Hi Max and welcome! I can try to answer part of your questions. Hopefully more answers will come.

1. No, you don't get the choice of CPM, CPC, etc.

2. You're not permitted to hide ads by any method if I understand your question about removing the ad box in mobile view. What I can tell you is there is the choice of using a "responsive" ad unit. I have one responsive site where I am using them and they are working out great. For example, one ad unit can be displayed as 320x50 or 300x250 or even 160x600, depending on the size of the browser when the page is first loaded. Or any other size you choose. The responsive ad unit code has a teensy bit of css built in to it that you are permitted to modify but if I'm not mistaken you can only choose up to 3 sizes within the unit.

3. Types of ads. We have a bit of a choice but I've never been sure if those choices really work.

4. Payout! I think we'd all like to be able to pick and choose what we'd like for payment but it doesn't work that way. You can get anywhere from 0 cents for a click on up to several dollars. It depends on a lot of factors most of which are out of our control. You can pick up a cent or more just from having an ad on a page viewed.

If I were you, I'd build the traffic first.

Thanks ICEDOWL!
1). So Google chooses one for you, or CPC is the only choice?
2). Really helpful!
3). interesting to know
4). Q1 & 4 are kind of connected

Hi NETMEG- thanks for the advise!
What's the reasoning for this? Can something detrimental to your account and/or standing with google happen as you build more traffic?

So Google chooses one for you, or CPC is the only choice?

You'll likely get both. It's more up to the advertisers and the ad that is displayed.

- Because until you have been online and built your audience and gotten them to trust you, they will be put off by ads

- Because you're working at cross purposes - launching a site and building traffic to it just to send them OFF your site for a few pennies when they click on an ad?

- Because you become more attractive to advertisers if you have an existing audience - advertisers can block their ads from showing up on your site if they don't like you or think you're likely to convert from them, and without existing traffic, you're not likely to convert for them.

- Because pretty much every successful social network started out building their audience FIRST and introducing ads LATER.

I've been building sites (not social networks, but sites) for twenty years and I have a lot of them. Going to launch 3-6 more in the next 12 mos. I almost never put ads on for six months, and I don't expect them to really start earning for three years - but once they're earning, they don't stop.

So I guess it depends on if you feel you're in it for the long haul.

Hey NETMEG
I really appreciate your insight and reasoning behind it, thanks for pointing this out!