Section 8.3. AdSense Content and AdSense Search

8.3. AdSense Content and AdSense Search

Google AdSense provides two programs you can use to make money from your web content:

• AdSense for Content

• AdSense for Search

These are different programs and work in different ways. AdSense Content places ads on your web pages, similar to the ad unit shown in Figure 8-2, and you make money when a site visitor clicks on the ad.

Figure 8-2. A typical AdSense Content unit provides text ads with links; you get paid when someone clicks one of the links

With AdSense Search, you put a Google search box, like the one shown in Figure 8-3, on your site.

Figure 8-3. In the AdSense Search program, a search box goes on your site

The AdSense search box displays Google search results when a user enters a query. These search results show relevant ads. You receive a portion of the revenue generated when a visitor uses your search box and then clicks on an ad from the search results returned by Google.

Adding to the power of the AdSense search program, you can use the SiteSearch option to search your site rather than the Web (see "AdSense Search Settings" later in this chapter for details). You can also configure the AdSense search results page (whether searching your site or the Web) to match the look of your web site (see "Working with Search Styles" later in this chapter for more information).

To summarize, AdSense Content and AdSense Search are two very different ways to make money from your content, but both are lumped (a little confusingly) under the AdSense program umbrella; it's important to be clear about the distinction.

AdSense Content or AdSense Search?

Is AdSense Content or AdSense Search right for your site? It's hard to say, and there's very little reason not to try both to see which works best.

From a general viewpoint, AdSense Content works best on destination sites. If visitors to your site tend to linger a while, and regard your site as conferring some authority on the ads you present, then AdSense Content will probably work well.

On the other hand, if your site is a way station leading toward further information (usually on other sites), then it is probable that visitors will frequently use AdSense search if it is available on your site, and this program may make you quite a bit of money.