Jun 14, 2025

Why google adsense is killing your blog (and what smart creators do instead)

Here's why AdSense is sabotaging your blog, and what successful creators do instead.

Adam Martelletti

Adam Martelletti

4 min read

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.

google-adsense-earning.png

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.

adsense-how-to-make-money-blogging.png

(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.

eazysites-self-promotion-section.png

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:

  1. Create valuable content consistently

  2. Build an email list of engaged readers

  3. 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.

eazysites-sponsor-section.png

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 →