• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
SideGains Logo

SideGains

Blogging Tips & Tutorials

  • Blog
    • Blogging
    • SEO
    • WordPress Tips
    • Tutorials
    • SideGains
    • Motivation
    • Content
    • Social Media
    • Making Money
    • Search Engines
    • Domains & Hosting
    • PPC
    • Frugal Living
  • About
  • Blogging Resources
  • Contact
Home » Making Money » Google AdSense vs Google Ads… An Absurd Comparison

Google AdSense vs Google Ads… An Absurd Comparison

Last Updated on 1st November 2020 by Paul Leave a Comment

Someone asked me recently in terms of Google AdSense vs Google Ads… which is best? I answered as best I could without wishing to be condescending because it’s an absurd comparison really. In a way it’s like asking if fish are better than helicopters?

I’m going to explain why Google AdSense vs Google Ads is a comparison that cannot be made fairly. I’ll also explain why it’s like comparing fish to helicopters in an effort to understand which is better.

Why There is No Winner in the Google AdSense vs Google Ads Showdown

Although Google runs both platforms, you can’t compare Google AdSense to Google Ads. They are different platforms with two completely different user groups and two completely different (but related) aims. However, both platforms do work together.

Google Ads

Google Ads is an advertising system. Advertisers pay to show ads for their products and services to people browsing online. The ads may be:

  • Text results in Google searches or product ads (right at the top of the search results).
  • Video ads on sites such as YouTube (owned by Google).
  • Text and display ads on sites that have joined Google’s content display network.

The Google Ads system works on a Pay Per Click (PPC) model. Advertisers bid on specific keywords in Google searches, or a maximum cost per click in Google content display and video advertising networks.

Google AdSense

Where Google Ads is a system for advertisers, Google AdSense is a system for publishers.

Website or blog publishers can join the AdSense program to become a member of Google’s content display and video networks. Once approved, publishers can choose from a number of different ad formats to display advertisements from the Google Ads system on their domain.

The benefit of joining the Google Adsense program is that publishers can earn a revenue share for clicks or impressions on ads delivered to their domains from Google Ads advertisers. As such, Google Adsense is one of the ways bloggers make money.

Why You Can’t Compare Fish to Helicopters

Some things just can’t be compared. Google Adsense is a completely different system to Google Ads and both are designed to do different things. Of course they’re connected because Adsense is one of the delivery channels for Google Ads. However you can’t make a comparison like you might if you were asked if WordPress is better than Drupal, because it’s not a like for like comparison.

You can compare once breed of fish to another (with some context of course) but you can’t compare fish to helicopters!

Summary

  • Google AdSense vs Google Ads is not a comparison you can make. Although they’re connected they’re different types of systems designed to do different things. As such it’s an absurd comparison.
  • Google Ads is an online advertising system for people to promote products and services.
  • Google AdSense is a system for content publishers to display advertisements from Google Ads.
  • Content publishers can earn a revenue share in Google AdSense for ad clicks / impressions.

Missive ends!

Paul

Comparing Google AdSense to Google Ads

Over to you… leave a comment below if you’re feeling talkative!

<— Share this image on Pinterest

Filed Under: Making Money Tagged With: Adsense, Google Ads

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links from which I may make a commission at no cost to you. See how I make money for more information.

Paul Franklin - SideGains

My name’s Paul.

I’ve been using WordPress to build blogs since 2005. SideGains condenses my 15+ years of experience of blogging, SEO and PPC in one place… I hope it helps YOU!

Find out more about SideGains, what makes me tick & why I started this blog.

SiteGround Banner
WP Engine Banner
SEO PowerSuite - all-in-one SEO tool

  • Blog Post Formatting Guide
  • Blogging Goals Planner
  • Google Analytics Dashboard Sheet

Footer

About SideGains

SideGains is designed to give you the blogging tips & tools you need to create an online income outside of the 9 to 5.

Find out more about SideGains, what makes me tick & why I began the SideGains project.

Information

  • How SideGains Makes Money
  • Privacy
  • Contact Me
  • SideGains HTML Sitemap

Work With Me

  • Hire Me!
  • Guest Writers

Copyright © 2023 SideGains.com

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram