New improvements to link units

what are the effects of recent changes?

[berto]

In the Adsense What's New - December 2005 page, Google announced

New improvements to link units

We've optimized the landing page users reach when they click on a topic in any link unit. By providing users with more relevant ads and topics, we've seen improved link unit performance - and you'll see improved monetization.

Is anybody seeing this "improvement"? Are CTRs and eCPMs up or down since the "improvements"?

In my own experience, I am not observing "improved monetization," just the opposite. Compared to the previous two months, in December 2005 my link unit CTRs (and eCPMs) are down sharply. In some cases, link units show only one or two topics instead of the usual four. Moreover, for the last several weeks, the link unit has vanished (does not display) from my highest earning page completely. This is "improvement"?

[spaceylacie]

My ad link CTR and eCPM are down for December as well. And, I've noticed the same thing, often just one or 2 or even no ad links show up. I thought maybe this was because I have another ad unit on the page that has been doing extremely well this month... that maybe G's algo thought it would be better to not show the ad links at all, so it doesn't distract from the other position. Whatever the reason, my ad link eCPM is about half of what it was a few months back.

[OptiRex]

CTR for November and December exactly the same.

eCPM for December +1.6%...!

[icedowl]

December CTR is up by a smidgen (0.2%). So is eCPM (125%). However, my results may be affected by a change from the horizontal unit to a vertical unit mid-December.

[annej]

It doesn't look to me like there is any difference. There are so many other variables though like what ads are available and how much advertisers are having to bid for their ads.

[ann]

For myself I do not plan to evaluate anything until Jan as all these holidays have things really askew.

Maybe everything will get back to normal once the fabled new years eve parties are over. :)