Getting rid of banner ads etc

Only Adsense and Products - does it make sense?

[ferraristi]

I currently run a number of websites which are related in topic. However, only a couple of them have any traffic to speak of (mostly organic serp traffic and a few inbound links). But as they all follow the same site design I have fastclick and other ads running on them. All in all my income is essentially 50% Adsense and 50% everything else.

Recently I tried a new page design on one of the lower traffic sites and decided to get rid of all the banner ads etc and am only running the large rectangle and adlinks. I am driving traffic to specific product pages on the site hoping that if people don't want to buy the product, they will click on an adsense link thereby recouping some of my adwords expenditure.

My question is, has anyone done something similar before and seen their adsense income rise sufficiently to cover the loss of the banner ads?

Sorry it took me a while to get to the point.

[SeK612]

No experience but I don't personally like a page full of Adverts. The Google / Yahoo solution sees less intrusive adverts on a page. Pop ups and flashing adverts (or those placed deliberatly to trick into clicks) just make me flip my ad blocker back on if I want to continue using the site.

It also seems a general concencious that often fewer ads increase revenue. With the adsense at the moment you can have a whole host of ads plastered across a page, but you may find a single one placed according to the heat map will work just as well.

[jchampliaud]

You need to find the right balance. What’s going to make you the most money without putting all your eggs in one basket? After creating two very small sites and seeing them start to become profitable almost at once thanks to AdSense I’m just about convinced that affiliates/banners at least in some cases are not the way to go. BUT and this is a big but I don’t like betting everything on AdSense.
Where I do believe banners work is when you are working with direct advertisers. My largest site has one banner running at the bottom of all pages. This seems to work for me and the advertiser.

[ferraristi]

Thanks for your input guys. I think I will convert the other low traffic sites that wouldn't have earned that much on Fastclick and watch it for a while.

I must admit though, the sites look a lot cleaner and friendlier without all those banners.

[hunderdown]

Removing banners can bring long-term benefits--more return visitors, more inbound links. The effect won't be obvious but can build with time.