TypeLists on TypePad blogs

After I made the decision to put ads on my blog, I signed up for Google's AdSense. Google provided me with some code that I needed to put into my Typepad blog. The next big problem was where to put the code. At my subscription level, I didn't have direct access to the template code. At first, I looked on the TypePad site, figuring that this must be an FAQ. I found this link, and figured I was home free. Nope! It's a great post on making money from your blog, but doesn't answer the question of how to put the ads on the site. So I ended up doing a web search (what else?) and of course boatloads of people have asked the same question before :) But that's not what I'm here to tell you. Oh well, if you insist...

1. Sign up for AdSense first, and get approved. Have the AdSense page open in a separate browser window.
2. Create a new TypeList of type "Link."
3. When that's done, click the link "Add a new Item."
4. Copy the code provided by Google AdSense page.
5. Paste it into the Notes: field of the new item and leave all the other fields blank.
6. Click Save or OK or whatever you need to do to save the new item.
7. In the TypeList screen of TypePad, navigate to your new list if you're not already viewing it, and click on the Configure tab.
8. Scroll down to the Advanced Configuration portion of the page, and click on the radio button to "Display Notes As Text." Click on the Submit button to save all your changes.

Then, follow this suggestion from TypePad to actually display the typelist on your blog:

Where can I use TypeLists?

Once you create a TypeList, you'll be able to easily add it as an item to the weblog of your choice. To display the items in a TypeList in your weblog, edit the Content section of the template set assigned to that weblog. You'll see the names of the TypeLists you have created; check the boxes next to the lists you wish to include, then press Save Changes. Your list(s) will appear in the sidebar of your weblog.

Anyway, once you figure out how to add AdSense to your blog, you can use the same technique to add other pieces of javascript. For example, sign up at Technorati and they'll cheerfully provide a piece of javascript that you must embed in your blog. Easy, peasy. Go back to your TypeList, click on "Add a new Item," and follow steps 4-6 above. Become an Amazon Associate, get their bit of Javascript and do the same thing.

There was one thing I didn't like about TypeLists before figured it out. There didn't seem to be an easy way to re-order the lists. For example, I wanted the AdSense list displayed first. At first, the only way to do it seemed to involve deleting the higher-ordered lists and then adding them back on. Anyway, eventually I figured out that I could click on the "Order" link in the Design portion of the TypePad control panel to re-order the sidebar items.

Comments

[The Roto Authority]

GREAT tutorial. typepad doesn't encourage this because they want you to use their kanoodle ads. thanks.

[Al Sargent]

I'd poked around TypePad's site and couldn't find any directions. Your steps above work perfectly. This saved me a lot of time. Thank you very much for posting this!

[Mike James]

You mentioned "recently" - and I remembered something from the AdSense website about PSAs (Public Service Ads). So, I went back and here's what Google has to say about it:

http://www.google.com/support/adsense/bin/answer.py?answer=10035&ctx=top5

Perhaps they have not yet indexed your site, and therefore they don't actually know what kind of ads would be best suited for your blog.

By the way, I would also recommend reading this entry from Robin Good's Master New Media website:

http://www.masternewmedia.org/2004/12/30/bad_seo_marqui_has_the.htm

[Dave]

Hi, I have a blog about home buying and recently tried experimenting with Adsense. I think real estate is a pretty interesting key word, but all Adsense does is serve public service adds. Is there a way to have adsense better target?