My Google AdSense earnings dropped suddenly. Has anyone else seen this?
I was making about $200/month from AdSense on my niche blog and this month I'm at $60. My traffic hasn't changed at all. I checked my account and there are no policy violations. I'm using the same ad placements I've always used. This is so demotivating. Did Google change something?
1 Answer(s)
Yes, this is happening to a LOT of publishers right now and it's not just you. Here's what's going on:
1. The March 2024 core update (and several smaller ones since) significantly impacted content sites. Google is prioritizing \"helpful content\" and many niche sites got hit even if they weren't spammy. Your rankings might look the same, but your position for high-CPC keywords may have dropped a few spots, which kills earnings.
2. Advertiser budget cuts. Many advertisers reduced budgets this year, which means lower CPCs across the board. This affects everyone equally.
3. Check your traffic sources in Analytics. If your traffic is still the same but earnings dropped, it means your visitors are worth less to advertisers. This usually means more mobile traffic (lower RPM) or traffic from countries with lower ad rates.
What to do: Don't rely on AdSense alone. Start building an email list and add affiliate links. Even 100 email subscribers can make more than $200/month in AdSense. Diversify your income or you'll always be at Google's mercy.