I have adsense running on main page side bar, and as a footer within a post, I also have 1 affiliate link on main page side bar.

My goal will be to migrate fully to affiliate links, but in order to obtain the most attractive ones I need pageviews/uniques increased.  Therefore I will leave adsense running for now, maybe making $40 per month and also keeping the look of the blog consistent, then once I hit higher readership levels will use the same ad location and swap out adsense for an affiliate, ideally using a rotating category box to keep things fresh and expose the reader on the first page to a variety of options.

I hate to be the messenger here, but the income strategy you use for a new blog doesn't mean shit.  Literally, shit, if you don't have traffic.  If you are looking at a blog with 50 visitors a day, and 2/3 of them are you from your office you will literally not make a dime. 

Focus on your content and revisit this topic after 6 months of blogging. 

Thanks, I'll definitely look into affiliate links as I am not too familiar with them at the moment.

I would definitely be interested in learning more about affiliate links as well. Does anyone have a link to a previous thread on this forum? 

I've been blogging on The Frugal Path for five months now and this past weekend I began Adsense. You can put ads on your site, but I wouldn't expect to receive much income for quite some time. My first sponsored post was posted this month and came to me from a Yakezie member. In the beginning focus on creating great content and commenting on other blogs to get your name out there. 

I'm in the same place as you.  I just signed up for Adsense today after about 5 months of blogging and I'm excited to try it out.  What did you find most challenging/easiest about setting up Adsense and getting going?

Ross

You may find this helpful: How to Get Advertising For Your Blog or Website.

College Investor, I just read your article and got several new ideas. Thanks!

In first 6 months I generated huge $0.50 from Infolink. Right after removing infolink audience retention increased. Not sure if there's any connection though.

Please take it down. You can start out with affiliate links anytime, even in your first month,provided you get approved. 

I would sayas others suggested, put off earning part for first few months. All the best!

To answer your question, I would disable infolinks for the time being.

20s Finances said:

Many people start out with google adsense. I'd recommend not advertising for the first 3 months at least. In fact, you might as well wait until you have multiple thousand pageviews within 1 month (unless you have some targeted traffic).

 

It's better to spend your time building traffic, write guest posts, etc. 

 

That's just my suggestion... at the same time, I understand the urge to want to advertise from month one.

Interesting.  Certainly a valid take on the subject.

I'd heard another take on it:  Advertise from the start.  That way your audience will be used to it.  Additionally, if you're getting visits from search engines, they're there to solve some problem.  Why not serve ads that address the problem they're trying to solve?

Yeah, that's the camp I'm from.  Toss it up now so people don't feel betrayed when you flip the AdSense switch a few months down the road.

Many people start out with google adsense. I'd recommend not advertising for the first 3 months at least. In fact, you might as well wait until you have multiple thousand pageviews within 1 month (unless you have some targeted traffic).

 

It's better to spend your time building traffic, write guest posts, etc. 

 

That's just my suggestion... at the same time, I understand the urge to want to advertise from month one.

Interesting.  Certainly a valid take on the subject.

I'd heard another take on it:  Advertise from the start.  That way your audience will be used to it.  Additionally, if you're getting visits from search engines, they're there to solve some problem.  Why not serve ads that address the problem they're trying to solve?