Improving AdSense placement

[Shockt]

My website, http://www.PhotoshopGuides.com, earns slightly under $1/day with AdSense. I have just started putting about $2/day into Google AdWords to improve my traffic a bit in hopes of improving my clicks on the AdSense as well as the number of returning visitors. I think I could better place my current ads and put on additional ads to improve my number of clicks to balance the $2/day I am spending on AdWords. Can anyone make any suggestions? Thanks!

[sandman]

I didnt even see them at first when I opened your page. I would move them smack dab in the middle between like the second and third entry. Maybe use a banner size text ad. Maybe make the link part a lighter green so it sticks out more. You could also put pictures next to them. I'm trying that now on another site to see how it goes.

I just made this change on my 4x4 site about a week ago (not the pics though) and noticed a HUGE difference. I mean from averaging 42 cents a day to almost $3 per day. Hopefully it holds.

Good luck!

[Cutter]

I agree with sandman.

Read my Adsense optimization article for more details: http://www.websitepublisher.net/article/adsense-optimization/

[Shockt]

I didnt even see them at first when I opened your page. I would move them smack dab in the middle between like the second and third entry. Maybe use a banner size text ad. Maybe make the link part a lighter green so it sticks out more. You could also put pictures next to them. I'm trying that now on another site to see how it goes.

I just made this change on my 4x4 site about a week ago (not the pics though) and noticed a HUGE difference. I mean from averaging 42 cents a day to almost $3 per day. Hopefully it holds.

Good luck!
I have already talked to AdSense reps and it is against their policy to put pictures next to the ads to make them appear as tutorials. I had that originally and brought in considerably more clicks but was asked to use another method of ad placement.

[Blue Cat Buxton]

I have already talked to Adsense reps and it is against their policy to put pictures next to the ads to make them appear as tutorials. I had that originally and brought in considerably more clicks but was asked to use another method of ad placement.

Did they contact you to request removal of images by ads? I have just re read their Policy terms and it is not a specific restriction

[sandman]

I have already talked to AdSense reps and it is against their policy to put pictures next to the ads to make them appear as tutorials. I had that originally and brought in considerably more clicks but was asked to use another method of ad placement.

Interesting. I am trying this on an AWS site so it does not look like a tutorial but sort of like another product link. I have it at the top of the product listings.

So, does anybody know if you can or cannot use pictures in any situation?

[John]

Putting images next adsense ads is meant to make them look like something other then ads, which is deceptive. I was thinking about doing this on a site but I decided against it, I felt like it was tricking my visitors into clicking ads and I think you should treat your users better then that, and why risk getting banned from adsense?

[Blue Cat Buxton]

But surely the same can be said if you make the adsense link colour the same as your site navigation links, make the background the same, remove the border....

[sandman]

I did some searching around and it looks like it is more a common thing then I thought. Also, this debate has already taken place many times it seems.

Here is one good thread that I found (Very Long) among many:

http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=17104&highlight=pictures

I think I'll leave them up on the two test pages and see how it goes.

[John]

But surely the same can be said if you make the adsense link colour the same as your site navigation links, make the background the same, remove the border....

Doing that is just integrating the ads into your site for esthetic puposes, where as putting images above or beside your ads is making them look like a link on your site. It's not fair to the advertisers because it isn't giving them a genuine hit.

[Shockt]

Trust me guys. I have contacted Google about this issue and they have told me that it is deceptive and will potentially earn you false clicks (against Google's policy) which costs advertisers more. Specific information about using images next to ads may or may not be in the terms but I have been told by an Adsense rep to avoid putting images next to the ads to make them look like tutorials, products, etc. I myself have reported a few websites doing what I was told not to and have seen them have to remove this method of ad placement.

[sandman]

Thanks for the head up. I think I'll pull the pics this afternoon....

Just in case.

[John]

I figure it's better to be safe then sorry. Why risk getting banned from adsense because you tried to make a little extra from that one banner, doesn't make too much sense.

[Shockt]

Okay I just spent an hour or so putting in ads in different locations. There are two static locations (middle block that looks like a tutorial without an image and the right skyscraper). The last ad appears in one of four spots selected at random. I will probably leave the code untouched until I determine which of the four produces the best CTR. Thanks everyone for your suggestions!