Using AdSense for a Blog

Will any Blog do?

[AndyNSDS]

I’ve often wondered if you can use AdSense for just about any subject. I run a family blog that really doesn’t have much of a standardized content flow to it. The content is just the daily happenings of my family and me. Is there any hope at all that AdSense would generate any revenue to my site? I’m sure I don’t have many readers other then family and friends but what if I was to start writing topics that would generate more visitors? Would the topic of the Blog have to change over to something that would attract visitors? Should I start portraying myself as an authority on a subject and right reviews? How would/could AdSense fit into all of this?

[jimbeetle]

Welcome to WebmasterWorld, AndyNSDS.

AdSense probably wouldn't work very well for a family and friends oriented blog. It does best with sites and pages that have clearly focused content. Also, with a family and friends blog you run the risk of having the same folks clicking on the ads all the time and raising an invalid click flag at Google.

Review blogs are very popular across all all market spaces. Some do very well with AdSense.

One hint for blogging and AdSense: Unless you're blogging about blogs don't use the word "blog" or the name of the blog software, you'll wind up with ads for WordPress themes on a women's shoe review site.

[AndyNSDS]

Yes thats along the lines of what I thought would be the answer. I figured that to be successful in running AdSense you would need to be a site that attracted many visitors and had content that AdSense could work with. I was just wondering if telling the family that we bought a new "model xyz-123 HD TV" last weekend would be enough of a topic for AdSense.

[gendude]

I was just wondering if telling the family that we bought a new "model xyz-123 HD TV" last weekend would be enough of a topic for AdSense.

Probably not, or at the most, that particular page would have ads for HDTVs, but all other pages would be all over the place.

You are almost better off doing an affiliate program with a Barnes and Noble or Amazon, where you can pick the content of the ads displayed, as well as have generic ads/banners (you still get a cut of the sales through the generic banners).

Family blogs are a lot like forums - hard to monetize, because it's hard for something like Google to pick up on an overall theme.

[paul2yall]

Not to mention, if the same small group of people are clicking your ads every day, Google is likely to close your account.

[AndyNSDS]

All extremely good answers to my questions. Thanks a ton!