Impression and clicks

What counts where in AdSenses AdSearch AdLink

[jetteroheller]

At ads, it's simple.
They are shown on the page -> impression
They are clicked -> click

Also at search boxes
They are shown on the page -> nothing
The search box is filled and submited -> impression
An ad in the search results is clickes -> click

But how is it at the AdLinks?

Theory 1:
They are shown on the page -> nothing
The link on the page is clicked -> impression
An ad on the linked page is clicked -> click

Theory 1:
They are shown on the page -> impression
The link on the page is clicked -> nothing
An ad on the linked page is clicked -> click

[Jenstar]

It is actually the unmentioned theory # 3 ;)

They are shown on the page -> Impression
Actual click on an Ad Link topic -> Nothing
Page of ads being displayed after the click -> Impression
Click on an ad -> Click

[no9t9]

jesstar, are you sure? Because that doesn't make much sense to me. If it counts the adlink impression AND the ad page impression, isn't that double counting?

[tebrino]

I think that she is right because I get to many impressions on Adlinks channel. It is weird though.

[Jenstar]

I'm sure :)

The proof:
[google.com...]

[jimbeetle]

As awkward as only the PhDs at Google could make it.

It's the bottom line that counts anyway, and I think I can bluesky some numbers, but sure would be nice to have a solid metric for comparison.

[no9t9]

as a publisher, I would want to know the CTR of the adlink and the adpage seperately...

[martingale]

Wait... but how does this work for AdWords advertisers. Presumably I don't get an impression logged against my AdWords ad unless a user actually views it. They don't view my ad just for seeing the AdLinks.

So, what you are saying, is that for an AdSense publisher an impression is logged when the AdLinks box is displayed; but for the AdWords advertiser an impression is not logged at the same time.

That makes some sense, I just want to be clear.

I have one reservation about AdLinks... my experience in other web things is that you lose half the people with every click. It takes two clicks to click through an AdLinks ad, but only one to click through a regular ad. I suspect the CTR will be a LOT lower because the user has to click twice.

Anyway... I am trying it on my site, so we'll see.

[jimbeetle]

you lose half the people with every click. It takes two clicks to click through an AdLinks ad, but only one to click through a regular ad. I suspect the CTR will be a LOT lower because the user has to click twice

That would be my assumption, however some folks have posted in other threads that adlinks is a good performer for them (along, of course, with folks it isn't performing for at all).

I'm planning on giving it a shot, but when it comes to comparing impressions, clicks and money I'm a month-to-month type of person. No sense for me to muddy the waters mid-month, so I won't get adlinks up until April Fools' Day ;)