Making Money from Blogs and Google AdSense

Here’s our interview with Darren Rowse of ProBlogger.net.
Listen to the audio file. 40 minutes, 37 MB, MP3 format.
00:00 Darren talks about the network of blogs that he’s built:

Over 21 blogs including the Athens Olympics, Digital Photography, Printers, Cameraphones, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Michael Jackson’s trial and etc.
Majority of revenue from Google Adsense – moving towards private ad arrangements.

02:50 Advice to beginning bloggers.

Think strategically including with domain names. Blog on niche topics.

05:00 Viability of a new niche

1. 1. High traffic potential (ex. Digital Cameras)
2. 2. Topic that Google AdSense pays high prices for clicks.

Also – something you like or are passionate about.

08:27 Do you try and capture readers before they click out of the site – like with a newsletter.

Depends on the blog. Make money from your blog or because of your blog. Affiliation versus reputation.

10:24 Other players doing blog network models.

Gawker and Weblogs, Inc.
Plenty of room for everybody. Focus on a microniche.
Your competitors can be your collaborators and allies.

15:10 What kind of traffic volume to have before you start using ads?

Not a huge amount to use Google AdSense, but you’ll need to be dominating a niche in order to get traffic for a private ad network.
Sign-up for Google AdSense at http://google.com/adsense/

19:16 Which has more power – blogging on a targeted subject or getting enmeshed in a network of blogs.

You can cross-market between blogs. Mentions Gawker’s just-launched Sploid.
Not just a broad network but that each blog of the network is so focused.

24:00 Can ads confuse readers and distract from my own products?

Example: ADD expert – many GoogleAds might be linking to alternative therapies that might be rubbish.
Do you want to be advertising the products of competitors – or driving folks to your ezine or newsletter?

29:10 What is the biggest mistake the beginning bloggers make?

Giving up too early. Not having clear obvious post titles.

31:32 When doing affiliate links – are you linking directly to product or sites?
Usually to the site with the code embedded.
32:58 What is the difference between a blog and a website?
How it is published, organized and updated. Adored by search engines (organization and freshness).
35:01 Bloggers being picked up by publishers.

Covered previously here.

37:00 Marketing yourself via blogs as a consultant

Be generous. People will seek you out.

38:40 How many hours a day do you spend blogging?

8 hours a day. Much more during event blogs like with his Athens Olympics blog. This is his full-time job.