5.1 Ad Placement: Where to put your Ads?
Location is everything. The world's best ad won't deliver if it isn't visible in
the first place. But after much experimentation with Google AdSense, I know that the most visible ads aren't always the most effective. In fact, they're likely to get ignored as 'blatant advertising'.
What does work is wise placement. Put them where your content is most likely to interest and engage your visitors.
You can create several 'points of interest' with the wise use of graphics, tables and other layout techniques.
Once you have your visitor's attention with engaging and meaningful
content, they are most likely to read and click on relevant ads. And that is precisely what Google wants — "educated" clicks from real prospects, not random visits from bored people.
Here are a few simple tips to make your ads 'click'!
5.2 Go with the 'flow'
Identify the reading patterns of your visitors. What draws their attention first? What makes them 'click'?
Like I said, you want to put your ads in areas that draw your visitors in with interesting content. There’s no point in putting your ads in some out of the way place where no one ever looks.
Your users will follow your content, so you need to make sure that your ads follow that content too.
Look at the design and layout of your webpage, identify the places that you think most of your users look — and mark that as a likely spot to put your ads.
Location is everything. The world's best ad won't deliver if it isn't visible in
the first place. But after much experimentation with Google AdSense, I know that the most visible ads aren't always the most effective. In fact, they're likely to get ignored as 'blatant advertising'.
What does work is wise placement. Put them where your content is most likely to interest and engage your visitors.
You can create several 'points of interest' with the wise use of graphics, tables and other layout techniques.
Once you have your visitor's attention with engaging and meaningful
content, they are most likely to read and click on relevant ads. And that is precisely what Google wants — "educated" clicks from real prospects, not random visits from bored people.
Here are a few simple tips to make your ads 'click'!
5.2 Go with the 'flow'
Identify the reading patterns of your visitors. What draws their attention first? What makes them 'click'?
Like I said, you want to put your ads in areas that draw your visitors in with interesting content. There’s no point in putting your ads in some out of the way place where no one ever looks.
Your users will follow your content, so you need to make sure that your ads follow that content too.
Look at the design and layout of your webpage, identify the places that you think most of your users look — and mark that as a likely spot to put your ads.
Google actually offers a pretty neat tool to help you identify where your users are most likely to look. Their heat map at
https://www.google.com/support/AdSense/bin/static.py?page=tips.html
sums up the options pretty well:
https://www.google.com/support/AdSense/bin/static.py?page=tips.html
sums up the options pretty well:
Fig. 5.1 Google’s Heat Map shows an “average” site’s hot spots. The darker areas are the regions where people look most frequently. But remember, no site is average. Where do your visitors look most?Google says that certain areas are more effective than others. Researchers have also found that when people look at a website, their eyes start in the top left hand corner and then travel down the page from left to right.
All of this is true but the hottest areas can vary from site to site. You will need to experiment to find the very best places for you.
5.3. Above The Fold
One general rule on the Internet is that people spend most of their time on a site “above the fold.”
The first thing people do when they reach a website is to absorb as much
information as possible before they start scrolling. The part of the page that they can see without scrolling is called “above the fold.”
One general rule on the Internet is that people spend most of their time on a site “above the fold.”
The first thing people do when they reach a website is to absorb as much
information as possible before they start scrolling. The part of the page that they can see without scrolling is called “above the fold.”
That’s where you want your ads.
The number of links that appear above the fold affect how likely people are to click on your AdSense ads. That’s why more ads doesn't always mean more money!
Google always puts the top-paying ads on the top and the lowest-paying ones at the bottom.
If you have a stack with three or more ads, the cheaper ads might steal attention away from high-paying ads and clutter up your website.
You don’t want ads and links competing against each other. If you want to increase your earnings per click, remember: Less is More! And that’s particularly true above the fold.
Let's take a look at two sample pages:
The number of links that appear above the fold affect how likely people are to click on your AdSense ads. That’s why more ads doesn't always mean more money!
Google always puts the top-paying ads on the top and the lowest-paying ones at the bottom.
If you have a stack with three or more ads, the cheaper ads might steal attention away from high-paying ads and clutter up your website.
You don’t want ads and links competing against each other. If you want to increase your earnings per click, remember: Less is More! And that’s particularly true above the fold.
Let's take a look at two sample pages:
Fig 5.2 MegaBookshop.com has a search form, a featured product, category links and AdSense ads, all above the fold.
Fig 5.3 SafetySurf.com is not the most attractive site, but notice how the only links above the fold are AdSense ads.Now, which of these sites’ ads do you think bring a higher click-through rate? You guessed it. The second site has triple the click-through rate of the first site. The moral of the story? If you want to maximize your AdSense clicks, give your visitors fewer choices above the fold!
5.4 Using Tables
I’ve already mentioned that one of the principles of a high click-through rate (CTR) is to make your sites blend into the page. The more you position your sites to blend into the page, the better your click-through rate will be. One very neat way to help your ads blend into the site is to place them in tables.
In the example below, technology guru Chris Pirillo skillfully drops his
AdSense into a
Google AdSense code goes here |
Right-aligned table with AdSense:
5.5 Ad Link Units
So far, I’ve been talking about where to put your ads and I’ve recommended above the fold, with little competition and suggested that you might want to put them in a table. But you should also think about which kinds of ads you want to place where.
Ad Link units let you place a box on your site that contains four or five links. They come in sizes ranging from 20 x 90 to 200 x 90, and are really meant to be placed on a sidebar.
Because you can place one Ad Link unit as well as three other units on the page, you might find that the choice helps: if a user doesn’t spot something interesting in one type of ad block, he might spot it on another.
Where Ad Links differ from other types of ads is that they only display a list
of topics that Google believes are relevant to the content of your pages. They don’t display the ads themselves. When a visitor clicks on a topic, Google pops up a new window with targeted ads.
It can be argued that the Ad Links are ineffective because people have to go through two clicks in order for you to get paid. That’s right, you only get paid for the second click (but that does mean you can check to see which ads your users are being served.)
But it can also be argued that if someone is taking the time to click on a
topic, then they are probably very interested and are likely to click an actual advertisement on the resulting page. Some people have found that just about everyone who clicks on an Ad Link will click on the ads that appear on the next page.
I have tested Ad Links on multiple sites and have seen vast differences in
results. That makes it more difficult to say whether or not they are for you.
Google AdSense code goes here |
5.5 Ad Link Units
So far, I’ve been talking about where to put your ads and I’ve recommended above the fold, with little competition and suggested that you might want to put them in a table. But you should also think about which kinds of ads you want to place where.
Ad Link units let you place a box on your site that contains four or five links. They come in sizes ranging from 20 x 90 to 200 x 90, and are really meant to be placed on a sidebar.
Because you can place one Ad Link unit as well as three other units on the page, you might find that the choice helps: if a user doesn’t spot something interesting in one type of ad block, he might spot it on another.
Where Ad Links differ from other types of ads is that they only display a list
of topics that Google believes are relevant to the content of your pages. They don’t display the ads themselves. When a visitor clicks on a topic, Google pops up a new window with targeted ads.
It can be argued that the Ad Links are ineffective because people have to go through two clicks in order for you to get paid. That’s right, you only get paid for the second click (but that does mean you can check to see which ads your users are being served.)
But it can also be argued that if someone is taking the time to click on a
topic, then they are probably very interested and are likely to click an actual advertisement on the resulting page. Some people have found that just about everyone who clicks on an Ad Link will click on the ads that appear on the next page.
I have tested Ad Links on multiple sites and have seen vast differences in
results. That makes it more difficult to say whether or not they are for you.
In the first case, I placed the Ad Links on an information-based site with a
very general audience. The results were nothing to write home about. Let's just say that you could just about buy a large candy bar with the CPM I saw.
In the second case, I placed the Ad Links on a product specific site with a
narrow audience. The results were fantastic! We're talking about a CPM that is greater than what someone might make flipping burgers in one day.
The conclusions should be obvious. If you’re going to use Ad Links units campaign. You need to put them:
1. On a site with a specific field of interest. A general site will give you general ads — and few clicks.
2. Above the fold with few other links. For Ad Links, this is crucial: If your users are going to click a link, it should be a link that gives you money.
It’s also a good idea to keep your Ad Link units for sites with high-paying keywords. If someone comes to your site seeking out information or a product on a top-notch keyword, they tend to be more likely to click as a result.
Let’s take a look at an example:
very general audience. The results were nothing to write home about. Let's just say that you could just about buy a large candy bar with the CPM I saw.
In the second case, I placed the Ad Links on a product specific site with a
narrow audience. The results were fantastic! We're talking about a CPM that is greater than what someone might make flipping burgers in one day.
The conclusions should be obvious. If you’re going to use Ad Links units campaign. You need to put them:
1. On a site with a specific field of interest. A general site will give you general ads — and few clicks.
2. Above the fold with few other links. For Ad Links, this is crucial: If your users are going to click a link, it should be a link that gives you money.
It’s also a good idea to keep your Ad Link units for sites with high-paying keywords. If someone comes to your site seeking out information or a product on a top-notch keyword, they tend to be more likely to click as a result.
Let’s take a look at an example:
Fig 5.5 LockerGnome.com puts AdLinks above a list of links so that they blend into the site.I’ve already mentioned Chris Pirillo’s site at Lockergnome.com as an
excellent template for how to do AdSense properly. While I don't have access to his AdSense statistics, I have watched his sites long enough to speculate as to his success.
The center column of his page is classic AdSense placement. He is using a
medium or large rectangle with blue links, black text and subtle URL. The ads are placed inline and right justified. People start on the left and drift to the right. My testing has also shown that ads on the right perform best.
He is using a 120 x 600 skyscraper ad, which I usually don't recommend. However, many people use the skyscraper ads in sidebars. Pirillo has thought outside the box and used the white space next to his bullet points for this page. Right justifying the skyscraper block and placing it inline is a slick move.
But look where his Ad Links are: in the top left column of the page, above
the fold. That means you can see Ads by Google as the first item. As long as those AdLinks are very targeted to the content on the page, they could generate 1%-2% in clicks. If you have the space and they fit in your sidebar, I would test them on your site as well.
5.6 Horizontal Ad Link Units
Recently, Google introduced a new format for Ad Link Units: horizontal. This is a huge difference. Users are reporting increases in CTR as high as 200% using this units!
Instead of piling the links one on top of the other—which is great for putting above lists of links but stand out too clearly when placed in text—the horizontal ads blend in perfectly when placed on pages with articles.
Fig. 5.6 New horizontal Ad Link units are great for inserting into articles and show very clearly which keywords your site is generating.
You can still only use one Ad Link unit per page and users still have to click twice before you get paid but they’re definitely worth slipping into a long article. I’d recommend that you put them either above the article or in the middle. They’ll be too easy to miss at the bottom.
the fold. That means you can see Ads by Google as the first item. As long as those AdLinks are very targeted to the content on the page, they could generate 1%-2% in clicks. If you have the space and they fit in your sidebar, I would test them on your site as well.
5.6 Horizontal Ad Link Units
Recently, Google introduced a new format for Ad Link Units: horizontal. This is a huge difference. Users are reporting increases in CTR as high as 200% using this units!
Instead of piling the links one on top of the other—which is great for putting above lists of links but stand out too clearly when placed in text—the horizontal ads blend in perfectly when placed on pages with articles.
Fig. 5.6 New horizontal Ad Link units are great for inserting into articles and show very clearly which keywords your site is generating.You can still only use one Ad Link unit per page and users still have to click twice before you get paid but they’re definitely worth slipping into a long article. I’d recommend that you put them either above the article or in the middle. They’ll be too easy to miss at the bottom.
5.7 Using Multiple Ad Blocks
So Google allows you to put up to three AdSense blocks (ad units) on the same page, as well as an Ad Link unit and a search box. What does this mean for web publishers?
A real bonanza: you now have many more chances to hook readers with new ads as Google will show unique ads in each ad unit!
To leverage this opportunity, look at adding new content to your high-traffic pages. Use attractive, quick-loading graphics that encourage people to scroll down. For example, relevant, catchy graphics could be a great way to draw your visitors to an ad. A B2B website could run a daily cartoon strip with a humorous take on trade news and issues. Your AdSense ads can be positioned right underneath the cartoon, which will lend instant visibility to the ads.
That’s a strategy that will maximize exposure to the AdSense units, leading to more clicks and more money! With multiple ad blocks, you can decide which ads are served in the best place for your site.
So Google allows you to put up to three AdSense blocks (ad units) on the same page, as well as an Ad Link unit and a search box. What does this mean for web publishers?
A real bonanza: you now have many more chances to hook readers with new ads as Google will show unique ads in each ad unit!
To leverage this opportunity, look at adding new content to your high-traffic pages. Use attractive, quick-loading graphics that encourage people to scroll down. For example, relevant, catchy graphics could be a great way to draw your visitors to an ad. A B2B website could run a daily cartoon strip with a humorous take on trade news and issues. Your AdSense ads can be positioned right underneath the cartoon, which will lend instant visibility to the ads.
That’s a strategy that will maximize exposure to the AdSense units, leading to more clicks and more money! With multiple ad blocks, you can decide which ads are served in the best place for your site.
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