How to make money with Google AdSense in 2024

Wasabi Team
Wasabi Team

Are you thinking about starting up in the world of websites? In that case, Google AdSense is one of the best options as well as the easiest way to get started in this world. This time we bring you a complete guide to know everything about how to make money with Google AdSense.

🤔 What is Google AdSense?

How to make money with Google AdSense

Google AdSense is the advertising program created by Google in the early 2000s, with which it became a truly profitable company. Users could place advertisements on their websites andreceive money when a visitor clicks on the ads, all through this system.

The idea is very simple; there are advertisers and people like you:

  1. Advertisers: they seek to get visits through advertising. So they sign up for Google AdWords (the other side of Google AdSense) and decide how much money they want to pay for each click on their ads (it is a bit more complex, but we will leave it at that for the sake of understanding). So let’s say advertisers decide they are willing to pay €1 for each click.
  2. You: create a website and place Google ads (which ultimately are the advertisers’ ads because Google only acts as an intermediary). Then, you wait for people who visit your website to click on the ads in order to get a commission.

When a visitor clicks on the ad, Google collects from the advertiser a part of the money they were willing to pay (say, €0.8 of the total euro), and you collect the remaining part (€0.2, following this example).

How much advertisers are willing to pay per click depends on several factors, but ultimately it is a matter of supply and demand. When many advertisers want to get traffic through advertising, they are willing to pay more.

However, there is another issue to consider: can I choose what kind of ads appear on my website? Because, if it is possible, we could choose the ones that are better paid and get better results.

But in reality, it is not that easy.

Ads appearing on your website will depend on several factors. The main one is the cookies placed on the visit in question (if they have been looking at bicycles, they will likely be shown bicycle ads), while the second is the content of your website.

Google “understands” the content of your website and knows what you are talking about; therefore, it tries to show related ads. That is why, generally speaking, we will be interested in looking for topics where advertisers are willing to pay large sums of money per click (we will see how to do this later).

However, let’s say you created a website about locksmiths (it is one of the best-paid topics), that does not necessarily mean all your clicks are going to be a lot of money because, as we have said before, there is influence from other factors, such as the visitor’s cookies.

Deepen into the bidding system

We have already explained how Google AdWords works, assuming that the advertiser decides to pay X amount and that’s it, that’s what they pay. But in reality, Google AdSense and Google AdWords systems are a bit more complex.

Actually, it works through an auction system. This means that advertisers compete with each other to get the ad on your website. If there is little competition, there will be few bids, and the final price to be paid for the ad will be less than if there is a lot of competition and many bids.

It is important to understand this well because sometimes we see topics for which advertisers state they are willing to pay, for example, €1. However, as there are very few advertisers and the competition is low, ultimately, they end up paying 20 cents instead of €1.

So the final split between you and Google when a user clicks on one of those ads could be, let’s say, 16 cents for Google and 4 cents for you. That is why we must choose well the niche to which we will dedicate ourselves, as we will see later.

Finally, it should be mentioned that there are different types of bids to which you can “subscribe”. You will have to try them all and see which one gives you the best results (in this world, making tests constantly is an obligation).

The different types of bids are the following:

  • Cost-Per-Click (CPC): CPC is a system whereby you make a small commission each time the user clicks on an ad. It is the most common type of ad. If they click, you get paid; otherwise, you do not.
  • Cost-Per-Thousand impressions (CPM): You will receive a fixed payment for every 1000 views (not clicks) in this type of ad. It is less used because it is usually less profitable, but this may be a good option if you have a website where users rarely click on ads.
  • Active View CPM: It is the same as in the previous case, except this one includes an additional restriction: Only one which has appeared on the screen at least 50% of its entirety and has been displayed for one second or more is counted as a displayed ad.
  • Cost-Per-Action (CPA): It is similar to CPC. You will be paid when the visitor interacts with the ad. This does not necessarily mean clicking on it (although it usually does). It is the least used type of ad.

✅ Why should I work with Google AdSense? What are its advantages?

Having clarified what it is and what it is based on, the question that inevitably arises is: Does it suit me? Why should I work with them rather than with other monetization systems? What advantages does it offer to me?

The truth is that the advantages offered by Google AdSense are many for both the average webmaster and the novice. Down below, we are going to mention the ones we consider most important:

  1. You do not need to be an expert programmer: the code Google AdSense gives you is very easy to insert into your website. Moreover, thanks to themes like WordPress and Wasabi Theme, you can insert them in different places without modifying the code directly.
  2. Personalization: the personalization offered by Google AdSense is very high, allowing you to change ad styles, colors, sizes, placement on the website, etc. In summary, everything you need for the ads to fit well with the aesthetics and design of your website.
  3. Take advantage of Google’s algorithm: many ad platforms throw their ads “in a big stream”, sending the same ad to the most disparate websites. This does not happen when it comes to Google. Thanks to its algorithm, your website will show relevant ads for the user (either by topic or cookies that the user has in their browser). This results not only in a higher click rate but also in a better user experience.
  4. Freedom to choose which ads are shown: from the Google AdSense dashboard, you can choose which ads are shown and those that are not. So, for example, you will be able to block certain poorly paid topics or specific websites (something very important because, for example, you may be interested in blocking your competition’s ads).
  5. There will always be advertisers related to your topic: a problem with many advertising platforms is that they have few clients and therefore have limited topics to offer to publishers (that is to say, you). On the other hand, Google has a vast network, so they have all kinds of advertisers, and there will always be one that suits your topic.
  6. It is free: starting to use Google AdSense is completely free, so you will not have to make any investment to start generating money with your website. Just sign up, create ads, place them on your website, and wait.
  7. It is not exclusive: unlike other monetization systems, Google AdSense does not require exclusivity. This means that you can have AdSense ads on your website and monetize in other ways at the same time.
  8. Many payment methods: You will also have different payment methods to collect the money you generate.

📙 How does it work? What do I have to know to use it?

Having seen what it is and why it is convenient to use Google AdSense, we will start talking about how it works, what you need to know and do to use it, and, ultimately, how to set up your Google AdSense account. So, without further ado, let’s get to it:

How can I create a Google AdSense account and connect my website?

The first thing you should do is go to the Google AdSense website and sign up. Just the way you would do it on any other website.

After you sign up, you will have to add your website to validate it. This used to be done automatically, but for some time now, Google does a manual review of websites, so it is a process that takes a bit of time.

Once Google has reviewed your website and given the go-ahead, they will give you a code. Then, you have to paste that code into the < tag of your website code.

If you cannot understand anything, do not worry: you will not have to do this step with Wasabi Theme. It will be the theme itself that inserts the ads throughout the website.

Once you have entered this code, after a few days, you will receive an email informing you that everything is in order and you can start showing ads on your website, which translates into start making money!

If you have problems creating or activating your account, we recommend you to read this article addressing that specific topic (in Spanish): https://wasabitheme.com/como-crear-cuenta-adsense/

My website is not being accepted in Google AdSense. What do I do?

As we said before, Google AdSense websites used to be accepted without checking on them. But now, they do it manually, and if the website does not meet certain criteria, they simply choose not to approve it.

These criteria are specified on the Google AdSense website; however, not all of them are truly shown there.

You can find many cases of websites that apparently should pass the filter, and yet they fail to do it. So there are “hidden rules” when it comes to website validation.

However, it is more or less known what to do for Google to validate your website without problems. In case your website is not approved, that is probably because you must correct any of these points:

  • Your website design is poor and does not have a neat and professional appearance. You would solve this with a correctly set up Wasabi Theme, since it allows you to create websites that appear to be professional.
  • Your website has very little or no content at all and consists of poor quality. The solution is to create more quality content.
  • Your website is monetizing with affiliates. For some reason, Google hates affiliation. You should deactivate said monetization until the website is approved and then put it back on.
  • Your website has a virus, malicious code, or poor security. Make sure to remove viruses and malicious code as well as to add an SSL encrypted connection.

These are the four main reasons why websites are not approved in AdSense beyond the reasons officially given by Google.

How do I create the ads?

Creating an ad is very simple because it is almost automatically done from the AdSense website. The most difficult thing is to add them to your website because sometimes you have to modify the website’s code. And if you do not know about coding, you may have problems.

Luckily for you, Wasabi Theme allows you to add ads in a very simple and comfortable way, so we will also explain how to do it from our theme, so you do not lose your head.

With that said, let’s look at the three ways to create and place ads on your website:

First of all, we have manual ad insertion. To create ads this way, you will need to go to Google AdSense and click on Ads, Ad Units, and finally Display Ads.

Once you are there, you can create a new ad unit. You will have to give it a name (it is important to put a name you can identify so that, later on, you will know what it is and be able to optimize it) and set it up.

The configuration possibilities are well explained during the process, so do not worry about it.

After you have set it up, they will give you a code, and that code must be pasted in the source code of your website, right where you want them to appear.

Secondly, we have automatic ad insertion. The ad creation process is the same as in the previous section, but instead of manually modifying the code, we use an external plugin that automatically inserts the ads in the most common places.

Thirdly and last, we have the insertion of ads with Wasabi Theme. This way of inserting the ads is similar to the automatic insertion through plugins but without the need to add additional plugins. You can do it all from the theme settings screen.

The good thing about adding ads with Wasabi Theme is that you do not have to mess with the code, and it also offers more versatility than most plugins. You will be able to place the ads right where you want, with multiple options, and without modifying any code.

Also, if you do not know exactly where you should place them, they appear on the screen as you place them, so you can test how they look in real-time.

In summary, placing AdSense ads on your website with Wasabi Theme is very easy; even a monkey with a keyboard could do it.

What kind of ads should I create?

This is a fairly common question, and there is no simple answer to it. However, the truth is that, as in so many other cases, when it comes to SEO (and life),it depends.

Generally, we can say that rich ads are the ones that generate the most income because they better capture the user’s attention. However, this is not always fulfilled.

For example, if you add a link box (which is a type of ad) with a font and color similar to that of your website and place it where you would expect there to be links within your website (for example, near some menu), you will generate quite a few clicks.

In the end, you have two options to play with: either you place ads that draw users’ attention, or you “deceive” them into believing that they are links within your own website rather than an ad.

You will have to do tests to see which type of ad generates the most money. And you can only do this once you have had enough clicks and views to draw conclusions. So, at first, do not worry too much about it.

How much does Google AdSense pay?

Again, it depends. What is charged from Google AdSense is very variable and depends on two factors:

The first one is the number of clicks. This is obvious. Since Google AdSense pays you a commission for each click you generate, the more clicks you generate, the more income you make.

The second one is the ads topic. We have already commented that ads can be related to many topics, and some are better paid than others.

In this way, your main interest is to get the most clicks on topic ads that pay well. But there is only one way to control the latter: writing about topics that pay well for ads.

So if you have a personal blog, it is hard to get very expensive ads because you are not usually going to talk about home insurance (which is a well-paid type of ad). So that is why it is convenient to create websites on well-paid topics.

One last consideration: when it is said that the higher the number of clicks, the higher profits, most people think of increasing the number of visits to get more clicks. However, that is only one part of it.

The other part is the CTR optimization (number of clicks per 100 visits). So, for example, if you have a website with 1 million visits per month, you may get the same number of clicks as another website with 250,000 visits because you have a CTR of 1% compared to 4% of the other website.

So optimizing CTR is also a good idea. Furthermore, there are topics and types of niches in which CTR is much more likely to be higher. We will talk about this in the niche selection section. For now, just keep in mind that to get more clicks, you do not need to increase your visits.

How can I collect money owed to me by Google AdSense?

Collecting the money you have generated in AdSense is quite simple, although you should know that the minimum amount to get paid is €70. This means that if you generate €20 a month, you will not be able to collect it. Instead, they will stay in your account. Once you reach €70, they will pay you.

But hey, beyond that, the only thing you have to do to receive your monthly payments (as long as you reach the minimum) is to place a payment method associated with your account.

You can ask them to make a bank transfer (although this is not available in all countries) or send you a check.

During said process, you may need to verify your personal data. However, it is not a complex process anyway, so you do not have to worry.

The biggest problem in this section is that they do not offer options such as PayPal or Neteller for you to collect what you have generated. It is a shame, but a check or bank transfer is enough for most people.

💰 Keys to make money with Google AdSense

Now that you know how to set up your Google AdSense account and place ads on your website let’s get to the actual core of the matter, which is how to make (real) money on Google AdSense. Do not miss any details.

1. Choose the niche

The first thing you have to do to make money with AdSense is choose the niche well. Trying to make money with advertising by writing about what you feel like at all times is, generally, the best strategy not to generate a single euro.

What you need to do is select a niche where advertisers pay well (and, at the same time, you do not have a hard time writing about it).

The aspects you should take into account when choosing a niche are the following:

  • Niches that are specific but not too specific:the first thing to know is that you have to find a niche that is specific but not too specific. You do not want to set up a general website because those websites tend to perform worse on Google. A small and specialized niche in a topic is usually the best to position. And, once it is positioned, you make another one.
  • SERPs competition: SERPs competition is an important point. You do not want to get into niches with many SEOs on their websites. But you also do not want a niche where there is no competition because, indeed, that means it does not make money. Therefore, you must look for niches with two or three websites fighting to access the top positions.
  • Pay-per-click: you will be obviously interested in looking for topics with good pay-per-click. Topics such as insurance, energy savings, or hosting are well-paid topics. But keep in mind that these types of topics attract a lot of competition, so you may be more interested in going to a slightly lower-paid topic (also keep in mind that payment is not the only important thing, you also have to assess visits and CTR).
  • Visits: The amount of traffic that moves the niche is important. The more visits you move, the more possible clicks you will receive. The problem is that, generally, keywords that have lots of searches tend to be very generic and pay less. So you will have to find a balance between good payments and a fair number of visits.
  • Possible CTR: CTR cannot be known in advance, but you can guess it. Certain types of Keywords encourage more clicks than others. For example, Keywords such as “download WhatsApp”, have a higher CTR because the user who enters there is looking to click on something quickly. However, if the ad is well placed, it is easy for them to “go wrong” and click on the ad while thinking it is a download link. CTR is what separates AdSense monetization experts from novices. So look for niches with good CTR.

2. SEO optimization

Once you have chosen the niche, you will have to set up the website, and you will have to do it having SEO in mind. SEO is the branch of marketing that allows you to get visits from search engines, and it is a free way to get visits. That is why it is so important for you to master it.

The problem is that SEO covers an infinity of small details that it will be hard for you to know and, above all, to implement if you are a novice. You will have to optimize the web’s internal architecture, the content, the loading speed, the metadata, the rich snippets, and much more!

Luckily for you, there is an easy way to do this: using a professional theme explicitly created for SEO and niche monetization. A theme like Wasabi Theme.

This theme is designed to facilitate the work of SEOs and maximize the web’s optimization so that Google likes it. Thus, by installing it, you will be in a better starting place than 80% of websites out there.

3. Ad placement

After the abovementioned, it is time to place ads. And it is important that you place them in the right places. That is to say, the places where they will receive the most clicks.

Of course, this is something that you will have to test little by little while doing experiments because there is no magical place where all ads on all websites generate more income. Every website is a world!

But we can actually say that there are some better places to start with:

  • Sidebar: If you have a sidebar on your website, you should place an ad there. We usually look a lot at the navigation bar of a website to see what it offers us and go from one page to another. So, therefore, the ads there tend to receive more visibility and more clicks.
  • Beginning of content: placing an ad under the first paragraph usually gives very good results because the user reads the first paragraph, and just below, they have some suggestions in the form of an ad. It is an ad that receives a lot of visibility and can increase your clicks and income.
  • In the middle of content: if the content has interested your user, finding ads in the middle is a good way to increase your clicks (after all, they are interested in the content and are seeing ads as they read it; hence it is likely one will catch their eye).
  • Where links should go: those areas where there should be links on your website (for example, menus) are a good place to put links box ads. However, that leads to some confusion as well as to more clicks.

📈 Tricks and tips to make MORE money with Google AdSense

Now let’s see some little tricks that can help you make more money on AdSense. The most important thing is what we discussed in the previous section. But if you also apply these tricks, you will get even more positive results.

1. Drive traffic to your website

Logically, the first step to make money with AdSense is related to increasing the visits you receive.

Basics are SEO, but you can also use social networks to support you and get more traffic.

2. Optimize CTR

We have already commented that if you want to make money with AdSense, it is not enough only to get visits. You have to optimize CTR. Doubling your CTR means generating double the income with the same visits. It is that simple.

3. Test different types of ads and their placement

To optimize CTR, you will need totest different types of ads and their placement. You will have to do this once you already have a good amount of visits and data in Google AdSense to perform experiments and check results. You cannot conclude with just 100 views.

4. Keep your site up to date

If you do not want your content to become outdated and end up not being helpful to the user, you need to keep your site updatedwith fresh information. That way, you will also have more visits from social networks (if you use them).

5. Prioritize the satisfaction of your users

For Google to position you well, you must keep your users happy. So the best thing you can do is write and create your website thinking about what you would want as a user.

If you keep this in mind, Google will position you better, receiving more visits and making more money.

6. Post quality content

Quality content is like gasoline for web positioning. That is to say; you will be able to appear in better positions when it comes to SERPs by publishing quality content.

But there is another advantage: since your content is of quality, the user will spend more time reading it and, therefore, will see a more significant number of ads and will be more likely to click on them.

7. Use the best keywords

Using keywords that many people search for is the best way to get more visitors. If you have a website that uses the correct keywords on its different pages and you approach them with quality content, visits will arrive sooner or later.

8. Create websites on topics you like

To make money with AdSense, we have already said that you need to write about topics that pay well.

However, you should not choose a topic that you do not like at all just because it is well paid. It will make you frustrated and discouraged. Instead, choose one slightly lower-paid but that you like better.

9. Use Wasabi Theme for WordPress

Finally, we recommend using the always professional Wasabi Theme. If you want to make money with AdSense (or affiliation), it is a very good idea to use a professional and SEO optimized theme.

⛔ Things you should NOT do under any circumstances

Lastly, we will talk about three things that you should NEVER do with your AdSense ads because they can lead to penalties or banning of your AdSense account, with which you will no longer be able to continue to monetize using this system. Pay attention.

1. Clicking on your own ads or using bots

Clicking on your own ads or using bots is strictly prohibited by Google; if they catch you doing so, you will be banned from their system and will not be able to keep monetizing with Google AdSense.

I assure you that Google AdSense knows when a click is real or fake. Think that Google lives from those clicks; it is what provides money and keeps the company alive. Plus, they have been doing it for almost 20 years. The system is so sophisticated that it is practically impossible to cheat on it.

2. Ask users to click on ads

Asking users to click on ads, better known as “to encourage the click”, is also prohibited. This is known as “incentivizing the click” or “encouraging the click”. You cannot say, “please click on the ad so we can make money” or things like that. Instead, users should click because they are naturally interested in the ad.

Again, you may think it is difficult for Google to realize whether or not you are asking them to click on your ads, but let me remind you that Google is specialized in tracking webpages, understanding what they are talking about, and organizing them to show those pages to users who are looking for a topic.

This means that they have a LOT of ability to understand text (and images) on your website. So if you ask your users to click, they will know. And they will ban you.

3. Misuse the number of ads on your website

Misusing the number of ads on your website will not get you banned from Google AdSense, butit is likely to lead to an algorithmic penalty. This means that you will lower positions in Google search results and receive fewer visits.

Even if this did not happen, placing too many ads on your website would give you worse metrics because you would be making the user experience worse, and, ultimately, it would lead you to lose positions in Google rankings.

Therefore, place enough advertising to get clicks and earn money, but do not misuse it. At the end of the day, the important thing is that you place a few ads in crucial places. You will not make more money by saturating the website with ads.

As you can see, it is possible to make money with AdSense, but you have to know the details that we discussed here and take them into account. And, of course, practice. This is a long-distance race, not a sprint. Cheer up!

Are there any alternatives to Google AdSense?

There are several platforms that can complement or replace AdSense. The best known are: