It’s hard to find an easier way to make money with websites than with Google AdSense A novice can insert AdSense ads in a blog or website and start making money with little to no upfront cost. Unfortunately for those honest and hardworking bloggers, some Internet marketers have taken advantage of this and abused the AdSense platform to such an extent that “AdSense websites” have earned a rather negative reputation. Such sites, known as “Made For AdSense” or “MFA” sites, have been among the targets of the Google Panda Updates. What defines an MFA site, and should you avoid it?
Made For AdSense Blogs
When you hear webmasters and Internet marketers talking about a site or blog that’s “made for AdSense,” they refer to sites that are used–or appear to be used–chiefly to earn the owner money through AdSense ads that are placed in that site or blog. In other words, the site isn’t there to provide useful information to the reader; it is there only to make money by getting visitors to click on the ads.
Google hates Made For AdSense sites because they do not offer valuable, authoritative content to the reader. Anyone can publish an MFA site–and the content is seldom any good since the owner doesn’t care about it; it’s just a cash cow.
Check If You Have an MFA Blog
There’s no written definition of what makes an MFA site. In theory, two sites could look alike, and yet one person made his site out of love for his subject, and the other did it just to make money. But people in general agree that MFA sites share some factors in common, such as:
- Numerous AdSense ads that affect user experience
- Unusual or unsightly placement of AdSense ads (seemingly to get lure more clicks from visitors)
- Duplicate or spun content (such as plagiarized articles)
- Poorly written content
In years past, it was possible to make money the easy way with Made For AdSense sites. And it still is–but it is getting harder and harder. And the reality that all Internet marketers must face is that eventually, Google will catch up to it all. Before that time comes, you want to be prepared. You want a really good site that Google wouldn’t want to slap come next Panda Update.
How to Avoid Having an MFA Blog
The way to avoid making a Made For AdSense site is simply to not make your site just for AdSense!
New as I am to the Internet marketing world, I have spent no small amount of time learning from and working with veterans in the business. The most successful people I’ve seen have one dirty secret to making money online and avoiding the MFA problem.
That is: Create quality sites!
If you have a blog, make it a great one. Write about the things you care about, have authority and experience in, and/or enjoy talking about. Determine what gives you an edge over the competition, and play on it. Make your site user-friendly and pleasing to the eye. Interact with your visitors. Give your blog an identity, a personality. In short, show visitors you give a damn about your blog for reasons other than money!
Recently, I wrote an article, How to Make a Facebook Profile on my blog. Not being a tech wizard, I nevertheless offered the reader what I could to make the article useful: clear instructions and lots of pictures. Some of my articles have videos that I personally made as well.
Work hard on your site, and your readers will notice. Do that, and you don’t have an MFA site. Do that, and you establish credibility for your site. Do that, while also promoting your site through SEO, social media, etc. and you can trust the money will come.
21 comments
DiTesco says:
Nov 16, 2011
Simple message but highly effective. MFA sites like you say hardly provides any value at all. I believe that small business entrepreneurs or bloggers monetizing sites can create as much sites as they can, provided that the content is of good value even if it is minimal. Google recently and officially made a statement that unique and valuable content is something they are closely keeping an eye on. Like you said, it is only a matter of time until they catch up, and when they do … ouch! Thumbs up!
Danyel @ portrait drawings says:
Nov 16, 2011
I hate when I arrive on a website just to see it begging for adsense clicks and having little and poor content. For users is easy to spot an MFA and a good quality website, let’s hope that Google will be able too.
There’s nothing wrong in using AdSense but only after you have a good quality site that you have put a lot of work into and added original content and not just some copied articles. Sadly some people go the other way around, they first make their site with the adsense in mind and then try to fill it up as quickly and cheaply as possible and get traffic to make money.
BuySellWordpress says:
Nov 17, 2011
The number of AdSense Blogs is really very big, and they even irritate me somehow because there isn’t any useful information on them
Ricci Sionil says:
Nov 17, 2011
I created blogs just to have an Adsense…But unfortunately, it didn’t went well…My Adsense were disapproved and I lost my drive to make another blogs…
Blog Lady says:
Nov 17, 2011
Thank you all for your comments. I agree it’s easy for the user to spot MFA sites, which tend to look alike anyway. One thing I don’t I mentioned is, MFA sites always seem to lack *character.* It’s like there’s nobody there–and there isn’t.
Sorry to hear about what happened with your AdSense account, Ricci. Don’t give up! There are other ways to monetize blogs.
Anyway, I think we all know MFA sites’ days are numbered. Let’s just do our best; the thing will take care of itself if we do that.
Sarasota Foreclosures says:
Nov 18, 2011
I made roughly 20 MFA niche blogs about a year. It was going well but was just too overwhelming building quality content and links. I made a few hundred dollars a month but have since abandoned the idea. I loved the idea of passive income but it isn’t very passive. I would suggest just doing 1 or 2 quality sites with lots of great information. In the long run I think that is the only way to make consistent income.
Ray says:
Nov 19, 2011
I guess people think they can get rich quick with a bunch of made for adsense types of sites. I honestly don’t see how it is even worth putting all of them together just to make a couple of dollars. You still need to get backlinks and get some traffic.
asteriia says:
Nov 21, 2011
Would you recommend getting a premium theme? It would totally give you a great professional look to your site.
Blog Lady says:
Nov 21, 2011
Sure! But you can also improve the look of a free theme if you customize the banner along with a few other changes. I like Thesis myself.
clip frames says:
Nov 25, 2011
I certainly think it has good potential. It is a niche for sure, and most probably the eCPM for this niche will be rather high. All will depend on how much traffic you will get to your blog, and how well you fine tune your ad sense.
Pete Goumas says:
Nov 26, 2011
Putting heart and quality into your blog really does make all the difference. Thanks for your post !
Mikayla says:
Nov 30, 2011
very imformative thanks man! good instructive for beginners
Blog Lady says:
Dec 1, 2011
Thanks for the comments, everyone! Glad you liked the article.
Dawn Callum says:
Dec 14, 2011
How does one make money from webpage promoting? I’ve got a blog that gets >100 hits every day and I’m thinking it’s worth some money.
FBlogger says:
Jan 30, 2012
Thanks for this post. I was looking for information about MFA. Maybe it is not for me.
promotional items says:
Jan 30, 2012
Tell me if there is a large enough audience for this, enough content to blog about on this topic and if the topic will work with adsense( if its niche enough and so forth)
Blog Lady says:
Mar 20, 2012
You need to do some market analysis and keyword research for this. Look up the volume of searches on your niche, number of products being sold for it, competition size, CPC value, etc. Use AdWords tool. Sorry for the late reply.
tracc films about us says:
Feb 16, 2012
is having adsense in this site good?
“tracc films about us – A film production company who finds the sweet spot where your key messages meet a highly targeted, responsive audience.
For businesses of all shapes and sizes”
Dougals Gorden Jr says:
Mar 19, 2012
Love this blog post! I use AdSense but yet it is not the main focus of my income on my website. I notice all the time newbies getting adsense and putting it all over the place I know that they will not make money and it will hurt there blog or website. Thanks again for shedding some light on this topic.
Douglas Gorden Jr @ Gorden Web Design
http://googledouglas.com
Zjonni says:
Mar 31, 2012
Awwwn 🙁 I dont WANT to have a MFA blog but it seems like theres no other way to get people to click my ads! I am very sincere about my main topic (alternative fashion) and its something I am personally passionate about. I try to put up the best photos I possibly can and I spend hours commenting on other fashion blogs and I dont get a single new follower or click! :C I cant figure out what the trick is!
Chris says:
Apr 4, 2012
You serious? Write quality content, and stay on one niche. Then, and if done right, Google place relevant ads, which people may click – because they’re relevant!
I know a guy, he has MFA blogs. HOWEVER, he made them for the information. One of the sites are about beds, so he got some person writing quality articles about all sort of beds, and Google gave him ads related to beds. He makes a killing a month just on AdSense. People click it, because it’s highly relevant.
So one can actually have a MFA blog, if just said person actually bother to put in some relevant stuff, which people come for. Then, and only then, ones CTR may raise.