Fixing Google Custom Search Engine Monetization Saving Issue

As a blogger using WordPress, I recently switched to Google Custom Search Engine instead of the default search box, just to give better user experience when searching the whole blog. Google Custom Search Engine not only index the posts of a blog, but also the comments left by readers who often bring nice content for a blog.

However, there is a slight disadvantage of Google Custom Search Engine compared with the search box of WordPress. Google Custom Search shows advertisment based on the queries searched. Of course, it is comprehensible that Google relies on ads revenue whenever offers “FREE” services to users.

Fortunately, you can get part of the ads revenue if you have a Google AdSense account. Google does offer a “Search Engine Monetization” tab at the control panel of Google Custom Search Engine to link the ads with your AdSense account. But I found there is a bug of this setting. As some people already posted:

Custom Search Settings Hang on “Saving” When Adding Adsense Account Info – Won’t connect to AdSense.

Turning on the butter “on” of “Search Engine Monetization” does not work, it stucks at “saving” status but “Google help page” still tells you can do it. I presumably joked that maybe Google discourages users to turn on the Monetization feature since it shares ads revenue with users.

The question is how to fix the problem. I found a solution.

Simply go ahead to your AdSense account page, make a new custom search engine under “My ads” (“Custom search engines” of “Search”).

OK, go back to Google Custom Search control panel, you will find a new search engine with the edition “Free – (partner CSE)” is out there. The “Search Engine Monetization” feature of the new one is already on and associated with your AdSense publisher ID. You can also set up the new search engine as you want before you put the search code to your website.

Have fun and make money from Search Engine Monetization of Google.