad unit, you’ll need to make sure you have a Google AdSense account. If you don’t already have one, you can sign up here and submit your application for approval. The application process is pretty straight forward and it should take one business day for your application to be reviewed and you will know if you are approved or not.
Once approved, you will want to move forward with creating an ad. Here are the steps you need to take to create your first AdSense ad:
- Sign in to your AdSense account
- Click on the My ads tab
- Within the sidebar, you can choose your product. If your blog is mainly content based, then it is recommended that you choose the “Content” section
- Once here, you can click on +New ad unit.
- Name and customize your ad unit to fit your blogs styling
- Click Save and get code.
Once you have the code, you can copy and paste it to any page on your website. It’s recommended that you place the ad unit on a high traffic page to give it the most exposure possible. If you’re new to AdSense, you will notice that your Ads are “blank”. Just give it a few minutes to an hour and you should see AdSense ads displayed on your website.
Getting Paid
Now that you’ve set up AdSense ads on your blog, it’s time to talk about the money. The first and most important thing to note is to make sure that your payment information is set up correctly and accurately. To do this, follow these steps:
- Sign into your AdSense account.
- Click on the gear icon in the top right corner.
- Click Settings and then click Payment settings.
- Under “Account information” you can edit your Payee name and address as needed.
Before you can receive a payment, you must reach the payment method threshold of $10 USD. Once you’ve accomplished this, Google will need to verify your address with a Pin. This is done by Google mailing you a Personal Identification Number that you must enter into your account before they can send you any payments.
Once you’ve verified your payment address, you will need to set up how you want to get paid. It is highly encouraged that you use the Electronic Funds Transfer option as your payment option because it is the fastest and most reliable method of getting paid by Google AdSense. To set up your preferred payment method, you must following these steps:
- Sign into your AdSense account
- Click on the gear icon in the top right corner.
- Click Settings and then click Payment settings.
- Under “Payment settings” click edit payment method.
After you’ve completed this final step, it’s time to sit back and let your blog make money for you. One last important thing to note is that you need to understand the payments cycle of Google AdSense. Here are a few quick pointers for you to keep in mind:
- Your earnings need to reach $100 USD before you can be paid.
- Payments are not paid out immediately
- Payments are usually paid out the last week of the following month. For example, if you reached the earnings threshold in May, you will get paid for that during the last week of June.
- You don’t lose your earnings if you don’t make the payment threshold, it will simply be rolled into the next months earnings until you reach the payment threshold.
Okay, that’s how you turn your blog into a money printing machine. Now go forth and create great content and make some extra money. Don’t forget to donate some of that money to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society when you get a chance.
Additional Resources: AdSense Academy
