If you don’t already know, here’s how Adsense works. Google provides the publisher (you) a snippet of java script code to place anywhere on your website. Every time the page is accessed, the page is accessed, the java script pulls relevant ads from Google’s Adsense program.

The ads that are targeted to match your website content. In other words, the Ads will be related to the content that is on your web page. When a visitor clicks on an ad, the publisher (you) earns a portion of the money that the advertiser is paying Google for the click.

Basically, the process is hands free. After all, Google’s the one handling all the tracking and payments, providing an easy way for publishers to display targeted ads. Publishers don’t have to worry about finding advertisers, collecting funds, monitoring clicks and statistics.

Adsense is an excellent monetization method for content sites is because Google has come a long way in understanding the needs of publishers and webmasters. The Adsense program allows full ad customization that gives publishers a choice from many different ad formats to complement their website/web page layout. Ads blend seamlessly and beautifully.

Blending ads increases a site’s click through rate (CTR). It also helps keep the publisher’s website looking clean, no ugly ad clutter to ruin the look of your site! Adsense ads are meant to complement your content, not distract away from it.

Adsense also gives publishers the tools to track their sites are performing. Webmasters have the ability to monitor how their ads are performing using customizable reports. The reports illustrate page impressions, clicks and click-through rates. Webmasters and publishers can also track how specific ad formats, colors and pages within a website. This way, trends are also easily spotted.

The last and most important reason why Adsense is an excellent choice for niche mini sites are is Google’s excellent Ad targeting system. Advertisers realize the benefits associated of having their ads served on targeted websites. Targeted advertising increases the possibility that a prospective web surfer will have an interest in their product and services.

Adsense is all about targeted content. It’s content matching ad system stands above the rest of the pay per click programs out there. The more on targeted your content is, the more targeted ads Google will serve up.

If for any reason you are not able to use Google’s Adsense program, here are some other great options.

Because of Google’s TOS, many publishers have found themselves banned from the Adsense program without any explanation. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t any other alternatives to Adsense.

Here are 3 popular programs that can help you put money in the bank.

* Adbrite

Many publishers find AdBrite to be a favorite Google Adsense alternative. AdBrite is not a typical network like Adsense where it just serves ads that are targeted towards your site.

AdBrite is an advertising service that enables advertisers to purchase ads directly on your website. You can approve or reject ads, sell directly to your users, and customize ads for seamless integration into your site’s design. All you need to do is place a small snippet of HTML code on your site.

With AdBrite, you can sell text ads, banner ads, active interstitials, inVideo, and inline Ads. AdBrite allows you to monetize your site with complete control over your pricing. AdBrite takes a small percentage (30%) of the ad revenue to cover the costs of serving, scheduling, billing, customer service and sales.

Unlike Adsense, AdBrite is a pay per impressions, or CPM ad network. In other words, advertisers pay you per ‘X’ impressions, while Adsense pay’s you for every ‘X’ clicks

* Adtoll
Similar to AdBrite, Adtoll allows webmasters to sell ads on their websites. AdToll is a new advertising system launched in June 2007.

Unlike other networks that take 50% or more of the publisher’s advertising revenue, AdToll is dedicated to making sure that publishers are fairly compensated for the income their website earns. AdToll pays 75% commission on all ads sold on your site. For example if you sell an ad for $100, you will earn $75.

AdToll’s minimum payout is $20 payable via check, wire, or PayPal. Your site must contain enough content to make the site useful. Additionally, your website must be hosted on your own domain. Free or shared domains are not accepted. Sites offering or promoting “get paid to read” or “get paid to click” programs, pyramid schemes or similar programs are also not accepted.

Unfortunately, since AdToll is brand new, they do not have a large advertise base yet which is important since part of how sites find advertisers is through their open marketplace where their site is listed. However, that should change over time.

* Bidvertiser
Bidvertiser is one of the best alternatives to Google Adsense you will find on the Internet and is real nice opportunity for you to make money online.

Bidvertiser is a free pay per click advertising network, serving text-ads on thousands of sites. Like Adsense, BidVertiser pays you for valid clicks on ads on your site. You simply paste an HTML code into your web pages and the ads start appearing.

All the Bidvertiser ads that you display on your site are pay-per-click ads. This means that you get paid for every legitimate click on an ad. The amount that you get paid is determined by how much advertisers have bid for your advertising space. Payments are sent via check or PayPal on a monthly basis within 30 days after the end of each calendar month.

While there are similarities between Bidvertiser and Adsense, there are distinct differences that makes this program so appealing for website owners. First, with other programs like Adsense, targeted ads are based on keywords. This gives you no control over the ads that will be displayed on your site. Secondly, the price-per-click is always determined by the keywords, not by the quality of your website. That means that a high-quality site gets the same price-per-click as other low-quality site gets.

However, with Bidvertiser advertisers bid against each other directly on your ad space, you have full control over the ads displayed on your site. The price-per-click you get is based on the quality and popularity of your website. The more popular and appealing your site is, the higher price-per-click you will get.