If you’ve tried to monetize your website with ads at any point, there’s a pretty good chance that you’ve at least looked into trying Google Ads (AdSense). While Google Ads works great for some publishers, especially those who aren’t too invested and want a completely hands-off experience, there are whole other worlds of advertising out there. Some that can take earnings to the next level as AdSense only scratches the surface of what’s possible.
The options can be dizzying, from header bidding providers that upgrade your ad experience to affiliate marketing and everything in between. Luckily, we’re here to help you explore your options and decide which AdSense alternative is really right for you!
Why Look Elsewhere?
There are various reasons publishers look for alternative ad networks or monetization methods, whether to work along with AdSense or as a stand-alone solution. Some of the biggest motivators for finding a replacement are:
Rejected Account: If you haven’t met the content requirements when applying, looking for an alternative may be the only option you have.
Increased Revenue: Between its limitations and restrictions, scaling your revenue with AdSense can be very difficult. Even as your website grows in traffic and quality, there’s a chance that you’ll never see the earnings you want (or deserve), which drives many publishers away from AdSense.
Transparency: If ad monetization is your main revenue stream, it’s essential to know what’s going on with your ads; something you don’t get much access to using Google Ads. They use an Ad Rank system to determine which advertisers are awarded your ad units and how much they’ll pay. On account of this, publishers don’t know if they’re being paid out the highest offer or what their ad units could be worth.
Ad Control: Under Google Ads, publishers lack the ability to customize ad units compared to other networks and providers. If you’re hoping to increase revenue by optimizing ad layout designs or changing the types of ads used, you’ll need to work with a different network.
Diversifying Revenue: Why keep all your eggs in one basket? Branching out to other networks will introduce you to a whole new catalog of advertisers and features for maximizing your ad earnings. Besides ad-monetization, you can use various methods to monetize your website to create several revenue streams!
The Best Alternative to Google Ads
With a whopping 389 billion dollars being invested in the ad industry, ad monetization is by far one of the most lucrative ways to make money. Luckily for publishers not wanting to work with Google Ads, there are plenty of ad networks available. With the help of research and online resources, it’s possible to find one that works well for you.
For publishers wary of running into the same issues as working with Google Ads, header bidding is genuinely the best solution. Header bidding is a programmatic technique that brings an array of ad networks together to bid for your ad units simultaneously. This means the work of finding the best ad networks and partnerships has already been done for you. Since more demand partners mean more competition for your ads, most publishers see a 20-50% boost in earnings when switching from AdSense just based on that factor alone.
Some header bidding providers are ‘non-exclusive,’ meaning you can still use other ad networks with no issue. They offer unique features and solutions to maximize your revenue, such as ad layout optimization and Adblock revenue recovery, and assist with page loading speed and balancing user experience.
Other Ways To Monetize
Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is an easy and common starting point for most publishers looking to get paid. If you’ve ever purchased a product using a link from your personal favorite blogger’s site, then you’ve been a part of affiliate marketing!
The idea is to review and promote a brand’s products or services, provide direct links or codes for users to take action, and get paid when they do. Commission will vary from brand to brand, but some publishers have boasted making up to 50% of the sale price.
There’s no shortage of affiliate programs out there for publishers to join, so you’re allowed to be picky. Earnings from affiliate marketing will be directly impacted by the usefulness of the products and services to your viewers. If your niche is in the baking industry and you offer affiliate links to tax or automotive tools, the lack of relevance would result in little-to-no revenue. On the other hand, offering the latest in bakeware or recipes could greatly interest your users and generate quite a bit of cash. Get started by exploring your options and focusing on audience demographics and interests to make the most revenue.
Lead Generation
Lead generation is basically like getting paid to play matchmaker. You get paid to connect companies to relevant users within your audience, no user purchasing of products or services required. The best way to do this is by creating a referral form for your viewers to actively apply to be connected with a specific company or service. This way, users are aware and active in the decision-making process to communicate with a third-party brand.
Though you can sell some information without user awareness, you could tarnish your credibility and violate privacy laws if you’re not careful.
Sponsored Posts
Sponsored posts are articles a publisher is paid to place on their site, written by the publisher or advertisers to endorse or review products and services. When relevant and valuable to the audience, they appear organic and balance promoting a brand with giving users useful information. Just be sure not to compromise your brand’s reputation by endorsing brands or services that don’t align with your quality standards.
Guest Blogging
You’ve worked to build a credible brand, and cashing in on guest blogging is the perfect way to take advantage of that. You can connect with others in your niche or industry to get paid to write guest blog posts on their websites. Besides getting some extra money in your pocket, you can potentially benefit from solid backlinks to your website and an influx in traffic!
Freelance Your Services
Promoting yourself as a freelancer is another popular way to make money from your website. As a publisher, you already have a solid portfolio (your website!) and access to a strong client pool (your viewers!). Allow them to reach out and work with you on an individual level with a ‘hire me’ or ‘work with me’ call-to-action placed on your website. Whether you offer services related to your niche (like budgeting if you’re a finance website) or go for a broader topic (writing, web building, etc.), there’s money to be made.
Getting Started
As a publisher, you have many options available to you for website monetization; no Google Ads required. If you’re looking for the most profitable revenue stream that doesn’t take time away from building your site and brand, getting started with a premium header bidding provider is the best solution. Check out this free earnings calculator to find out how much untapped revenue your site has to offer.
About the contributor: Newor Media is a programmatic ad management company providing cutting-edge header bidding technology. We have relationships with all major networks and SSPs alongside a dedicated support team to help publishers get the most out of their ads. To learn more, check out newormedia.com. - Siarra Ortiz, Marketing Associate
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