Major changes to AdSense

Pricing structure and ad relevance

[markus007]

Unless adsense is sending out a april fools joke, what do people think of the changes? Every site has a unique pricing model?

For example, a click on an ad for digital cameras on a web page about photography tips may be worth less than a click on the same ad appearing next to a review of digital cameras.

[edited by: markus007 at 8:08 pm (utc) on April 1, 2004]

[superpower]

I'm up around 10% on everything. But reading these horror stories just reinforces my goal to be very diversified.

[jaxomlotus]

I'm down. Waaaay down. My site is a content site that doesn't offer "reviews", but more in the way of "photography tips" as google put it in their email.

To give an example, whereas previously I would hypothetically make $120 for 300,000 impressions a day, now I'm pulling in about $80 (those figures are just examples, not real).

This hurts a lot. I understand why Google is doing this but I am now very much interested in hearing what Google's competitors will have to offer if and when they do appear.

[jackti]

i've only seen positive changes on my site since the changes, i've always had low paying ads on my site, and now EPC has gone up by 25% or so.. i'm also seeing better targetting on my site. Even if it's the same CTR (never seems to change even .1 %), this is on a quite large sample and i'm thrilled Google has made these changes..

[edited by: jackti at 7:31 pm (utc) on April 4, 2004]

[adamxcl]

So far, although I'm very much surprised from what I'm reading, I'm staying the same or up from previous couple weeks. My EPC took a 10% hit the last couple days of the weekday period but now is higher than normal yesterday and today.

[EasyMoney]

If the numbers stay the same, I will drop Adsense at the end of the month. It's simple math. I wonder, how many of the publishers who are getting hurt by the changes will do the same. Or at least move adsense for the premium areas of their sites. I expect many will to help recoup losses with better alternatives.

If this happens who will provide the "bargin" rates to advertisers/adwords users? If only the guys that are seeing increased revenue (and they seem to be in the minority) remain, won't adwords get more expensive?

Google can experiment on us now, but competition is getting stronger, and I for one welcome it! I believe this will backfire on Google in a big way if they do not make radical changes quickly... I think most being hurt will give it a month, no more.

[valley]

'two changes to our advertising
services that will enhance the quality of the ads served on your site and help grow our base of advertisers. '

Looking across the board mostly we all lose big time, which brings something to mind:
Was the new targeting technology exercise just an excuse to smooth out the real cut in publishers revenues?

[jaxomlotus]

I agree with what easymoney said. Until now Google has been hands down the best paying ad-network, post dotcom boom. Now, we'll just have to wait and see.

To be honest, I feel that I should fault Google if they're saying my website isn't providing good leads and are lowering my revenue accordingly. My site is browsed by a few hundred thousand people a day and I can't believe that none of them are truly interested in the products that are being advertised. If people are interested and are clicking through the ads to the websites and not liking what they see, then Google is simply targetting the ads AND/OR the advertisers' websites incorrectly. I don't see why I should be punished for that. Not that I think the adwords people should pay much for a non-interested click either - but again, if Google matched up the ads AND the advertisers' website better that wouldn't be an issue.

[icedowl]

It's looking worse today - "gone to **** in a handbasket". Or the stats are way, way behind.

[kwasher]

Keep in mind that adwords covers more than just adsense alone.

On another subject... targeting... I placed a 7 word blurb about an apple ipod contest on my webmasters resource site (you know, typical domain name regi, articles, etc, for webmasters) which contains hundreds of words about domains and webmastering and such... yet now all my adsense ads are about apple ipods, which is obviously NOT the general theme of my site.

[RobbieD]

I think if enough publishers complain then Google will do something. Let's speak out...actually cry out!