Google - Our All-Powerful, Uncontrollable Partner

[Joel Comm]

Sometimes I think that publishers and Google are moving in different directions. As publishers, we put in all sorts of effort to match colors, check placement and blend ads into our sites so that they bring in the maximum amount of income.

That’s the same goal that Google has.

They also want to see us doing well. And they’re doing everything they can to help us. The problem is that we have no control over the measures they’re taking... and sometimes their work clashes with ours.

A case in point is the expanded text ads. You’ve probably seen these on your site. Maybe you’ve embedded a rectangular ad unit into an article, put it right at the beginning so that users can’t miss it and matched it to the rest of the page so that it looks like part of the text. Then you open the page a few days later and find that instead having a bunch of ads in the same font size as the surrounding text, you’ve got just one or two big ads with lots of white space around them. The whole area screams “Ad!”

Two things could have happened: either you’ve been site-targeted by an advertiser who’s paying per impression; or you’ve been keyword-targeted and Google has determined that a larger ad will give you more money.

As long as Google is right about the effect on the bottom line, that’s fine. If I’m making more money from an advertiser paying per impression than I would make fishing for clicks then I don’t care how much the ad looks like an ad. Google can put flashing neon lights around it for all I care. I doubt if many people would click... but then they don’t have to click to make me money.

And if Google finds that one big keyword-targeting ad will bring more clicks than several smaller ads, then they can go ahead and put a single ad there. But I can’t help feeling skeptical about that and I’m a bit worried about relying on Google’s automated predictions to determine how my site will make money.

It’s not that I don’t trust Google. I’d just like to know why think that a big lonely ad is going to do well.

Google won’t give me the figures they used to make their predictions. But I can still check them. When I find that I’m being served an expanded text ad instead of a group of smaller, better blended ads then I’m going to watch its performance like a hawk. If I see my revenues drop, that ad is getting blocked.

[youallnome]

Great post, and bound to create some mixed feedback!

I too, like many publishers have noticed these obvious Adsense ads. I'm still not sure if they help, hinder or make any difference thus far.

At first, when the first "big single ad" appeared on one of my websites, I actually thought it looked ok. It was obviously an ad, but it did not do the page any harm, that I can tell.

The biggest pain with the big single ad is losing the Adsense ad below the fold!

It can be a right pain in the butt when the single ad means you just lose site of the Adsense ad above the fold. Especially after you spend time making sure you get it just right.

my vote is still on the fence with this one Joel.

I think it can depend on the niche. Single big ads on some of my websites look good. They appear clean, with nothing to hide. The niche suits it. Some people are looking for answers or solutions and they appreciate a targeted ad to help solve their problem.

But it is definitely costly in other niche businesses

Single ads do not fit every business idea. I've seen it with my own websites, and others on the internet. However, we should have final say as publishers. After all, it's our business, and our risk. Surely we should at least be able to decide how the ad looks on the web page.

But there will be little chance of that happening! Looking forward to following this post. It is definitely one of intrigue. Thanks again Joel.

Sincerely,
John Adams
www.honest-homebusiness.com

[DL6]

John,

First off, this will be my first post on Adsensechat.com. I recently set up an adsense account on my site www.1800shortcuts.net, and also purchased Joel Comm's book "The Adsense Code" and am enjoying it very much.
I noticed today that on my site, there is one big ad rather then several like in the past, which brought me to this thread. Personaly, for my site, i dont like the idea. I made a column, on the oposite side of the page to match the adsense ad, same colors, fonts, etc. And now it has one giant ad and it takes from the whole idea and looks like an ad. My thoughts are people are less likely to click on it. (with my site anyways) Am i being targeted by google when they do this?

Oh and also, if you view my site, you will notice that the left toolbar is adsense and the right toolbar is actual site content. I thought i would try this to see if it improves my clicks!

thanks
DL6
info@1800shortcuts.net

[youallnome]

Hello DL6. Good to see you've found a knowledgeable forum. I've learnt a great deal here. I'm sure you will to.

In response to your post. Quote; "I recently set up an adsense account on my site www.1800shortcuts.net, and also purchased Joel Comm's book "The Adsense Code" and am enjoying it very much.
I noticed today that on my site, there is one big ad rather then several like in the past, which brought me to this thread. Personaly, for my site, i dont like the idea. My thoughts are people are less likely to click on it. (with my site anyways) Am i being targeted by google when they do this?"

I agree. Joel's book is great. It has helped many website owners. As for the single ads. My opinions are still open. My advice is to keep testing. Maybe change the ad format, or alter the location slightly.

Test, and test again. As for your site being targeted. I doubt very much if that is the case. You asked me to look at your website, which i'm always happy to do.

My advise, as always in content. You need to add content.

Google will send traffic when you have more content (more web pages). Traffic will see your ads and some will click. The more that click the more you make. Write more content, add more AdSense ads, drive more traffic, and hopefully more people will click on your AdSense. And without simplifying it too much, that is the bottom line.

Your content needs to be relative and informative. Not a masterpiece. Your providing information. It justs needs to be genuine. As far as your website idea goes DL6- all the content you need has already been written. All you need to do is "rewrite it" and add it as unique content, or add articles and comments, ideas and answers from other expert websites and add a link.

The biggest mistake is thinking you will make money just by adding Adsense ads to a website

This is directed at the whole forum, not just DL6. I think most of the Forums experts would agree; If you don't have a website with good content and good traffic, you'll never earn any real revenue with Google Adsense?

I think you have a great idea for a website DL6. I think Adsense would work well on informative web pages, with good keywords and some interesting informative information.

That would be my advice. Break your website in to sub headings and build a website business - one page at a time.

And keep building pages. Also. You need to get your Home page indexed. It is vital to your success. It's easier than you think. And last, but not least. Get links to your website. Write articles and hit the Articles directories with all your might.

Then your truly ready for Adsense success. Then you can really start worrying about single ads showing up on your web pages! You need traffic to test your Adsense clicks. The sooner you go get it, the more data you'll have to test!

As far as testing goes with single ads from others I've spoken with - nobody can agree! Everyone has an opinion, but nobody is talking big commission differences?

Wishing you good fortune. Sincerely,

John Adams
www.honest-homebusiness.com

[DL6]

hmmm your response seems a bit bulk


Hello DL6. Good to see you've found a knowledgeable forum. I've learnt a great deal here. I'm sure you will to.

In response to your post. Quote; "I recently set up an adsense account on my site www.1800shortcuts.net, and also purchased Joel Comm's book "The Adsense Code" and am enjoying it very much.
I noticed today that on my site, there is one big ad rather then several like in the past, which brought me to this thread. Personaly, for my site, i dont like the idea. My thoughts are people are less likely to click on it. (with my site anyways) Am i being targeted by google when they do this?"

I agree. Joel's book is great. It has helped many website owners. As for the single ads. My opinions are still open. My advice is to keep testing. Maybe change the ad format, or alter the location slightly.

Test, and test again. As for your site being targeted. I doubt very much if that is the case. You asked me to look at your website, which i'm always happy to do.

My advise, as always in content. You need to add content.

Google will send traffic when you have more content (more web pages). Traffic will see your ads and some will click. The more that click the more you make. Write more content, add more AdSense ads, drive more traffic, and hopefully more people will click on your AdSense. And without simplifying it too much, that is the bottom line.

Your content needs to be relative and informative. Not a masterpiece. Your providing information. It justs needs to be genuine. As far as your website idea goes DL6- all the content you need has already been written. All you need to do is "rewrite it" and add it as unique content, or add articles and comments, ideas and answers from other expert websites and add a link.

The biggest mistake is thinking you will make money just by adding Adsense ads to a website

This is directed at the whole forum, not just DL6. I think most of the Forums experts would agree; If you don't have a website with good content and good traffic, you'll never earn any real revenue with Google Adsense?

I think you have a great idea for a website DL6. I think Adsense would work well on informative web pages, with good keywords and some interesting informative information.

That would be my advice. Break your website in to sub headings and build a website business - one page at a time.

And keep building pages. Also. You need to get your Home page indexed. It is vital to your success. It's easier than you think. And last, but not least. Get links to your website. Write articles and hit the Articles directories with all your might.

Then your truly ready for Adsense success. Then you can really start worrying about single ads showing up on your web pages! You need traffic to test your Adsense clicks. The sooner you go get it, the more data you'll have to test!

As far as testing goes with single ads from others I've spoken with - nobody can agree! Everyone has an opinion, but nobody is talking big commission differences?

Wishing you good fortune. Sincerely,

John Adams
www.honest-homebusiness.com