My online advertising strategy is still quite simple: Google AdSense + self-service advertising + direct advertisers and sponsors.

AdSense provides the bulk of the income (but not for much longer as I opening a new bigger revenue channel as you read) and it still rocks. Notwithstanding the very sad situation of the exchange dollar - euro and the very negative impact this has on the money I bring home via Google AdSense, I have now identified patterns and approaches that can guarantee still a lot of growth in this direction.

AdSense requires lots of attention and background work as well as a content editorial strategy that openly supports it. Integrating AdSense without strategy and without a well analyzed editorial approach is generally quite disappointing.

The self-service and direct advertising solutions can also be quite profitable, but the best strategy here is to after your ideal customers rather than waiting for them to fall in your lap. Nobody else but you knows best which are the most used keywords used by your visitors to get to your site or the most viewed pages across your site. With this information in your hand it is much easier for you to go to a potential advertiser you like and endorse and offer a test campaign at no cost to them. If you can bring them real-interested prospective customers and you ask an honest price, how can they say no to your offer?

One more critical point: traditional advertising or editorially-driven advertising solutions?

My advice: stay clear of traditional advertising solutions that buy just impressions and clutter your site with brands and products your readers have no specific interest into. Leave that to traditional media outlets as television, radio and low-grade print magazines.

Online, focus and relevance are key for an ecosystem that is increasingly based on attention scarcity. If you want your ads to really explode, make sure they provide highly relevant information about products and services that complement your info and editorial direction and which, possibly, you also endorse, even if not in an open way.

Interruptive, distracting, display-type, banner advertising remains the old way to communicate and promote a product. It is inefficient, very costly and degrades your credibility, authority and often also the look and feel of your site.

Why do it?

Money shouldn't be the driver, as in the long term, that fast earned money will erode the only unique asset that will have limitless selling potential online in the near future: your credibility.