Adsense blindness ~ Niche

[ASchmitt]

Ok, just want to share a little thought...

We all now that content is king and that quality content normally will result in higher SE traffic and eventually high revenue...

But...

In my experience uniqueness and high quality aren't enough...

For example:

Adsense in communities are rubbish. I have 5 communities with loyal members and low adsense... not because the content isn't unique or properly written... but because of the blindness of my members towards the adsense blocks... when you visit a site every day, you will look over the elements that are not important to you. You could solve this by changing the layout and position on a regular bases, but in the end... it won't make sutch a difference.

Ok so far nothing new, i hope...

But there's also something like audience blindness... for example: if you would try to get nice revenue out of a quality content site regarding SEO or SEA... adsense are usefull in my opinion...

I'm an internet poweruser, as all of you probably are...
be honest... do you take notice at adsense adds when you visit a site, except when you're actively researching on SEO or SEA?

So there's something like audience blindness to... especially audiences related to internet, computer, technology...

For the most of you guys this is probably nothing new, but for the new-interested-SEO-dudes...

[jtwald]

I agree. A site I run has a relatively low CTR and I feel it has much to do in part with the users that the 'tool' targets being at least more computer savvy then the average user. They are more apt to look right past the ads.

I click an ad a handful of times each year, and spend hours on the internet a day.

[uhwebs]

I guess the question really is.... what can we do about it?

What can a computer/internet related site do to reduce ad blindness?

[danimal]

1) improve the ad placement
2) use an ad server to rotate between adsense, ypn, or whatever
3) evaluate the banner ad networks

[DamonHD]

Hi

danimal is spot on.

Also consider something like Google's "Related info" stuff (train the users not to just ignore thatr space on the page) and house ads or your own "related" pages.

Rgds

Damon

[edited by: DamonHD at 9:06 pm (utc) on Sep. 21, 2006]

[farmboy]

I've mentioned this previously. It's worth a try but YMMV.

Keep track of the ads that are appearing on a consistent basis on your site. Then block those advertisers for a few days now and then. This lets some new ads appear.

FarmBoy

[gregbo]

I'm an internet poweruser, as all of you probably are...
be honest... do you take notice at adsense adds when you visit a site, except when you're actively researching on SEO or SEA?

Generally speaking, no, because they are (practically) everywhere.

[europeforvisitors]

I'm an internet poweruser, as all of you probably are...
be honest... do you take notice at adsense adds when you visit a site, except when you're actively researching on SEO or SEA?

Does it matter? You and I aren't typical users. What I care about is whether the people who visit my site notice and click on ads (and affiliate links, for that matter).

Some sites don't work well with AdSense--or with direct-response advertising in general--because their users aren't looking for ways to spend their money. Others do, because many or most of their users are either researching purchases or likely to make purchases in the future. (The same rule applies offline, where mail-order camera vendors advertise in POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHY and mail-order car-accessories dealers advertise in CAR AND DRIVER or MOTOR TREND because readers of those publications are interested in buying cameras and car-related products.)

As for Internet/computer/technology sites, they may well have more problems with "ad blindness," in part because the leading tech sites are so cluttered with ads, price-comparison tools, etc. readers become turned off. (I visit several leading tech sites fairly often, just to see what new goodies are on the market, but I'd be reluctant to click on their ads just because I don't want to reward "ad spam.")