How selective is Smart Pricing?

Applied site by site, or against every site?

[berto]

If you have an underperforming site (low CTR, low conversions) and Google whacks you with the Smart Pricing hammer (and/or the low-CTR penalty, if it exists), does it whack all of your sites or just the underperforming one?

[annej]

I think it might be page by page.

[burntan]

First of all, it is page by page, not for all your sites.

Secondly, it is not about low CTR, I have a site with over 70% CTR also kill by smart pricing.

[jomaxx]

70%? Eep. Did you optimize that site for the phrase "ads to click on" or something?

[berto]

Really? Page by page? Then I might be encouraged to retain Adsense on the one site, but only on the "performing" pages (relatively speaking; in absolute terms, they all underperform).

It is supposed by some that, in addition to any Smart Pricing adjustments, there is an unstated penalty for low CTR, different from the Smart Pricing penalty. I think that there may be some basis for believing this, because Google might want to punish clueless publishers who, ignoring low CTR, willy-nilly slap as many ad units as possible on every single page.

[jetteroheller]

[ It is supposed by some that, in addition to any Smart Pricing adjustments, there is an unstated penalty for low CTR, different from the Smart Pricing penalty. I think that there may be some basis for believing this, because Google might want to punish clueless publishers who, ignoring low CTR, willy-nilly slap as many ad units as possible on every single page. ]

I had a very low CTR until February.
In this month and in March 5 major actions.

CTR is now nearly 5 times higher
EPC about 15% lower

So I do not think that this is right.