Why Is Two Better Than Four?

[Joel Comm]

Jen over at Jensense ran a pretty important post recently. It covered a topic that’s been bothering me for a while now. For about the last month, or even more, my blog at JoelComm.com has been showing one single ad across the top of the page.

It hasn’t been doing me any harm and I’m not complaining. The revenue figures for that page haven’t taken a hit so I don’t feel that I’ve got any reason to worry too much. I just wished I knew more about why it was happening and whether I can expect it to change back to multiple ads in the near future.

Jen managed to chat with AdSenseAdvisor, an official Google AdSense Support Team member (it’s the January 10th post at Jensense.com), and although they were discussing why multiple ad units have recently been showing two ads instead of four to so many people, they answered my little question too. As AdSenseAdvisor put it: “If you only see two ads in an ad unit appearing, it is because our technology has determined the publisher will receive a higher eCPM. This is an automatic optimization feature.”

As for my big ad across the top of my page, that’s also an expanded text ad; in other words, it’s still a CPC ad not a site-targeted ad.

Well, that’s fine. Now I know. But there’s not a lot I can do about it, and this is where I start to have a problem. Google could be right and putting two ads (or one ad) in a unit built for four might be the method that brings in the most revenue. But I’d still like to have the choice.

I’m sure there are a lot of publishers that just want to sign up to AdSense, let Google do all the work for them and forget about it until the check comes. But for those of us who really put a lot of effort into optimizing the ads and making good income from them, the more control we have over the ads on our pages, the easier we feel. At least I do.

In the meantime though, I’m left thinking about a bunch of other questions: Why do ad units that show few ads do better than units that show many ads? Is an expanded text ad a sign that I’ve maxed out the revenues I can receive on the standard ads? If expanded text ads are still CPC ads how can I still encourage people to click when they look more like an ad?

I’ll keep thinking about those questions and get back to you with answers...

[nyfalcon]

Thanks Joel

This has been bothering me for a while also, Here is my problem with it. Lets say I run a site for classic ford mustangs. (not a bad idea now that I think about it) I get the same 1 ad in a 4 banner ad and it is for some mustang dealer in Iowa.

First thing is 99% of my audience dont live in Iowa and they are all classic mustang owners. 100% of them will not click on a dealers ad for a new mustang. Sure that dealer may be paying more but that serves me no good at all.

Sure the spider can read the page but can it predict the users behaivor or what they are into.

[Erik Geurts]

The spider may not be able to see where the visitors are, but the AdWords/AdSense software can! It will target (if advertiser choose so) regional visitors with regional ads.

You say you saw ads for a dealer in Iowa. I can only conclude that (1) you are in Iowa too or (2) the dealer has decided to advertise nation-wide.

[KimoKlick]

Hi all,
I was hoping someone could tell me if using autohits.dk on a site with google ads is acceptable to google. I'm not sure in reading the rules and I have seen some sites with google ads show up on autohits.dk.
I am reluctant to try anything that might be against the rules on a site that has google adsense.
Thanks
Kimo

[mgrcentral]

You cannot use Adsense on any site where views are generated by software, such as traffic exchanges and auto exchanges.

I know of 4 people that had their Adsense account disabled last month for this...

[KimoKlick]

I do appreciate the input. What are the best ways to get people to your sites so they can view the ads? Or at least come to the site for a visit. Probably building your huge opt in email list I'm guessing.

[strive4impact]

Sure, you could build a huge list, but why not provide content for your users? There are lots of sites online getting very decent traffic that aren't actively working to get listed in search engines, and that aren't even gathering email addresses.

Why are they successful? Because they have content that is useful, or funny, or helpful, or they allow their visitors to build content for them (i.e. blog comments/forums/etc.) Heck, look at these forums. Joel has been helpful to the people on this forum through his book and otherwise, and as a result, we all come to his site and post content. And when it comes down to it, Joel is the beneficiary of that. But none of us mind (at least I don't), because Joel's tips quadrupled my Adsense income.

Getting visitors to your site is always based on content.

My thoughts...

Jonathan

[Joel Comm]

Heck, look at these forums. Joel has been helpful to the people on this forum through his book and otherwise, and as a result, we all come to his site and post content. And when it comes down to it, Joel is the beneficiary of that. But none of us mind (at least I don't), because Joel's tips quadrupled my Adsense income.


I appreciate that. But truth be told, I don't make squat from these forums. I have a few ads running, but they are pennies. This exists for YOU people, so you have a place to congregate and share your strategies. And I like to check in when I have time. :-)

Joel

P.S. - avatars are fixed!

[strive4impact]

You've got to be making at least $1/day form these forums, right? One man's "squat" is another man's treasure! :rolleyes: But yes, I can see that you might not make much from these forums specifically.

Okay, so that kind of shoots a hole in the content theory - just a bit though.

(But the forums are VERY helpful, so thank-you Joel!)

People coming to this forum are Internet Marketing people, and I would say that generally (based on my competely amateur and otherwise unknowing opinion), that Internet Marketing people are less likely to click ads (I could be totally wrong about this though). My mistake I made with Adsense is that I thought no one clicked on the ads, because I never clicked on the ads. But it's just not true.

As an example for you though Kimo, I have a legal help forum up, where other people create content by asking legal questions, and then other people come to review answers to the first people's legal questions. The site receives decent traffic, and earns a nice income, just for me moderating posts.

And, getting back to the original post, I have noticed that, contrary to your experience Joel, my CTR *seems* to have dropped 4-5% on the ads that are displaying fewer links. But I'm not as good about tracking this as I need to be... I will be interested in reading the answers to your questions Joel.

Jonathan
www.identitytheftsecrets.com

[KimoKlick]

It's my guess that strive4impact meant that you benefit through the continued awareness of you and your products that comes from this forum. I know I would not have known of this forum if I had not gotten your book.
In regard to my earlier post I am trying to wade through the mountain of information on companies that will promote my site and drive traffic to it. The problem besides having traffic that constitutes people who merely show up on my home page and click away 30 seconds later is that it is very hard to cut through the claims that these companies make and find testimonials that I can believe are made by real people and not just generated as part of the promotion. I can't afford to spend money and lose it repeatedly to hopefully discover which ones are really honest and will actually give you the help they claim they will. It seems that just from reading the copy on these sites, reports and e-mail that with the misspellings and improper use of the english language make it hard to really believe in the companies behind them.
:confused:
Kimo

[strive4impact]

Hey Kimo!

Maybe try taking the post you just made and posting it as a new topic under Google AdSense Discussion (http://www.adsensechat.com/forumdisplay.php?f=16). I don't know that everyone will find it under this posting, but it would be interesting to read the AdsenseChat.com community's feedback on this topic.

I know I'd be interested in hearing comments about good web promotion companies!

Jonathan

[golden14]

KimoKlick,
It's a like buying a house location, location, location for adsense read content, content, content.
It took me a while to get it, but Content is king, if there was an easy way to make adsense millions then we'd all be millionaires by now. Sure you might use some form of automation build your site (such as RSS feeds but I think Google may be taking an ever decreasing view on adsense sites based purely on RSS feeds - you can't exactly claim an RSS feed from another site as original content on your site can you) and see $30 a day from one site, but then one day it's gone, nothing, zilch, nada, why because when they take your account away that's it gone. Ditto if you have good content but then use an automated tool to drive traffic to your site then don't expect google to sit there for long thinking gee that guy's doing well he's gone from $1 yesterday to $150 today - I guess they have a big red flashing light or something similar that starts flashing right up until the point they shut down your account.
Patience is they key as each SEO change you make can take weeks to ripple through the internet.
Also opt in mailing list are great for selling product, but I doubt you'd use them to drive mega adsense traffic to your site, if your content's good then your visitors will keep coming back - it's that simple.
Hope this helps,
Dickie Boy

[elitemktr]

This has all been confusing me and now I have some clarity on this.

Much appreciated.

[adsense3]

I have a question kinda unrelated to this thread but it goes back to an earlier post. Does anyone know how google determines that content is software generated and if you do have your account suspended can you ever get it reinstated?

Floyd-