Internet Marketing With Dean James

How many times have you seen a site monetized with
Adsense that is literally plastered with the maximum number
of ads permissable on each page?

I can understand the logic behind this. The well meaning
webmaster figures that the more ads on the page, the more
chance he/she has of a visitor clicking off via one of the ads.
Makes perfect logical sense so far, right?

Or does it?

Often when a site isn’t doing that well on the earnings front,
the webmaster will up the number of ads on their pages to
compensate in a bid to get a return from their virtual real
estate.

However, I do not recommend you take this approach of
using up your maximum allocation of ad blocks per page on
your site despite the fact it’s all within TOS.

Why?

Well, because you will more than likely make MORE money with
less Adsense ads.

I know some of you will be shaking your heads right now, saying
that this cannot be right, it doesn’t make sense.

Allow me to explain. If you have more adsense blocks on your pages,
you will also be displaying lower paying ads. Your site will also
look spammy, certainly to the human eye. Also consider the fact
that if your site looks spammy then other site owners are less
likely to link to your pages.

Less LINKS = Less VOTES.

By displaying only one or two ad blocks per page, you will be
displaying the higher paying ads and not the ones that advertisers
are shelling out seriously low amounts for.

Here’s the other thing. Nearly ALL the action happens ‘above the
fold’. If you’re already an Adsense publisher you’ve no doubt heard
this expression. All this means is that the ‘click activity’
happens above the fold of the web page.

Check out this heat map that shows you the activity:

https://www.google.com/adsense/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=17954

The link above shows you where the hot spots are in terms of ad
placement.

So how many ad blocks should you use?

My advice is use 2 at the most. If you can bring yourself to do it,
then use one and see how your site performs. By doing this you will
only be displaying the highest paying ads and your site will look
clean.

Where should you put your ads?

My recommendation is to put 1 Adsense block below the headline of
your page. Make sure it’s obvious the ad is not related to the
title itself by giving an extra line of space or a separating line
below the headline.

Choose either a 336 x 280 block or a 250 x 250 block

If you want to use two ad blocks, then you may want to try out a
468 x 60 block at the very end of the content. The reason I suggest
this is that when a visitor reaches the end of an article they are
left ‘hanging’ with the navigation often out of view, so this is a
reasonable place to put another ad block as a percentage of those
may click out on one of those ads. Again, the heat map helps to
back up this view.

Let me tell you upfront though, that the MAJORITY of the click
through activity on your ads will happen above the fold on that
first ad block, so don’t be overly concerned with this. Test it out
for yourself. Also that first Adsense block below your headline will
be displaying the HIGHEST paying ads on your site. You knew that
right?

This is my advice to you:

- Use no more than 2 ad blocks per page
- Use a 336 x 280 or 250 x 250 ad block below your article headline
- If you use 2 ad blocks consider using a 468 x 60 at the bottom
of your article pages
- Don’t get caught up in the ‘more ads is better’ mentality.