Google AdSense — Why Johnny Said “No.”

A CopyBlogger post titled, “How to Do 500 Times Better Than AdSense” really caught my attention last week.

It was written by Johnny B. Truant, a blogger who made the decision to stop using AdSense.

His strategy was like many others…

Johnny created several anonymous sites with loads of search-engine-optimized content.

Next, he submitted his sites to various directories and social networking websites to generate traffic.

After about 9 months of nonstop hard work, he received his first AdSense check for $111.  If you do the math, that’s about $12/month.

Meanwhile, he created another blog on a subject that he is more passionate about (technology services).  By his 9th month he was pulling in five figures per month from his not-so-anonymous business blog without AdSense ads.

Johnny then made the decision to drop AdSense.

Where I Disagree With Johnny

In the CopyBlogger article, Johnny states a few reasons why he doesn’t like AdSense. He made some valid points, but one reason he gave was the anonymity factor.

He seems to suggest you have to be anonymous to do well with AdSense, and my earnings are proof that is not true.

You don’t have to be anonymous, it’s just that many people choose that route because they are trying to build a quick business instead of taking the time to build a trusted brand with one website.

There are a lot of people making good money with the anonymous, multi-site model, but that’s just not for me.

My method of building an individual brand through content takes much longer to build up, but the long-term rewards are worth it — both from an AdSense and affiliate marketing standpoint.

AdSense – Good or Bad?

Whether or not AdSense is the best model is certainly debatable.  Of course, there is the potential that the ads will distract from your content, the confusion they can cause among visitors, the potential loss of traffic and more.

So I definitely understand the argument that it may not be the best solution for everyone.  As a site owner, you should weigh the pros and cons and decide if it makes sense with your strategy.

I’ve also never been a fan of AdSense-only websites.  You need to diversify your monetization portfolio.  Ask yourself.  If AdSense shut down today where would your income come from?

Even though I make between $6K and $8K per month with AdSense, my business would not die without it.  You should never put all your eggs in one basket.  AdSense can be PART of your model, but it shouldn’t BE your model.

I really hope you take the time to read Johnny’s article.  I love posts like this because they spark discussion.

While I think Johnny made some valid points, I certainly don’t agree with them all.  Maybe I’ve been blinded by my earnings, but I plan to stay put.

Nevertheless, I respect his decision to discontinue with AdSense. It’s certainly not for everyone.

I’d love to know your thoughts on this.  Let’s discuss!