Forum Moderators: martinibuster
Impressions are typical, ads tentatively look OK.
This is a large variance from normal for this time of day.
Statistically speaking you may be outside of normal parameters but internet behavior is fickle at best.
Too many puplishers are experiencing too much "variation from the norm" ...
I think Google MIGHT be "experimenting" with the AdSense algos & system MORE THAN USUAL... tweaking things to try to SQUEEZE OUT the MOST PROFITS as possible (yes that should mean more profits for us publishers too)... but in doing so... things go out of kilter and WHACKS some people's web site (for the good of the whole)... as Google attempts to find the most optimal cash flow from the system.
BUT Adwords advertisers adjust THEIR bids & budgets accordingly... THEN us publishers make adjustments to OUR content with ad placement & number of ads shown... and it turns into "ROLLING THUNDER!"
Perhaps in other market niches it isn't even apparent because nobody is reacting... BUT I know in the "Tech Sector" the past few days, it has been in constant flux (much more than usual)... right when I think things have settled back to normal.... BAM... it strikes again! (or doesn't strike as the case may be - no clicks)
Too many puplishers are experiencing too much "variation from the norm"
Define too many publishers.
I'm up, the next guy is down, it's been like that since I got started in AdSense.
Considering the sheer number of AdSense sites (thousands? millions?) and the dozens of complaints either everyone else is suffering in silence lurking or it's not as widespread as speculated.
I'm up, the next guy is down, it's been like that since I got started in AdSense.
Yes, I agree. People panicking over the loss of their income has been going on for years. Nothing new. Nothing special. Just the usual up and down that certain people experience.
AdSense is not witholding clicks for me, quite the opposite. Showing lots of clicks and revenue is up, way up.
Best targeting in months.
And I know bumpski has been participating with AdSense & this forum for quite a while... same holds true with many others that have been commenting on similar topics on other threads... It's NOT as if we are newbies to the "Google Stutters"... THIS is D_I_F_F_E_R_E_N_T!
Watch... when there is THIS much moaning going on... Google usually fesses-up to something... Like a major search algo change... Although I don't detect anything like that.
[edited by: alwaysthinking at 11:44 pm (utc) on Mar. 8, 2006]
Watch... when there is THIS much moaning going on...
There has always been THIS much moaning going on. Every day, every week for pretty much the whole time AdSense has had a forum here.
Why is this week more special than any other week for the past two and a half years?
One would think that after the temporary dip that many felt, then the upswing this week, that people would get a hint that the dip was a fluctuation, not a trend.
SOME people are always experiencing a dip. Next month it will be another group of SOME people. Three months ago it was a different group of SOME people feeling a dip.
I remember having this EXACT SAME conversation last year with someone else.
Last year to experiment wtih this phenomenom I even posted something like, "Geez, is something going on with AdSense?" and the next thing I know ten people are agreeing with me, even though I was making it up.
It's not a trend. It's business as usual.
[edited by: martinibuster at 11:53 pm (utc) on Mar. 8, 2006]
They modified the "Estimated Cost Per Click" feature when you are setting a PPC amount.
There's a range now for estimated CPC, plus a nice little image graph of how much traffic to expect called "Search Volume" and an "Estimated Search Range" (Ex: 7-10) to replace the old average position 7.2 metric.
So I bet this has monkeyed with alot of search traffic as they rolled this out, hence lowered Adsense on some people's sites.
I respect everyones opinion but I think there ARE some unusual things ocurring as of late. There was not a single period last yesr that I felt had simularities to what has gone on recently. Which, I suppose is why I never felt the need to post until now.
Last year it just seemed to WORK and I didn't have to think about it. So far this year that's just not the case.
All you can do is wait to see if the changes stick and make modifications to your traffic generation and/or website as the situation dictates. In other words, have a plan before this happens to you. It's not a question of "if" your AdSense income is going to be significantly affected by forces beyond your control but "when".
For CRIPES Sake... that is utter BS!
Opps... and I forgot to mention all of Google's competitors that bare licking their chops now that they see chinks in Google's armor! If you can't recognize the current WEAKNESS... then you don't have much business/investing savvy.
Why do you THINK Microsoft announced their entry into the arena AFTER Google made their earning's forcast... They smell BLOOD in the water!
I've seen it with WorldCom & Enron... and I'm seeing it again now - WEAKNESS...
At least there isn't any FRAUD taking place also, as there was in WorldCON & Eron's case... otherwise we'd be in a heap of trouble!
Google can pull out of this mess... It just has to take back control of the headlines with LEADERSHIP... right now they are letting the news headlines dictate action...
[edited by: alwaysthinking at 1:04 am (utc) on Mar. 9, 2006]
LOOK at Google's Stock price and try and TELL me
If you can give empiral evidence drawing a correlation between the stock price and your web site performance today I'll personally call Larry King Live and get you booked on the show.
Google can pull out of this mess... It just has to take back control of the headlines
If Google had any more headlines I'd start breaking things, we've heard way more than enough about them for 10 lifetimes.
Go ahead and stick your heads in the sand... where there is SMOKE there is a FIRE... and whether some hardheaded adsense publishers fail to recognize the fact that Google is STUMBLING (as much as I hate it)... that's the PUBLIC perception IncrediBill and that is also INVESTOR sentiment...
So even if Google has THE greatest search technology ever (and I believe they do)... it is of NO MATTER when their stock tanks and they have to start laying people off and put an end to all of their high-ideal pet projects...
Investors are reining Google in and saying they are over-extended.
And I even own quite a bit of Google stock... which I'm certain most other adsense publishers can't claim!
New! AdWords site demographics.
Want to reach 18-24 year-olds, or women with children? Site tool demographics match your ad with your audience. Available now for campaigns targeting the United States.
Hmm, my site definitely doesn't draw 18-24 year-olds, women yes, children no.
Yes I'm quite used to 2 to 3X variations in CTR but today topped at 4X to 6X low in CTR. No doubt it happens, but it is infrequent and notable, that's all.
What else should we talk about, the weather? It was a nice day here! (GMT -4 I think?) How are those data centers doing?
BTW, after 12 hours my impressions have increased by 1,800 and I still have only 2 clicks for the day. Wednesday is my best day as well.
Normal fluctuations... absolutely!
Google is STUMBLING
Oh my, whatever shall we do.
As for a possible cause that something out of the ordinary is taking place... ELSEWHERE's posting of "google is offering demographic targeting":
[webmasterworld.com...]
PROVES that INDEED something is "afoot" with AdSense just like I stated BEFORE knowing about it because it is quite possibly EFFECTING CTR (at least with my site, maybe)... because SOMETHING sure in HECK is!
YET I was told by some other respected WW Mods & members that everything is "business as usual" with AdSense.
How WRONG the "mighty" can be!
Most likely Google was beta testing it with a limited number of advertisers, which would explain some of the "more than normal" fluctuations & diviations that some of us have experienced the bast few days, weeks, months... They probably ran tests sector (market niche) by sector... spreading the "pain" temporarily amongst the publishers affected in that particular market niche.
Now that it is being fully depolyed, it will be interesting to see how well it works out. Anything that make a better experience for the advertisers is a plus... as THAT is where all the money comes from.
Thank you Adwords advertisers!
[edited by: alwaysthinking at 2:59 am (utc) on Mar. 9, 2006]
Months before I joined Webmaster World or began as an Adsense publisher, I was reading all that was posted here. I had gained a great deal of respect for incrediBILL's posts even before I knew what the Adsense world was like.
How sad it is now to think that some of his posts were created for his own "experiments" and amusement. How exactly might this have assisted any of the other forum members?
Even those who are new to the program and don't take the time to do the research are not as contemptable as one who might try to "spoof" us to make his point!
Dude, that's for CPM ads, not contextual.
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
It was to MAKE A POINT that YESSSSSSSS:
THERE ARE changes being made in Google's response to market conditions & increasing competition. Most likely Google is Beta testing yet another new feature which is temporarily effecting SOME publishers click through rates...
Why is this so hard for some people to comprehend and/or believe?
Google has done beta testing time & time again before releasing a new service or feature... There are probably some that they "trash can" when they discovered by beta testing that it doesn't work very well... like whatever it is now (at least from a publisher's standpoint).
But yes, there WAS a change in the adsense program today DUDE no matter how you want to paint over the fact that it wasn't "business as usual."
[edited by: alwaysthinking at 3:26 am (utc) on Mar. 9, 2006]
I think it has more to do with the following news story (Reuters - 7:04 PM EST today):
Google agrees to pay $90 mln in click fraud suit [news.moneycentral.msn.com]
Money doesn't grow on trees... not even for Google! Hope they spread the "pain" around to some other publishers... perhaps ones that don't own any GOOG stock, as I'm taking a DOUBLE hit right now!
