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My high traffic days always get low EPC

         

NoLimits

3:27 pm on Sep 28, 2005 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



This isn't an AdSense is falling apart post... just a rant.

This is my highest traffic day ever. I've surpassed my record day already, and it is very early in the day.

My EPC is the lowest it has ever been today. The source of my traffic is an article that got posted on several very large forums. Is the crappy EPC a result of "forum" referrals? Are referrals from forums looked down on by G?

I'm flustered.

ken_b

5:02 pm on Sep 28, 2005 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member Top Contributors Of The Month



Not knowing your topic, it's hard to say what the problem is.

But, it might be an ad inventory issue. Sometimes, in some topic areas, the higher paying ad inventory seems to get used up early when you get a significant traffic increase.

That could leave you with lower paying ads, or PSAs, which would account for what you are seeing.

NoLimits

5:08 pm on Sep 28, 2005 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



I suppose it could be an issue of inventory... my sites overall topic is broad, but the focus of the one page receiving 90% of the traffic is very narrow.

That's surely something I must consider.

Thank you for that.

leonardp

5:44 pm on Sep 28, 2005 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



Couldn't it be because your article is such a good article people will think about you topic after reading it and are not interested in related ads?

Sometimes it looks like a very good story on a page generates low EPC because people think about what you wrote and are not interested in ads. On the other side, when you write a short article about a topic and people want to know more about it, the related ads could cause a high EPC.

Possible?

ken_b

5:48 pm on Sep 28, 2005 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member Top Contributors Of The Month



Possible?

The situation you are describing could result in a lower eCPM (earnings per 1,000 impressions), but isn't [as] likely to affect EPC (earnings per click).

NoLimits

5:49 pm on Sep 28, 2005 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



Assuming that the CTR has a direct effect on EPC, which I've been trying to put my finger on for some time now, it could have an impact - as my CTR is lower than average due to the nature of the visitors (smart surfers)

NoLimits

9:09 pm on Sep 29, 2005 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



This is my second record unique visit day in a row. It's really starting to irk me that my clicks are coming in at less than half of their typical value on my BIG traffic days.

I just love seeing clicks in the triple digits early on, only to find that I've made less than enough to purchase 2 value meals at a fast food resturant.

On any other day, where traffic is normal - I make equally as much, if not more.

It makes me sick to my stomache to see this happen, like clockwork, every single time I have a spike in traffic. G, please stop "gaming" me.

fearlessrick

10:01 pm on Sep 29, 2005 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member Top Contributors Of The Month



Well, I'd say get used to it, but the repeated pattern of Adsense punishing us for "good" behavior, i.e., more traffic, good site promotion, etc., is an oft-repeated theme that I'd rather see gone.

Right now, I'm having a high traffic day and the last 400 pageviews have generated NO clicks according to adsense. I have just put up another thread on that topic.

I just wish they would pay us fairly and allow us to do our jobs, which is creating and maintaining quality web sites.

[edited by: fearlessrick at 10:01 pm (utc) on Sep. 29, 2005]

wings

10:01 pm on Sep 29, 2005 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



Strange. I also have a top day today and I my EPC is actually a lot higher than normal, so I'm really happy in two areas.

In my case I think it has to do with the fact that people who visit my site right now have slightly different interests than he people that visit my site on a regular basis and maybe for them the ads are more interesting, that's the only reason I can think of.

NoLimits

11:07 pm on Sep 29, 2005 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



It seems like AdSense discounts my clicks when I get spikes in traffic, and ONLY allows the price to go back up if the traffic stays constant for several days straight, or returns to normal daily levels.

It is really very aggravating. Why in the hell can't an abnormally high traffic day be an abnormally high AdSense day? Obviously it can, as someone just stated that they are seeing exactly that.

Today, I have literally DOUBLED (nearly tripled) my number of clicks for the day compared to average. My CTR is spot on... what's keeping me from financial success.

This is what can make or break me as a publisher. My primary site is at a point where I believe it could be making more than I make at my crappy, life sucking full time job. I'm eager to become self employed, and as such have been dedicating 100% of myself to my various websites. I put a lot of hard work into the articles, and the information is original. I pour myself into my sites, and as they improve in terms of traffic, and quantity of content - AS just keeps crapping on me.

I've increased my SE traffic by over over 1,000% this year, and my clicks have obviously increased as a result - however, I find myself making only 3-4 times as much as I was making this time last year. Do I really have to result to stuffing my articles with higher paying keywords to get a worthwhile return? I don't currently, as I am going on the golden rule of "keep the visitor happy". I don't want to throw in useless words to try to eek out higher paying advertisements, but I need to start to focus on this as a business venture instead of a hobby.

If anyone would be interested in "taking me under the wing" and possibly providing me some guidance as to what I may be doing incorrectly, or what I could be doing better/more/less of - I would be all ears, and more than willing to show and tell. I obviously have a lot to learn, as my success has been "sub-par" compared to what I consider substantial growth in my website in terms of content and traffic.

Does AdSense eventually just give in and say, okay - you deserve it you poor SOB, here's the click value you've been trying to get back to since the days when your site was a baby. I literally take 3 steps forward, and 2 steps back. (3 steps forward in traffic, then 2 back in click value).

All of my traffic is natural SE traffic, or from links posted on other sites/forums/etc by readers.

I need guidance.

GoldenHammer

7:05 am on Sep 30, 2005 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



I think adsense has implemented some features "identify" that is some kind of "spamming" - for a sudden high traffic (from some few fixed sources) to a single page.

Swebbie

3:09 pm on Sep 30, 2005 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



Perhaps the type of visitor is all-important. With organic search traffic the people are actively searching for your kind of info and are therefore more likely to click an ad if they get to your site and it's close to what they want, but not quite right.

However, if your visitors are suddenly coming from an article you wrote that they see on another site, there are some issues that make that kind of visitor fundamentally different (possibly). First, a lower percentage were in "active" search mode. So each visitor is more of a passive visitor to your site from that perspective. I would think more of them would be content to see what your site's about and then close the browser or hit the back button to return to the site that originally drew their attention (where your article appears). Second, depending on how closely that article you wrote conforms to the overall theme of your site would have some bearing. For example, if I wrote an article about some canine medical issue, but my site is really about dog toys, it's marginally related but maybe not closely enough. Hope that makes sense.

NoLimits

4:29 pm on Sep 30, 2005 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



Thank you Swebbie - very useful information.