๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ก๐ฆ๐ ๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ง๐ ๐ ๐ข๐ก๐๐ง๐๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ก
I tried AdSense on three directory sites. Google rejected me twice. First, my domain was wrong. Second, my content lacked value.
This forced me to look at the math. AdSense requires approval. Affiliate programs do not.
For a new site, this is a big difference. AdSense revenue is zero without traffic. You need approval and scale to earn. Affiliate links earn on the first sale.
I changed my strategy based on user intent.
- AI Tools site: Users want paid tools. I use affiliate links.
- Games site: Users want to buy games. I use affiliate links.
- Open Source site: Users want free tools. I keep AdSense.
The open source audience avoids spending money. Affiliate links do not work for them. Display ads are the right fit.
I made the technical switch easy. I used one environment variable to toggle modes. I added disclosure pages for legal reasons.
I do not expect a big windfall. I want to earn faster. I want to avoid approval delays.
I will share my real numbers in June.