Adsense on Web Design Sites

Is this a good idea?

[BeeDeeDubbleU]

My own web design site has taken off traffic wise during the last couple of months. I am freelance, working from home and I am currently getting more web design inquiries than I can handle. This has led me to consider placing Adsense ads on the site.

I think I can cope with the loss of a few inquiries as a result but does anyone have any idea if web design clicks are profitable?

[Nathan]

I don't think it's a good idea. You're pretty much putting links to your competition right on your web site. Losing a big client in order to gain a 25 cent click doesn't seem worth it to me...

[BeeDeeDubbleU]

Well, I was just wondering what they paid per click i the web design arena? Is it about 25c?

[JKMitchell]

This is one I've always avoided, I have Adsense on some pages on my site - those pages relate to external services and products for small businesses but, the hosting and design pages are for me only ;-)

Cheers
John

[rj87uk]

why dont you 'sell' enquiries? Find someone who needs more work and sell each enquiry onto them. This way you could make more than 25c a click and also get to take the clients that you think are better for your pocket?

[bts111]

I would go for it.

Doing this can sometimes make you look even better as you are not afraid to display your competition.

You could also run a test for a month and see how it goes.

[BeeDeeDubbleU]

I think the test idea is a good one. I am going on holiday for a couple of weeks so probably now is the best time to try it.

[Nathan]

"Doing this can sometimes make you look even better"

Eh... you think so? I think it looks really unprofessional to have adsense ads (or any ads) on your web design business site. It looks like you can't make enough money with your design skills.

[BeeDeeDubbleU]

It looks like you can't make enough money with your design skills.

But ... this thread is about the exact opposite. Well, I don't know about enough money but I am certainly generating enough work.

[hyperkik]

I've seen web designer pages which are slathered with AdSense ads. To which my instinctive reaction is, they really don't want my business - just my ad clicks. (Granted, others may have a different impression.)

Have you considered adding some informational content to your site, with AdSense on those informational pages? That would be, at least to my eye, more consistent with offering web design services while also serving AdSense ads.

[buckworks]

Well, I don't know about enough money but I am certainly generating enough work.

It may be time to raise your prices. If you test anything, test that.

[Seige]

I'll answer your question. For I run a webdesign site as well.

I put adsense all over my page, and honestly, even with the amount of traffic I have. The click is horrible. Each click amount to as little as 5 cents. What's the point?

If this wasn't just for fun, I'd no longer run the site anymore.

[suzyvirtual]

I don't know about the web design thing specifically, but on the pages I have where I offer my own services, I put a small adsense banner at the bottom of the page. I figure if they make it to the bottom of the page, and haven't found what they are looking for, I can potentially make a few cents out of 'em...

[BeeDeeDubbleU]

I've seen web designer pages which are slathered with AdSense ads. To which my instinctive reaction is, they really don't want my business - just my ad clicks.

I appreciate this view but you know what's going on don't you? Most people who are looking for a web designer don't have a website and perhaps they don't understand the advertising concept?

[jim_w]

I was confused about this very topic when I first started adsense. So I went to work banning all the competitors. After almost 200 sites banned, (and a lot of hours to catch their ads on my site), I switched and removes all the banned ads. My profits from adsense more than doubled. Sales didn’t suffer at all. In my field, most of the time they already know what they want, they are just shopping around to confirm it, so except for the occasional impulse buyer, it didn’t impact sales. I’m also sure that a few clicked on a competitor’s ad, and then came back.

I figure if they are going to buy from the competitor anyway, I might as well make a couple of bucks off of some clicks. It’s what I like to call the total of the sum. And of course common sense indicates that the more traffic you have, the more money you will get from your competitors.

[Seige]

So I went to work banning all the competitors. After almost 200 sites banned, (and a lot of hours to catch their ads on my site), I switched and removes all the banned ads. My profits from adsense more than doubled.

That actually works? I supposed I must try it, but what happens if no ads turn up? That would be worst.