Useless Readers

High traffic but low clickers

[buksida]

I may have mentioned my dilema before somewhere but I thought I'd start a thread on it this time to see if there are any solutions.

The problem with the site I work for is getting repeat advertisers, we have a high volume of traffic and can offer high volumes of impressions however our readership is so finicky that it rarely clicks on the ads and CTR is extremely low.

This doesnt entice clients to renew their ads as really all they're after is referals, it doesnt matter how many impressions they've had.

The questions now are is anybody else suffering from this "useless reader" syndrome and what are the solutions? Any forms of alternative advertising for readers that ignore ads?

Network CPM campaigns often do okay ... providing I dont get a flood of complaints about crappy smilie ads.

[bloke in a box]

You running a humour type site?

[buksida]

Geo-Political news and business.

People come, they read, they leave.

[graywolf]

Find ways to make the advertising more prominent. Like placing it in the body of the content, but in a visually distinctive way, instead of on one of the side rails for example.

Randomize placement/colors of the ads to prevent "banner blindness".

For text based sites use graphic banners.

Listen to feedback when you make the changes, it may be better to have a site with 1000 readers with only 1% clicking on the ads, opposed to to 100 readers where 5% click on the ads.

[zivkovicp]

try to get people to "register" (for free) in order to read your content, and then send them monthly newsletters with all those wonderful offers... :)

... or charge $1 per month for "full membership" and worry less about the ads.

aside from that, I'd say that rotating banners, ad colors and better placement is the best thing to try.