To monetize or not to monetize that is the question.
Now that seems like a pointless question to ask considering we are all here to make money in one way or another. But the argument is a good and valid one, and it all stems from the importance of providing value and building relationships, both of which are vital to your long term blogging success.
When we start blogging it is drilled into us how important it is that ‘you over deliver with value and that you do not try and sell to people straight away’, and this makes perfect sense. We really do need to provide unique and engaging content and we should not cover out posts in advertising, but if we are spending all this time optimising our posts for Google, shouldn’t we be capitalising on that?
I have talked previously about the importance of optimizing your posts with the most highly searched key phrases, and I have also provided many tips on the best ways to do this so if you haven’t already done so you certainly have all the tools to optimise your posts to rank higher in the long run. Now what if there was a way that we could provide amazing value to our subscribers and regular readers as well as fellow bloggers who find you through CommentLuv and THEN make money from the organic visitors who end up finding you in the SERPs.
Well thanks to the magic of WordPress and the WhydoWork Adsense Plug-in now you can!
The whydowork Adsense Plug in is the reason behind this post because to utilise it fully necessitates the use of one of my favourite things: Keyword Research! Oh, and it also has same amazing benefits within its settings that allow you to please both your readers and your bank account.
How to configure the WhyDoWork Adsense Plug-in
When you install the plug-in, a link is added in the Settings menu on the left to access the configuration panel. It is quite easy to figure out but in a nutshell, you have the ability to add up to 10 Adsense codes and then through the options below you can choose to automatically insert these ad codes into pages/posts/sidebars etc. The very last option is to insert the adsense into ‘single pages (older than x days) Ad your code into this section and choose the option for say 7 days. You now have an optimized post that is free of ads for 7 days while your regular readers and subscribers enjoy it and then after most of them have read it and dugg it and tweeted it and done all the things required to help your off page SEO, the adsense is inserted and hey presto – along come the Googlites –right on cue!
I can hear some of you arguing that if you are going to add value with the hopes of getting a subscriber then you should never add adsense blocks –the logic being; who cares where the traffic is coming from. And I can see your point, but I find there are two types of traffic and I am only interested in one.
Socialites vs. Googlites
I won’t go into detail because that’s another post for another day but in a nutshell (and I’m generalising here), the traffic that comes from Google is seeking information and they want it quickly. They do not understand RSS feeds and the power of effective blog commenting, they just want in and then they want out, so if you can answer their question and provide a relevant link out then you have done your job. Traffic that comes from social media however understand blogs and RSS feeds, so you know that if you can be unique and engaging as well as provide value then you will have a subscriber, they also know about Adsense so even if they weren’t put off by it, I can almost guarantee they wouldn’t click it.
Now that we have discretely monetized our posts with adsense wouldn’t it also make sense to revisit some of our older posts and add a relevant products or services with your affiliate link, thus increasing the income streams and chances of making money? Of course it would! That’s the beauty of basing everything you do on effective keyword research!
Organic Visitors are Targeted Visitors!
And Targeted visitors are hungry for information and/or are seeking a specific products or services to meet a need that they have right now! Take advantage of this knowledge and put into action this three point plan to ultimately make more money from your blog quicker.
- Optimise your post headings and titles with the most searched key phrases.
- Monetize your posts with Adsense using the WhyDoWork Adsense Plug-in as I explained.
- Revisit your old posts and add relevant affiliate links to products and services.
If you can optimize your posts for Keywords that are heavily searched, and at the same time you can write a post that draws your subscribers in, then as they link to it and talk about it, it ranks higher and you get more targeted organic visitors as a result. It’s a win win situation. And if you then monetize these posts after the fact it becomes a win win win scenario. 
Alex Whalley is the author of Alex Whalley.com where he writes about blogging, niche site marketing, and keyword research techniques. Alex recently quit his fulltime job to tackle niche marketing fulltime and uses his blog to catalogue and document his experiences with making money with niche sites and search engine marketing. If you’d like to see how easy it is to build, market and monetize niche sites check out his blog. You can also Follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his RSS Feed.
Hi Alex,
Wow, lots of useful information here. Funny that you mention the WhyDoWork plugin because, even though I have heard of it before, I was debating installing it. You’ve definitely convinced me to give it a try, particularly on posts older than X days. What have I got to lose? If I don’t like it or get any results, then I can just install it.
Thanks for the reminder,
Karen
Karen Ruby´s last [type] ..Increase Your Negotiation Skills- Is Win-Win The Best Tactic
Hey Karen,
Glad you are finding the posts useful – (now we’re even
)
I think you should also go and optimise some of your posts with specific keywords, like Tony Robbins for eg. I know you don’t write about him but he speak of similar things and so if you could tie him into a post and then add the adsense, who knows? As you said – what have you got to lose.
The more I think about it, the more I think you should so something like that because you have such amazing content on your site that you would turn a Tony fan into a Karen Fan.
Thanks for stopping by Karen, even though technically you were here first
Brilliant post here. It does make sense that it’s a win win for everyone and I like the Idea here. I’ll have to check this out myself even though I’m not big on advertising stuff on my blog much.
Eric´s last [type] ..Get To Know Me Better: Ask Me Any 2 Questions You Want
Hey Eric, how’s it all going my friend?
I personally don’t do this on my own site but that’s because I want to keep the visitor there until they buy my affiliate products or sign up to my list. I use them on my niche sites so that there is no adsense there when the site is indexed – but that’s another post for another day
Thanks for commenting Eric
Now , this is a brilliant idea. I’ve though about revisiting old posts and put there some affiliate links but i never have heard about this plug in which can really help to monetize the blog.
Thanks for this Alex.
Cheers
Jorge
Jorge Bento´s last [type] ..Starting Own Business Online – The 5 Gold Rules
Hey Jorge!
Awesome man, it is my pleasure!
Always glad when my posts help out like that so thank you for the feedback and for bringing that energy to the comment thread!
Funny you mention affiliate links because that’s what got me writing this post in the first place. I was thinking of revisiting old posts and adding links! – Great minds think alike or fools never differ? Only time will tell
Thanks for stopping by Jorge!
Nice and useful read Alex!
I must say that I am limiting the use of Google AdSense on my blog because it’s mainly a “blogging tips” blog which will not have a lot of ads clickers! but I was considering to set AdSense to show only on old posts for visitors who comes from search engines, those who “may” please my days
Now, I am actually facing the challenge of setting some nice ad spots, I can not find any nice place yet rather then my very long sidebar and after the post! I wish I can add it more to the top!
Thanks for the very informative article!
Hesham´s last [type] ..The Biggest Blog Commenting Folder in the History of Blogging
Hey Hesham.
Thanks for your comments and feedback and I think I can help you out here. The WhyDoWork plug-in allows you to insert the ad in the top left, top right, top, bottom, and middle so there are a lot of options.
Studies have shown that a 250×250 ad block in the top left is the best performer, along with a 468×60(?) ad on the bottom and the top. This way you do not break up the post with the ads, except for the block one but in this case the text wraps around it so it looks integrated nicely.
Hope this helps and remember the only way to find out is to try.
Thanks for stopping by Hesham
Hey Alex,
Nice post. For me personally, I inserted the google adsense manually in the html code, I didn’t use this plugin and I didn’t know about it. If I knew about it, I think it would have made things a lot easier. Thanks for sharing
Dia´s last [type] ..How to control your emotions and overcome negative thoughts
Hey Dia,
No worries my friend, it’s not too late though, and with this plugin you have so much more control of pretty much everything and you will never have to touch the code again.
Thanks for stopping by Dia
Hi Alex,
Thanks for mentioning this plugin which is good to utilize like you said for niche sites. I’m like you and opting out of putting it on my own blog because I want people to click on my affiliate links or be my subscriber.
Plus don’t want to confuse people with a lot of ads. In addition I’ve learned that with Adsense you want people to click “off” your site as they didn’t really get a solution to their problem thus them clicking on the adsense links.
Anna
Anna Haller´s last [type] ..Are you alone
Hey Anna,
You make a good point about the reason people click adsense is because they did not get what they were looking for at your site. I always looked at it from the other side with the ad being a follow up reference, but I really like that perspective, suits auto content blogs perfectly.
Thanks for stopping by Anna
I think it’s a great way to monetize your blog without alienating your subscribers and community because, as you said, posts that have hit a certain age generally aren’t visited again by your regular readers.
Murlu´s last [type] ..Tapping Into Craigslist To Find Freelance Clients
Exactly!
Awesome, thanks for confirming and commenting Murray. I think even if your regular readers went back through your archives and hit Adsense they wouldn’t mind.
Thanks again for throwing in your 2 cents Muzzah!
Alex,
Nice useful post that was, very timely too, I hadn’t seen this plug in or heard of it, seeing as I have not used WPress for that long, but this I will be checking out, nice one for that post because you just made it easier for us to use it if we do
rob sellen´s last [type] ..Are blogs evolving
Hey Rob, Glad you found the post useful and yeah it’s a really easy to use plug in with good features, I use it on all my niche sites and have never had a problem.
Thanks for your comments man!
Hi, this plugin looks promising. I’m currently using AdSense Injection (which no longer seems to be available or maintained). I’ve been using that because it does random AdSense placement in the post content. I see that the whydowork Adsense Plug in says it does this too. Has anyone used this option? Does it work well? If it does I might give it a go. Cheers.
reviewmylife´s last [type] ..Japan parcel delivery box
Hey Rml.
I am not sure about the random feature as I have never used it. I prefer to have control over the placement so I can effectively learn what works best.
Definitely think you will enjoy using this plugin.
Thanks for your comments
Hey Wonder Blog Boy
Nice post, and I love the little plugin you mentioned, I think I will actually use that, maybe lol.
I don’t currently use adsense for monetizing my blog, but if it is not disrupting my readers I don’t see why it’s not a great idea, and if it makes money too all the better.
I think along the same ways as Anna, clicking off your site tends to mean they didn’t find what they were looking for, but I never really thought of your point of view, that’s it can be a follow up reference too, can see both sides can be right.
Thanks Alex, you always come up with really helpful gems for us bloggers.
Sally
Sally´s last [type] ..Is Social Media FAB or a FAD
Hi Alex
Sensational post, mate. Lots of information I haven’t heard before, so very useful as well. I will be giving WhyDoWork plugin a shot and following your SEO tips.
Thanks for sharing.
Michael
Alex knows his stuff. You should read every post he has written here at TIP. Great guy also.
Brandon
Thanks for the kudos Brandon – how you been anyway mate?
stuff it, I’m sending an email to say g’day
Awesome Michael!
Thanks for following my tweet and coming back to this post mate!
Chat soon aye
Has anyone else given this a go? I’d be interested to hear what other people’s thoughts are on this tactic. I really need to take time and optimize my site
Dave´s last [type] ..Search Domain Hacks On iPhone With Domainr