Over the past month I have compiled a huge list of sites (700+) delivering traffic via the content network.
90% of them are complete junk and I have maxed out the number of sites I can exclude with 500 different domains.
Even with 500 sites excluded, there has been almost no decrease in content traffic but there has been a steady stream of new junk sites delivering traffic with no slow down in sight. On some days I now receive more traffic from the content network than before I exluded any sites!
So I decided I'll take the 50 or so sites that are delivering good traffic and converting to sales and create a site targeted camapaign using just those sites and then turn the content network off on my other campaigns.
Well, lo and beold the Adwords system says over 2/3 of the sites I entered are "unavailable" for site targeteing yet if I go to any of them they all list Adsense on their sites with my ad running!
I see nothing in their help about any special steps a site must take to be included for site targeting it looks like you just need to be an Adsense publisher.
Turining the content network off is not an option as it is profitable but far from what it could be if the tools offered worked as advertised.
Any similar experieinces, tips or success sotries?
I can understand why as well, people have started creating untargetted campaigns using site targetting because its so cheap now. Publishers are seeing ads which are unrelated to their site topic, often ads for sites which are themselves just lists of adsense ads.
Its all a bit of a mess I think.
I had not heard about this and can see how it could have some impact but don't think this could account for everything I am seeing.
I've got a couple mails into Google and will be interested to hear their take.
Thanks again for your thoughts. Another piece in the puzzle :-)
