We get this question often from our clients, “Is AdSense a good idea for my website?”. To some, it seems like monetizing your website through passive advertising is a no-brainer, but there are many things to consider before jumping into it. Before you decide whether or not to use AdSense on your website, make sure to review the reasons for caution below:
AdSense (Google Display Ads) can dilute your branding
This is a big sticking point that we run into with our clients. In creating custom and high-end websites, we find that we spend most of our time pairing the website with your branding. This hard work feels like it goes to waste when you allow people to introduce their branding and logos into your site.
AdSense can give your users a less-than-ideal user experience
The goal of clients and prospective clients visiting your site is for them to connect with your brand in a meaningful way. Adsense can affect the user experience in a few ways including:
- AdSense is normally attributed to a high bounce rate on your site. People who click on an AdSense ad are redirected away from your site completely.
- Adding AdSense ads to your site can make the user experience confusing due to the distractions and branding that is scattered about. These ads are designed to be eye-catching and these generally take away from the message that you are trying to get across.
AdSense can reduce conversion rates
Let’s face it. People are quite easy to distract! By giving people a visual (potentially unrelated) distraction to the content that you are presenting, you open the door for increasing the number of people who leave your site. I know you’ve clicked on the clickbait yourselves. (“I really need to read this article about which type of fruit will magically help me lose 25lbs without exercise.”) Why would you want to allow for competition on your own site over your viewer’s eyes?
AdSense can make your website look “cheap”
User experience and brand reputation are two of the key metrics to maintaining a trustworthy digital presence. Display ads aren’t always ugly and cheap-looking, but there is no way to make sure that the ad shown is the best.
AdSense is not as profitable as you may think
I’m sure there are many people who get a decent income from AdSense but the majority will most likely be making less than $100/mo. Providing a great user experience and gaining a loyal customer base should provide more income over time to cover any AdSense income.
In conclusion,
The investment in fostering loyal customers with a great online experience far outweighs the minimal monetary benefits of AdSense on your website. Focus your time and energy on creating great content, affiliate marketing, and products that you can sell on your site to offset any income from AdSense. There may be many people who would favor a “donation” to your organization if it means they don’t have to wade through all of the spammy AdSense on your site.