AdSense payment structure is one of those topics that publishers constantly have questions about.
Google Adsense is one of the most popular ad networks among publishers. As per SimilarTech, approximately 3,921,484 websites are currently using Adsense for serving ads to users. Various reasons including, increased safety and security, high transparency, and the availability of several ad formats have made Google Adsense a favorable option for both publishers and advertisers. It is owing to such reasons that Google Adsense remains a constant for many publishers, even if they are using more than one ad network, which is advisable.
With the lack of traditional jobs, it’s no surprise that a lot of young Kenyans are venturing into online jobs. The favorite seems to be the writing segment, and more specifically, academic writing, which promises quick returns on the work done.
However, if you’re in it for the long haul then you’ve probably ventured into web ads from which you can earn something from displaying them alongside your content. It could be your site, blog, or even streaming videos.
In the web ad space, there’s no bigger name than that of Google’s AdSense which allows you to run ads on their very own hosted products and but more often, in third-party platforms like self-hosted sites and apps.
The hosted products include Blogger sites and the more common one, monetized YouTube videos. I take it you’ve any one of this and you currently have earnings in your AdSense account that you wish to withdraw.
Before You Can Withdraw
If it’s your first time withdrawing from AdSense, then you should know there are a few requirements that you should meet first. These include:
1. Your AdSense Account should be verified
Account verification is done after a certain threshold (address verification threshold) is reached in your earnings. The earning threshold is determined by the currency used in your AdSense.
If it’s US Dollar, Euro, or Great British Pound the threshold is 10 [i.e. $10, €10 & £10]. Google sends you a physical mail with a PIN to the mailing address you registered the account with. Submitting this PIN in AdSense verifies your account.
Note: You can’t change the type of currency reported in your AdSense Account.
2. You must have reached your payments threshold for Google to release your earnings
The earnings threshold is also determined by the currency used in your AdSense Account. If it’s US Dollars, the threshold is $100, Euro is €70, and if it’s Great British Pound, it's £60.
3. You must have set up a payment method
The first time you reach your payment threshold as stated in the previous point, you’ll be prompted by AdSense to set up a payment method.
Setting Up A Payment Method
Assuming you’ve completed those first two steps, let’s see how you can now get your earnings. Google, depending on your country (payment address), gives you the following payment options:
o Checks
o Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT)
o EFT via Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA)
o Wire Transfer
o Western Union Quick Cash
If you’re in Kenya, you get three options: Checks, Wire Transfer, and Western Union Quick Cash. Of these, the simplest way to get your earnings hassle-free and within the quickest time is the last option: Western Union Quick Cash.
08/2020 Update: As of early 2021, Google will stop disbursing payments through Western Union. You’re therefore required to select a different payment method before this date.
Since it’s no longer possible to add Western Union as a payment our next best option is Wire Transfer. With this method, you’ll need an account with a local bank that supports international Swift transfers.
Most of the major banks like KCB, NCBA, Equity, Co-operative etc support it so this shouldn’t pose any challenge. If in doubt consult your bank’s customer care and confirm if your current bank account accepts swift transfers or if you need to open a new one.
Set up AdSense Wire Transfer to Kenyan Bank
1. Go to your AdSense Account > Menu > Payments and select Manage Payment Methods
2. Select Add Payment Method then choose to Add new wire transfer details
3. In the pop-up box that will appear fill the form with details of your National ID, your names as they appear in your bank account, the full name of your bank, its swift code, and your bank account number.
4. Set this as your primary method of payment and save the details.
Consult your bank to get the swift code and the correct full bank name. Otherwise, you can also check the Transferwise site for a comprehensive list of swift codes for all Kenyan banks. So for instance, for NCBA Bank the name should be NCBA BANK KENYA PLC and the swift code CBAFKENXXXX.
Payment Threshold
As a publisher, you will be required to set a payment threshold and you will be receiving the money at the end of the month only if your current balance reaches the set amount. For example, if your payment threshold is $150, your current balance should be $150 or more for you to receive the payment.
Even though Google provides a default payment threshold, you can increase it as per your needs.
Other than the above mentioned thresholds, Google also has a default cancelation threshold in case a publisher wants to cancel their Adsense account. If your account balance is more than the cancelation threshold, you will be sent the rest of the payment in about 90 days after the month ends. You should have gone through all the necessary steps though for getting paid.
Each type of threshold, including the payment threshold, is different for different currencies. Here’s the default thresholds for a few of them:
In case your balance doesn’t reach the payment threshold, your money will remain in the adsense account until the next payment cycle is completed. The accrued amount will then be transferred to you at the end of the next payment cycle.
Another thing to note is that publishers will receive the payment as per the process at the end of every month and the frequency for the same cannot be changed. However, publishers can choose to hold their payments on a temporary basis for upto a year. The single payment with accrued earnings will then be transferred to you a few days after the specified date.
Google Adsense Payment Timeline
Google Adsense follows a monthly payment cycle. This means that publishers are issued the payment between 21st and 26th, given their earnings are higher than the payment threshold and they have no payment holds (more about this later). The time at which different publishers receive the actual payment may vary depending on their chosen Adsense payment method, timezone, and if 21st falls on a holiday or weekend.
To understand the Google Adsense payment timeline properly, let’s take a look at the types of earnings that are shown on publishers’ homepage.
- Estimated Earnings: This report will let you know about your recent account activities. Basically, you will be shown your earnings according to the recent activities on your account.
- Finalized Earnings: Estimated earnings are finalized at the end of each month. This amount excludes all the earnings through invalid activities. Google finalizes your earnings on the 3rd of each month.
If your estimated earnings and finalized earnings are different it means that some invalid activity, such as invalid clicks, have occurred on your website.
The balance you’ll be shown at the end will be the amount that you will be paid at the end of the month. This includes all finalized earnings, credits, and debits.
Receiving Your Payment
Google will now be sending your earnings automatically to your bank account at around the 21st of every month assuming you’ve reached your payment threshold. You will get an email from Google every time a payment is disbursed in the address you’ve registered your AdSense account with.
A receipt of this payment will be available in your Payment Settings by going to: Menu > Payments > View Transactions then under the earning period click to open the Automatic payment: Bank transfer to bank account…
The payment will however not arrive immediately in your account and may take between 1-3 working days depending on your bank. If it takes more, contact your bank for assistance.
With regards to fees and currency, the payment is sent in Euros and Google doesn’t charge you any fees for the transfer, though, your bank may do so. Check with your bank to avoid any surprises.
As for the currency, depending on the type of account you hold your bank may convert the Euros to Kenya Shillings (KES) using their exchange rates. If you wish to receive the payment in Euros it’s likely that you’ll need a foreign currency account instead of one in KES. Consult your respective bank on whether this is possible.
Reasons for Payment Hold and How to Resolve them
Most likely Google won’t hold your payment if you have followed all the necessary steps and are complying with policies. But payments can be held if you missed out some step. Below are listed the possible reasons for Adsense payment holds and what you can do about it.
- A payment hold can be because you forgot to submit tax-related information. Getting done with the same will resolve the issue.
- If your address and identity haven’t been verified, your payment will be put on hold. For removing the hold, make sure to enter the PIN for address verification and verify your identity.
- Google will also be forced to hold your payment if you haven’t set a form of payment. Ensure that you do so for getting paid on time.
- If you have put a hold on your payments and have forgotten to remove it, Google will not be able to send you the money.
- In case you see a compliance hold on your account, you probably haven’t verified your personal information. This payment hold will be lifted as soon as you do so.
- Lastly, your account may be under review for checking if it is complying with Adsense policies. In this case, the payment hold will automatically be lifted after the review is done with.
If, however, you see none of these issues on your dashboard, your balance is greater than the payment threshold, and payment is due for over 60 days and you still haven’t received payment, you can request a reissue from Google Adsense.
Additional Information about Adsense Payment Procedure
Here are listed some of the noteworthy things about Google Adsense payment:
- Publishers are provided with a printable receipt on their account after a payment is issued.
- Adsense converts advertisers’ money from their currencies to publishers’ desired currencies according to the market rate the day before ads are displayed.
- Even though account ownership transfers are not allowed by Adsense, publishers still have the option of updating/changing their payee address or name. The details however, should match the tax information provided by the publisher.
- Google Adsense does not allow publishers to change their payment currency.
Factors that Affect Ad Revenue
Since this post focuses on actual earnings of publishers, we thought it would be helpful to list some aspects that affect the same:
- The adsense ad formats that you are using may have a significant impact on your revenue generation. For example, the CPM rates for display ads and matched content ads may vary in the industry. So, choosing ideal ad formats according to your niche and content will give you higher returns.
- Seasonality trends also affect ad revenue widely. Basically, you may earn more revenue in some months and relatively lesser revenue in others. You can optimize your website accordingly to take advantage of specific trends that occur during the year.
- This has probably been said enough, but having content that actually holds the interest of your audience is the easiest way to ensure high revenue. For example, publishers are often advised to provide long-form content that is in-depth and relevant.
- The niche of your website definitely impacts the kind of revenue you are earning. So, make sure to include content on your website that speaks to a larger audience.
FAQs
When do I get paid?
If you have completed all the necessary steps and your dashboard is not showing any issues, then you will receive your payment between the 21st and 26th of the month.
What can I do if my EFT payment was sent to a closed account?
In this case, the payment will be sent back to your Adsense account and will be reissued to your new account in some days.
Can I track my Google Adsense payment if the form of payment is ‘check’?
Unfortunately, Google does not provide any tracking facilities.
Can my payment currency be changed?
No, Google does not allow you to change your payment currency.
Does Google provide a receipt?
Yes, you are provided with a payment receipt after the payment is issued every month. You can print the receipt for future purposes.
What to do if my payment is on hold for no reason?
If you have complied with all the terms and requirements, you can request Adsense for a reissue.
Is my Adsense income taxable?
Yes, if your country collects tax, then your adsense payment is taxable as well. The amount of tax depends upon the location and personal situation.
Can I increase my payment threshold?
Yes, if the default threshold doesn’t suit your needs, Google allows you to increase it.
What happens if my balance is lesser than my payment threshold?
In this case, you will not be eligible for getting paid for the month. Your payment will remain in your Adsense account and you will receive your payment in the next cycle when your balance reaches the payment threshold.