Google Adsense can be a decent money maker if you have a readership that likes to click on your ads. One way you can attract brands to put their ads on your site is by telling them what kinds of ads you’d like. This is where Custom Channels come in.
Custom Channels allows you to customize what kinds of ads you are really wanting to appear on your site. Here’s a screen shot of the different ones I have set up on my own site:
There are 4 ad unit types shown above, but each one is running 3 Custom Channels (one ad is not in use).
To get started, you’ll need to log in to your Google Adsense account. Click on My Ads. On the left-hand side, click on Custom Channels. To create a custom channel, click +New Custom Channel. NOTE: I highly recommend that you set up your different Ad Units (ad sizes) first before creating channels.
Let’s take a look at my leaderboard ad (which is 728×90 px and is running above my header). I’ve got 3 Custom Channels set up for that ad spot. Books, fashion and shoes. Here’s a screenshot of how I’ve set up my 728x90_fashion channel…
At the top you will see the Custom Channel Name. This channel name is 728x90_fashion. I named it this so that I could keep track of what channel was working on which ad type.
ONE | This shows you all the different types of Ad Units that I have created.
TWO | This shows you which ad units that I have this particular Custom Channel assigned to.
THREE | Click that box so that Advertisers know that you are looking for specific things to target on your site.
FOUR | If your particular ad unit appears on every page of your site, then say that. Be specific as to where each ad can be seen.
FIVE | Select where on your site your ad can be seen.
SIX | This is the most important part. This is where you tell the advertisers what kinds of ads you are looking for. This is what I wrote as my description for this particular ad: “A Leaderboard Ad appearing above the fold on all pages. Fashion, clothes, shoes, jewelry, accessories, scarves, sunglasses, belts, earrings, necklaces, rings, lifestyle, clothing.”
Notice how I’m stating very specific items that I’m looking for in an ad. So I’m telling Advertisers that if they sell any of those types of items, I want their ads running on my site.
You can set up to 500 different custom channels. I’m sure you could get very creative with your channels. So far I’ve been extremely happy with the ads appearing on my site. For the most part they seem to be fitting into the Custom Channels that I’ve created. Occasionally a random ad will sneak in that I feel isn’t a good fit for my readers or might be offensive for whatever reason. In that instance, I’ll end up getting the link from the ad (Copying the Link Location without clicking the actual ad) and then adding it to my Blocked Ads list.
After I set up my Custom Channels, I saw an immediate increase in the amount of money I was making. So I highly recommend you log-in and create some custom channels. 🙂
Have you set up Custom Channels for your Adsense Account?
Want more #bloggingedumacation?? I’ve got plenty more reading for ya here.
Do you recommend building your readership up before adding the ads? Or did you start off with ads right away? Thanks!
Do you know how to do this in DCP? Since I only use adsense as backfill, I would love to make it more custom.
This is interesting. I don’t have readers that click. Maybe if I change them to fashion related items I’ll get more clicks?
Thanks for the article. I just got approved for Adsense but I’ve got no idea how to use it, so this was very helpful!
Girl, thank you sooo much. I was so lost. I have been reading and reading and understanding next to little of how to maneuver through this process. I felt like I needed an AdSense Custom Channels book for Dummies and found it, for the most part with this. Thanks much
Btw, I said, ‘for the most part’, because I realize the wording will be different for a site as opposed to a post and since it will be light years before I can start to do so, encourage you to be more elaborate (book even) for those of us who could use a more extensive class. If you’re making enough with post and so forth, be charitable with the given of info 🙂
Thanks for the great information! I applied to use Google Adsense for my website today, so your tweet about this post came at the PERFECT time. It led me to other helpful posts on your blog too!
I hate that I am so adsense dumb. I’m intimidated by the verbage and all the boxes to fill out. Do you also have a photo rich explanation on setting up your different Ad Units (ad sizes) first before creating channels? Once I feel like I understand that, I think I can follow your custom channel set up instuctions.
In your example photo #2…. where did those words come from?
Thank you for this post! It is extremely helpful.
I just did this, I hope it works! I really want to make the most of the ads on my page. No point in having them up if they aren’t working! Thanks!
Hi, Taylor, Northern Belle Diaries was kind enough to send me over here, looking for how to make Adsense work for ME, for a change. I think I understand channels a lot better, so thanks so much!
I’ve never seen Step 6 before – you almost write it like an ad, looking for ads! Since I’m one of those making pennies, I can’t wait to experiment with this and find out if there is more money to be made. I actually think Adsense is purposely dense – no other ad program that I’ve read about is so woefully explained. They need you!
This is very helpful information. I’m just not sure about what size ads I should have, and the best place to locate them. Any advice?
Thank you SO much for this, Taylor! I just re-vamped my AdSense account, as I’d been having some trouble with my old email, and it was all Greek to me. I hate the spammy ads that are on my website right now, so I’ll have to give this a try to make it more pleasing to my readers! Thanks again girly!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!!!!! I knew there had to be a way to customize these things and I was so confused on how it worked! Seriously you are awesome for making this!