wyweb - 11:31 pm on Mar 15, 2007 (gmt 0)

As rational and level headed as I now try to be with regard to the daily ups and downs of the Adsense program, I can't overlook the fact that at certain times a significant number of publishers all report experiencing the same problem(s) at approximately the same time(s). EPC falls, targeting takes a sudden nosedive, etc... Whatever it is, it's being reported by numerous people across, I'm assuming, widely varied niches. Too many reporting in to be coincidence, at least in my opinion there are. The evidence that "something" happened seems to be there, although what that something could be I have no idea. These "somethings" seem to occur with more frequency around the planned maintenance periods.

Seem to. Appear. Possibly. Might be. When the human brain doesn't have all the necessary information it needs to reach a concrete conclusion, it will sometimes embellish if allowed. The mind hates loose ends so we improvise. My EPC fell by 50% and they just did a system maintenance therefore the two must be connected. Slim but when it happens three or four times the perceived connection strengthens.

If I had to nail down a concrete answer, and fortunately I don't, I'd say it's just some sort of ripple effect. The Adsense machine is massive and incredibly complex and it's growing every day. Tinker with one aspect of it and a shockwave reverbs from side to side. Publishers in the way of that shockwave either go up or they go down, those going down probably being the more vocal of the two groups.