If you use Google AdSense as part of your blog’s monetization, you can easily set up a “savings account” with Google.
Today’s Lesson
First of all, if you haven’t done so, you’ll need to:
Most of you know, when visitors click on your AdSense ads, you make money. (Do not click on your own AdSense ads!)
Granted, you may not make much, but those pennies will begin to add up.
According to Google’s payment system, when your account reaches $100.00, you will either receive a check, or the money will be deposited into your account via an EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer).
Although $100.00+ check would be nice to receive, you do have the capability of “saving” your AdSense earnings.
Google gives you the option to watch your money grow (interest free, of course).
In your Google account, go to “My Account”.
Click on “Payment Holding”, “Edit”
Check the “hold payment” box, and Google will hold your earnings until you tell them otherwise.
To receive your payment, just follow the same process, and deselect/uncheck “hold payment”. Google will send your money, based on their next payment cycle.
Google states that “changes made to these settings after the 15th of the month may apply to either the current or next payment cycle”.
Today’s Assignment
Were you aware you could do this?
Do you think you will use this feature, or do you want your earnings, asap?
Here’s the announcement you all have been waiting for:
My “New Blog Of The Week”, goes to Nez, of NezSez.com.
Nez’s tag line (motto) is “Using Critical Thinking to Affect Positive Change in Your Life and Society” That sounds like something we can all use.
Check out his blog, leave him a comment, and welcome him into blogosphere!
I’ve heard about it, but I’ll watch it grow in my own savings or investment accounts. The money I make online go into investments and savings. I make about $100 weekly with adsense. It’s getting better.
I’ve heard a few people have had their adsense yanked for unknown reason. When that happens you don’t get the money you’ve earned. There was a local story about that. It was two people they made over 100k, but they never got that last paycheck. I do remember hearing a story think it happened a few years ago where Google got in trouble because they didn’t give the money back to the advertisers they kept the money.
Hi Barbara, I changed bank accounts earlier in the year and didn’t change it with Google so my earnings are on hold anyway! I need to sort it out though because they’re saying they made a payment to me in June, but I don’t know where the money actually went.
What Opal just mentioned about Google keeping people’s earnings sucks. If you’ve been doing nothing wrong, Google have no right to withold your earnings. But, you hear about it happening to people all the time and many say there’s nothing you can do about it.
I’m looking forward to checking out your new blogger of the week.
CatherineL’s last blog post..The Dirty Little Word That Prevents Success
That’s a great new blog – I really loved that post about toilets. I really laughed at the appreciation of toilets!
Well I’ve been blogging since June last year, and I’m closing in fast on my first $60!
Just another few months or so, and I’ll break that magical $100 barrier!
I think the underlying topic of the blog isn’t the most attractive for click-throughs to adsense, but I enjoy it anyway.
I am thinking of getting a sponsor – the people who liquidated me. But if they say no, I don’t think I could vouch for anyone else. And I’m certainly not going to go bust again just so I can sample the services of a potential sponsor!
It would be good to get a sponsor – not to make money, but to invest in the site – get it professionally done, SEO’s etc so it drew in more generic search hits. And it would have to be conditional.
I recommend them anyway and it’s been a while since I spoke about getting professional help when your business is struggling or about to go pop.
Is a main site sponsor a good alternative to Adsense?
Maybe with a one-year sponsor to invest in the site, year two could be paid after an investment in the site?
Or if they wish to end it, Adsense could make a comeback if the investment had driven up traffic?
Ian Denny’s last blog post..For Blog Addicts Only: Putting Pictures In A Blog Post
I would want to get my money from Google ASAP–especially if there’s a chance they could decide they’d rather keep it!
When is it OK to start putting up ads? I hear people say that everyone starts monetizing too soon, but I haven’t seen any specifics on when “too soon” is.
Hunter Nuttall’s last blog post..Fighting Chain Letters With Common Sense
Hi everyone,
I want to thank everyone who’s hopped on over to take a look at my blog, and especially Barbara for her generosity — I’m truly touched.
I hope to continue finding my way in the blogosphere, and as to the topic of this post, I certainly hope at some point down the road that my readership numbers will necessitate my consideration of monetization.
But in the meantime, I’ll keep focusing on developing content, visiting excellent blogs like this one, and making more blogger friends (oh, and continue working on my business, and the family thing, too..!)
Nez’s last blog post..5 Reasons I Stopped Watching TV (or at least watch less)
Opal,
When I was looking at my Google account, I noticed this, and decided to raise the question. Now, I am glad I did, as you know first hand of how some have lost their earnings.
Catherine,
Hopefully you can track if, indeed they sent you a check. For new bloggers, it’s a great reminder to keep good records, not only of Google earnings, but earnings from any advertising medium.
Ian,
I have no knowledge on main site sponsors vs Google. That may be a question Opal could answer. Personally I have only done a small amount of monetization, (more on my other blog). Then, in order for it to really work (make money), I would imagine visitor counts have to be pretty high.
Hunter,
There is no “rule” as to when you can/should monetize a blog. I would say, throw a few AdSense ads on your blog, but just don’t clutter it with ads. (and the content gets lost) The choices they offer are many, so you could do anything from a small rectangle or square, to a large “skyscraper” (large vertical ad).
If you do any research on AdSense, you will get lots of opinions. It seems like I read that ads that compliment your text, work the best. Whether that is true or not, can only be found out by experimenting on your own blog.
Nez,
Welcome to my blog. And…you’re welcome!
It’s great to see you join in on the discussion.
You have a great attitude about blogging. You’re are concentrating all of the important aspects of blogging.
I see a bright future for you in blogosphere!
And…to my loyal readers/commenters, thank you for welcoming Nez, by visiting his site and dropping a comment or two. Let’s remember to “pay it forward”. 😀
Barbara’s last blog post..Sign Up For Google’s Saving Account
Now this is just SCARY. Barbara did you plant a spy cam at my house because I was just thinking about this today. I was wondering if it was kosher to let adsense revenue acculmulate like this.
Opal, congratulations on making it to $100/week! That’s over $5000 year, and that’s a wonderful stream of passive income. I did some research, and it seems Google only yanks adsense if you’re suspected for a lot of invalid clicks. They tend to send an email about that before they do anything rash. I’d be interested to see links to those stories you mention, though.
Anyway, you’re readin’ my mind, Barbara! Thanks for answering a question before I asked it!
Kekoa’s last blog post..How to Encode Video for a Podcast
Have no fear, Kekoa….No spy cams have been planted by me.
It is ironic though, that you were thinking about this.
I’m glad I asked the question, and have loyal commenters who are willing to share their experiences.
Isn’t blogging a great medium to share valuable information?
Barbara’s last blog post..Sign Up For Google’s Saving Account
“I would say, throw a few AdSense ads on your blog, but just don’t clutter it with ads. (and the content gets lost)”
So Barbara, you’re saying DON’T use John Chow as a role model? 🙂
Hunter Nuttall’s last blog post..Fighting Chain Letters With Common Sense
Hi Hunter,
Chow has risen as a well known blogger, for whatever reason, so I have to give him that. But, I hadn’t been on his site for some time. You got me curious, so I checked it out, and yes, the ads do detract from the content.
Funny, but I searched John Chow and ended up on John COW com. That had a lot of ads too, but the author uses the same premise…make money online. He has a higher position than Chow, so he’s used SEO and Chow’s name, to his advantage.
I guess if you have a high readership, adding more ads may be acceptable to loyal readers, but might it be a turnoff to new ones?
Barbara’s last blog post..Sign Up For Google’s Saving Account