I am the webmaster and editor of several JW themed websites. Early on, I considered using AdSense to help pay my bills, and found that I spent more time in posting ads and headers and links than writing articles about JW issues.
If you never use Google search or Chrome as your browser or Amazon to buy books, then you are a blank slate. In that case, Adsense will post adverts that relate generally to the subject discussed on the page. (I used to see ads for Herbert W. Armstrong and Garner Ted Armstrong books and tapes and also even Scientology ads here on JWN.)
But if you do, then you will be bombarded by ads based on your own past and recent searches. For example: My wife and I love good steakhouses. My neighbor suggested one he had found some ten miles out of town and we tried it. It was quite good and we decided to go back. Neighbor says, "Hey, Groupon is offering a 50% off coupon for that place. You can get it online." So we did, used the coupon and enjoyed another meal. Next time I logged into JWN there were Groupon ads at the top and bottom - and guess what! One was for that very same restaurant.
So the bottom line is that Simon and other webmaster who might use Adsense or similar automatic advertising services have no idea what ads you will see and can do nothing to make you click them. In fact, most ad services state very clearly that no programming or hidden links can be used to try and trick readers and visitors to click on their ads. Several years ago I received an offer from some spammer claiming that he could make me a millionaire in just months. How? Basically copy the first couple of paragraphs from other websites about celebrities or latest news, etc. His scam was to put a link at a critical spot in the article that would take readers to the rest of the story. But rather than take them to the story first, they would hit a page with six to nine Adsense type ads. They would then have to click on one of the ads before the link would take them to the rest of the story they were reading.
Total scam. He and all of his customers were shut down in a matter of weeks.
I can assure every reader of JWN that none of us involved in JW themed websites or forums are making any money from them. A few that have websites advertising books they have written might be making a few bucks from Amazon.com - but even then the amount of clicks are so small and the commission that Amazon and Adsense pays is miniscule. If Simon can pay his hosting bill each month/year from his advertising commissions, more power to him. But his limousine and mansion will have be paid from other sources (job, stocks and bonds, business investments, inheritance). Running a JW themed website or discussion forum is nothing but a money pit unless your site is set up to focus on constantly asking for donations and long term financial commitments. That is not something I want any part of - and clearly, neither does Simon.
JV
