Help! Is it Good to have AdSense to a web Portfolio?

[buckmajor]

Hi there,

I am new to this Google AdSense thing and would like to find out more about it.

I dont have much to sell except for my web services and was thinking of applying this Google AdSense to my web porfolio.

I have a question to ask, is it good to apply for Google Adsense to a web potfolio?

[jomaxx]

Why not? I display a big "Sponsored by Acme Printing and Photocopying" banner across the top of the resume I mail out, and I haven't had any complaints yet.

[buckmajor]

Thanks for your comment Jomaxx,

Cool, so how do you make money of it? I still cant figure out how Google would pay someone just to have their ads on your website?

If thats the case, is it better to have as many websites and Google AdSense accounts to the website?

[koan]

Uh buckmajor, your sarcasm detector is not working.

[jomaxx]

LOL, thanks koan. I wasn't sure how to continue the thread without sounding like a jerk.

Anyway, if the goal of the portfolio is to attract web dev work, then I would forget about AdSense. It's a totally different animal. You need a fair amount of traffic before it pays more than pennies. I'd encourage you to do some reading up on AdSense so you can see for yourself if it's a fit.

[Marcia]

I'll bet you'd be seeing ads for better deals by competitors than you offer if you run ads. My opinion is that if you want advertising revenue off that page, if you're going to advertise for competitors, rather than just being paid for clicks, at least put something up that has a very good payout for <hint> commission percentage and EPC </hint>.

[stakaman]

It all depends on how relevant the advertising is. I have tried it on a politics site with not much success. However it works well with other industries where there is much AdWords advertising for products and services.

[farmboy]

I have tried it on a politics site with not much success.

Opposing politicians bid on each other's name as a keyword so you can end up with unwelcome ads on a page.

For example, consider a site to promote John McCain for President. It attracts McCain supporters and has the word "McCain" a number of times on the page.

Hillary Clinton's campaign bids on "McCain" as a keyword and Hillary ads show on the McCain site. Not only is it not likely to generate clicks, it will frustrate the McCain supporters.

FarmBoy

[malachite]

I'd reckon it's generally not a good idea unless you want potential clients to click straight into the arms of the opposition.

It can work, if the ads are for complementary products, but more often than not tends to look cheap.

The other day I landed on a hotel website with Adsense plastered on it, filled with ads for what seemed much more appealing hotels than theirs. They earned pennies from my clicks, one of the advertised hotels got a booking worth £80.

Who won? :)

[buckmajor]

WOW! Much appreciated for your feedback.

Thanks Koan but what do you mean by sarcasm detector lol? I am serious about being new to this Google AdSense and slowly finding out more each time.

So the more traffic you get allows you to make money off it, is that right?

So who puts the ads on your website you or google and is it only google ads or can you have anyone who is willing to pay?

I did some thinking last night, came up with a few ideas and a target market/audience that may help me in generating traffic but I need help in how you make money off this google adsense? Is the traffic that important to make money off it or is there a price that you charge people for allowing these ads to be on your website?

I signed up and waiting for google to send me some stuff. So long does it take to process through?

[Marcia]

As a direct reply, no it is not good to run Adsense on a web portfolio. A portfolio is a sales tool, and if you look around and see different search terms and catch what ads are running on web design sites around and in the SERPs, you can see whether your prices and deals can compete with those who are advertising. Look up web design for any city and check out the ads running. That'll tell you.

Maybe write an article site that's worthwhile with good information for DIY types, and run Adsense on that.

[buckmajor]

Thanks Marcia,

You just saved me a lot of time.
So its better to have something that is not common out there right?

[Marcia]

Either straight portfolio with links, or maybe screen shots or case studies or simple descriptions, but not competition that's underselling you, unless you want to match prices. If you look around you'll see a lot that advertise for $199 for full custom sites, and their work looks pretty good. And they aren't running Adsense on their portfolio pages.

If you have enough work to not take clients, or may not be for other reasons at the moment, like concentrating on another area, sure - run something if the traffic is there.

You could also write up some interesting stuff and link to it from that page, with a call to action at the end of thre other articles/pages. Adding content can never hurt, and linking to it is doing something else on the portfolio page.

[buckmajor]

I see!

Thanks again, I had a funny feeling adding AdSense to a web portfolio wont do much help.

CHEERS :)