I just saw a Reddit post that made me cringe.
A blogger with 120 monthly visitors is asking if they should apply for Google AdSense.
The top comment? "Yes! AdSense is great for beginners!"
This is terrible advice.
Here's why AdSense is sabotaging your blog—and what successful creators do instead.
The AdSense Trap: Why It's a Losing Game
You're Trading Trust for Pennies
Let's do the math on that Reddit example:
120 monthly visitors
Average RPM (revenue per 1,000 views): $2-5 for personal finance
Monthly earnings: $0.24 to $0.60
You're literally making quarters while destroying your credibility.
And even then, your money can be tied up until you meet the threshold for the payout.
Your Site Becomes a Spam Factory
AdSense doesn't care about your brand. It shows:
Competitor ads on your content
Irrelevant products that confuse your message
Sketchy "one weird trick" ads that make you look amateur
Pop-ups and banners that annoy your readers
You spent months building trust. AdSense destroys it in seconds.
(28+ AdSense ads on a single blog post about "making money blogging." The irony writes itself.)
The Performance Tax
Every ad network slows down your site:
Longer load times = higher bounce rates
More scripts = worse user experience
Ad blockers = zero revenue anyway
Mobile performance suffers the most
You're paying a performance penalty for pocket change.
The Real Problem: You're Thinking Like an Employee
AdSense trains you to think small:
"How can I get more page views?"
"Maybe I'll make $100 this month!"
"I need more traffic for better RPMs!"
This is employee thinking. You're optimising for someone else's business model.
Successful creators think like business owners:
"How can I serve my audience better?"
"What problems can I solve for money?"
"How do I build real relationships?"
What Smart Creators Do Instead
1. Promote Your Own Service
The Reddit blogger should be asking: "What service can I offer my personal finance audience?"
Options for 120 engaged readers:
Budget review consultations ($200 each)
Debt payoff coaching ($500/month)
Investment planning sessions ($300 each)
Financial planning templates ($50 each)
One client per month = $200-500 vs. $0.50 from AdSense.
2. Strategic Affiliate Marketing
Not random Amazon links. Relevant tools your audience actually needs:
For personal finance:
YNAB (budgeting software): $100+ per signup
Investment platforms: $50-200 per referral
Credit monitoring services: $30-50 per signup
Financial courses: 30-50% commission
One affiliate sale = 100x more than a month of AdSense.
3. Build an Email List + Sponsor Revenue
This is the real money:
Create valuable content consistently
Build an email list of engaged readers
Approach relevant companies for sponsorships
With 1,000 email subscribers in personal finance:
Newsletter sponsorship: $200-500 per send
Product reviews: $500-1,000 per post
Webinar partnerships: $1,000+ per event
One sponsor = 1,000x more than AdSense.
The EazySites Approach: Built for Business
This is exactly why we built EazySites differently.
No Ad Network Integration
We don't make it easy to add AdSense because we don't want you thinking small.
Instead, we optimise for:
Clean, professional designs that build trust
Fast loading times that keep readers engaged
Built-in email capture that grows your list
Simple content management that encourages consistency
Focus on Real Revenue
Our layouts are designed for:
Service promotion (not ad placement)
Email list building (not page view farming)
Professional credibility (not ad clutter)
Conversion optimisation (not ad revenue)
The 120-Visitor Strategy That Actually Works
Instead of applying for AdSense, here's what that Reddit blogger should do:
Month 1-2: Foundation
Set up email capture on every post
Create a lead magnet (free budget template)
Start building relationships with readers
Month 3-4: Service Development
Survey your email list about their biggest problems
Create a simple service offering
Test pricing with your engaged audience
Month 5-6: Revenue Generation
Launch your service to your email list
Document case studies and results
Approach relevant companies for partnerships
Result:
50 email subscribers (from 120 visitors)
2 service clients per month ($400 revenue)
1 affiliate sale per month ($100 revenue)
Total: $500/month vs. $0.50 from AdSense
The Mindset Shift
Stop thinking like a content farm. Start thinking like a business.
AdSense Mindset:
"I need more traffic"
"Maybe I'll make $10 this month"
"Let me add more ads"
Business Owner Mindset:
"I need more engaged readers"
"How can I solve real problems for money?"
"What would make my audience's life better?"
Final Thought
AdSense isn't passive income. It's passive poverty.
You're building someone else's business while destroying your own credibility.
Smart creators build audiences, not page views.
They solve problems, not serve ads.
They create value, not ad inventory.
Ready to Think Bigger?
If you're tired of thinking small and want a platform built for real business growth, check out EazySites.com.
No ad network integrations. No revenue-killing widgets.
Just clean, professional sites designed to build trust, capture emails, and convert visitors into customers.
Built for creators who want to build businesses, not ad farms.
Stop optimising for pennies. Start optimising for profit. Try EazySites free →