
Welcome to our Google AdSense primer. In this first article we'll cover the basics of Google AdSense. We feel by having a complete understanding of the AdSense product the process of optimizing for revenue becomes a easier task.
Google AdSense is a service that serves advertisements from a JavaScript code snippet onto your website. AdSense offers a number of ad formats, in both text and image based varieties.
Google has worked hard to make sure the integration into your website is a straight forward and simply process. Google provides a web based "wizard" for configuring your ad settings. After you've configured your settings you will be provided a snippet of JavaScript code to be pasted wherever you'd like your AdSense advertisements to show. This snippet is so flexible you can even use the same one accross numerous websites (which we don't recommend, but more on that later).
To serve contextually accurate advertisements Google uses the a special web crawler called "Mediapartners-Google/2.1," after you begin using the AdSense progrem you can expect to many new log entries to appear under this user agent. Through the indexed data Google then presents a contextually valid advertisement, in the case that no advertisement is available a public service announcement or PSA will be displayed.
Ads that are displayed by Google AdSense come from Google AdWords. Google AdWords is a self service advertising program where keywords and phrases can be bid against. Traditionally this advertising model is refered to as Pay Per Click or PPC. While all ads displayed on AdSense come from AdWords, not all AdWords ads are show on AdSense. Advertisers get the option of purchasing ads only on Google.com or on Google's affiliates ie Google AdSense participants.
Google pays a percentage of the amound paid by advertisers for each click on the ad. Google is unique in the sense that it does not publicize the exact percentage value. This lack of disclosure has led to many AdSense participants speculating if it varies.
You revenue earned will be based on:
To get a rough idea of what the "Current Market Price paid by Advertisers" is you can always reference the Overture bid tool. While officially the Overture PPC program is a competitor of Google AdSense, based on market positions you can use the tool to estimate the current market price being paid by advertisers for any specific term or topic.
Payouts occur on a monthly basis provided you've earned over $100 dollars for the period. If you haven't broken $100 dollars then your balance will simply roll forward.