I got my first payment from Google Adsense this week for those ads I’ve got running in the sidebars of the archive pages on this site. I’m not allowed to disclose how much it was for but lets just say 6 months of ads would, if I were in the US, buy me an iPod. Since I’m in the UK where we don’t have a stupendously devalued currency they’ll go some way towards buying an iPod. As it stands I won’t be buying an iPod with the cash despite want/needing to replace my aging CD/MP3 player due to the move which might throw up unexpected expenditures and lost earnings. Plus there’s the usual quandary of suddenly having a lump of cash that could be spent on any number of kinda-luxury items (new camera, new hard drive, hypothetical laptop fund) but I think an iPod will win out. I spend a lot of time walking and on public transport and that’s justification enough.
But back to the ads. As I was watching the money add up I realised I was having to invoke some serious self control. Since, as I’ve explained, the ads are clicked on by random people coming here by mistake it’s very tempting to just put them everywhere I have a big block of text, to integrate them obtrusively into my content and to expand them onto other sites I have control over (all those words on BugPowder just sitting there…). If I didn’t have an inbuilt moral distaste for ads stopping me this blog who be positively plastered in them. I had this moment, while looking through the various options available, when I suddenly realised the devil was tempting me and I was starting down a dangerous road, and I literally stepped back from the keyboard. But I still find myself looking at the reports and thinking, “I could double that”. I’ve even thought about writing on subjects that get high paying ads but I couldn’t really be arsed.
It’s a slippery slope and no mistake. Before Google lowered the barrier to entry I had no way of getting into the advertising game. Now I’m in that game and am technically, but only just, blogging for profit. It’s easy to say this sort of thing won’t change you but it can if you let it.
For now, though, the ads are covering my hosting bills and that seems about right.
Ad Free space is sadly the exception rather than the rule, both online and in RL. Maybe someone will start ‘jamming’ online ads, hack your site and replace the ads with an amusing anti-corporate message :) Or just ‘skull’ your flicker page :)
Actually you can disclose the amount. Google changed the AdSense T&Cs: a while ago:
Unless the google.co.uk T&Cs are different to the google.com AdSense you linked to?
Given the range of iPods, from a $99 512MB Shuffle to a 60 GB Photo iPod, you’re not giving much away! That being said, you might consider the low end option anyway. Shuffling 120 “songs” is about right, or as I tend to do, one or two hour long podcasts and some language tapes to while away the hours on an inter-continental jet. Given you’ll soon be using the 62 bus route (if I remember correctly) a 512 MB shuffle would be about perfect.
Hmm.. so how now do you feel about kottke ?
Dave : If anyone wants to jam how my site looks to them (using Greasemoney or something) then as long as they don’t fuck with my server they can feel free. You can block Google ads with Firefox + Adblock, but I’m not generating cash from people using Firefox + Adblock, which is kinda the point.
James: Thanks for that. In which case I can reveal I got £112.48 for 6 months of ads.
Dad: Shuffle ain’t so good if you’re away from a USB port for a few days. I’m thinking 20gig model, which is kinda the same as a shuffle for me (passed 40 days of music this week!)
Brendadadadadada: I’ve always respected Jason’s anti-advertising stance and it’s good that he sticks by it. Remember my comments about his fund raising scheme was that it was unique to him, not a criticism of what he’s doing and why. This Google Ads thing is an experiment for me – can I take ads and keep whatever ethics I thought I had.
Ah, but I’m sure people click on the ads simply because they like your blog – obviously Google wouldn’t like this but it’s reality.
J…
Jason: Yes, you’re probably right, but I don’t think they’d do it regularly. Maybe once or twice at first but eventually they’d stop seeing them. People who are here for my writings will zero in on it and ignore everything else. Those comming here randomly will be looking for something relavent to them and the ads will have equal weight. Of course I’m using my behaviour as proof of this so what I do know…
And if anyone thinks this helps me, it kinda doesn’t. If Google notice one IP address clicking on loads of ads they can cancel my account and keep the cash, so please don’t.
Why an iPOD? Have some originality! There are other players that are better and cheaper. I got a MobiBlu 5GB, ok the interface isn’t quite as funky, but it’s smaller, cheaper, better made, it records, has FM radio AND it will copy to/from SD cards for backing up your digicam when you are on holiday… or there’s the creative zen. Whenever I see those silly white earbuds i just think “fashion slave”…
At 112 you’re not far off something decent and non-ipod.
Why slag off an iPod? Have some originality!
Fact is I use iTunes, I like iTunes and the iPod syncs with iTunes perfectly. Other digital music players would requie a whone ‘nother system of sorting my music and since I have 11,000 mp3s I’d rather stick with the one.
An iPod is an iTunes peripheral for me, not a thing in itself. Some people seem to have a hard time accepting that while it is definitely NOT the perfect mp3 player for everyone it can, sometimes, be the right one.
A bit late commenting on this post. I have to admit I have NEVER clicked on a peteashton.com adsense link. Shame on me. But then I never click on advertising links anyway.
The irony of this is that I am an epinions.com member and in over three years have made just over $40 for a lot of effort writing reviews on various consumer items and tourism features.
This post has me thinking that it would probably make more (ad)sense to post the reviews on my own site and apply to Google for an adsense “license” – and they couldn’t refuse me as I own a tiny little piece of the company :)