Google’s AdSense advertising for publishers is an alternative revenue stream that actually makes more sense for many marketers than the traditional affiliate programs. The argument against AdSense is that it’s a PPC model and it takes a bunch of clicks to equal the revenue of a single affiliate sale and that’s a valid statement as far as it goes.
But not all websites are ideally designed for affiliate programs.
What about websites that aren’t laser focused on a product or service like a “how it works” or “history of” website would be. What about sites that are more general in scope and offer up informative content rather than product pitch for a P90X workout program or a Cinderella wall mural? Many blogs are a perfect example of this type of site. Typically blog content is loosely related to a general theme but not created as a direct sales tool.
But blogs aren’t the only examples. Recently I did some backlinking work for Joan Mylchreest who runs AllWallDecor.com. Joan spent a career as a sales person for an interior decorating company and probably would still be with them if they hadn’t gone bankrupt.
When Joan decided to make a living on the internet she decided to chose a topic that she was extremely knowledgeable in and opened her site on wall decoration.
Broad reach can be a deal killer for an affiliate product but a gold mine for AdSense
The first basic rule of SEO is to include your targeted keyword phrase in your domain name. In Joan’s case the it’s the phrase “wall décor.” Now wall décor is an incredibly broad keyword because wall décor can include mirrors, wallpaper, wall hangings, specific room wall hangings like bathroom mirrors, stuffed moose heads and…well maybe not stuffed moose heads but I know some of my Canadian friends have neon Molson’s signs hanging in their den.
The point being that when a site is so diverse it doesn’t lend itself to promoting a specific product. The traffic coming in is spread out over a number of topics rather than a single theme and the odds of matching up a potential buyer for say a bathroom mirror product is slim when the visitor lands on “wallpaper for the dining room page.”
But AdSense loves this kind of content!
Good well written, well structured, informative content is exactly what works with AdSense. And if you have page after page of this type content on different topics, AdSense has an opportunity to present more relevant offers from its vast database of advertisers.
AdSense will scan the page looking for keyword phrases that have been purchased by advertisers. Well written and informative articles will by default include these phrases but there are steps that you can take that will not only enhance your success with AdSense but help you out with the SERP.
Let me share a few.
Optimized pages create an optimized website.
We often think about optimizing the website when what we really mean is optimizing each and every page. This holds true if you are an affiliate marketer or relying on contextual advertising for revenue. Here are a few basic tips to get the biggest bang out of Google both for advertising revenue and page ranking.
- Your targeted keyword phrase must be in the page title.
- The keyword must be in the meta description as well. Actually this description is often what Google shows under your link. You can use these 160 characters as a mini pitch for the page content. Otherwise Google may just take the first 160 characters from your content.
- Headlines are exceptionally important and you want to include the keyword in your h1, and one of your h2 tags.
- If you have images on the page you have an opportunity to get traffic from Google images. Include the keyword in the alt text if appropriate.
- As far as the content itself is concerned, include the keyword in the first paragraph and once somewhere else in the article. Also be sure to well research your article prior to writing to make sure it’s naturally keyword rich.
- Linking, both internally and externally will help with the SERP. Use the keyword phrase as an anchor text pointing to an external authority site. For internal linking use any phrase you like and link it to a relevant page within the website.
If you follow these basics you’ll benefit from the double whammy of good things from Google. Your AdSense campaign will prosper because you’re making it easy for Google to offer up relevant advertising, and you’ll improve your chances of a higher ranking in the SERP.
Here’s a last thought for those of you who are not interested in AdSense but are also disappointed with the level of sales from affiliate products. Take a hard look at your domain name and the names of your pages. Perhaps you’re not as laser focused on a specific keyword phrase as you thought. If that page of yours dealing with the Bowflex 552 dumbbell isn’t returning the kind of revenue you had anticipated, then maybe your site has too broad an appeal and may benefit from testing AdSense.
That’s my take on page optimization. What’s yours?
James Martell is an Internet pioneer who discovered the lucrative world of affiliate marketing in 1999. He is a self-taught Internet entrepreneur and a leading expert in affiliate marketing, natural search engine optimization and outsourcing. His approach to the business is “real world” not some super secret technique. His methods are based on intelligent planning, solid execution and effective monitoring of results. His laid back “guy next door” style has made him a popular choice for speaking engagements at affiliate marketing events. James along with his wife Arlene also the hosts of the “Affiliate Buzz” (since 2003) on WebmasterRadio.FM.
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