The web has evolved into a complex "organism" which, to some, appears to have a
life of its own. As the Internet has evolved, so too have online marketers and
publishers. The dot-com balloon is said to have burst but savvy publishers have
grabbed the coat tails of the Google search monster and employ Google AdSense on
content-rich websites. Google AdSense, a pioneer for providing content-sensitive
advertisements, has been a boon to webmasters looking for alternatives to
amortize their web trafffic.
How Does Google AdSense Work?
The concept is simple: The publisher or webmaster inserts a java script into a
website. Each time the page is accessed, the java script pulls advertisements
from Google's AdSense program. The ads are targeted and related to the content
contained on the web page serving the ad. If a web surfer clicks on an
advertisement served from Google, the webmaster serving the ad earns a portion
of the money that the advertiser is paying Google for the click.
Google handles all the tracking and payments, ultimately providing an easy way
for webmasters to display content-sensitive, targeted ads, without the headache
of having to solicit advertisers, collect funds, monitor clicks or track
statistics, any of which could easily become a full-time job.
While Google AdSense, like many pay-per-click programs, is plagued by claims of
click-fraud, it is clearly an effective revenue source for many reputable web
businesses. There seems to be no shortage of advertisers in the AdWords program
from which Google pulls the AdSense ads. Webmasters seem less concerned by the
lack of information provided by Google and more interested in cashing their
monthly checks from Google.
The Evolution of AdSense
While Google's initial system was fairly rudimentary, only providing publishers
the option of displaying a handful of advertising formats, the technology behind
even the first ads was anything but simplistic. The technology used to employ
Google AdSense goes far beyond simple keyword or category matching. A complex
algorithm is used to determine the content contained on the web page serving the
ad. Once the content is assessed, and appropriate ads that contain related
content are served.
Early on, Google implemented a system that allows publishers to filter
advertisements from competitors or sites which they deemed inappropriate. Google
also allows vendors to specify an alternative advertisement, in the unlikely
event that Google is unable to provide related content ads.
The Progression of Google
Google has come a long way in understanding the needs of publishers and
webmasters. Google now offers a system that allows full ad customization.
Webmasters can choose from twelve text ad formats and can customize Google
advertisements to complement their website and fit into existing webpage layout.
The options provided allow webmasters to select and create custom color palettes
that match an existing website's color scheme, making the ads a much more
natural fit.
Many sites have been able to integrate ads into their site design using
different ad formats.
Sample sites with integrated ads:
Investing Partners - http://www.investing-partners.com
Podcasting Tools - http://www.podcasting-tools.com .
RSS Network - http://www.rss-network.com
Online Reports
Google recently took a huge step forward, providing publishers the ability to
track their earnings based on webmaster-defined channels. Recent improvements to
the Google AdSense reporting have resulted in webmasters having the capability
to monitor an ad's performance with customizable online reports that can detail
page impressions, clicks and click-through rates. Webmasters now have the
ability to track specific ad formats, colors and pages within a website.
Webmasters can quickly spot and track trends. The new flexible reporting tools
allows webmasters to group web pages by URL, domain, ad type or category,
providing webmasters insight into what pages, ads and domains are performing the
best.
Reporting is real-time, allowing webmasters to quickly assess the effectiveness
of any changes. The new reporting makes it significantly easier for webmasters
to optimize and increase click-through rates. Optional reporting allows
webmasters to monitor traffic, viewing both ad impressions and page impressions.
Advertisers realize the benefits associated with having their ads served on
targeted websites, increasing the likelihood that a prospective web surfer will
have an interest in their product or service.
Truth Still Not Revealed
Google still does not reveal what percentage of the advertising revenue earned
is paid to the webmaster serving the ads, but they have made strides related to
disclosure, recently lifting the ban preventing webmasters from disclosing the
amount they earn through serving Google ads.
Evolution of Google AdSense by: Sharon Housley