Ad Unit between first and second paragraphs

Is this a good idea?

[Erku]

I have seen some simtes inserting 300-250 size ad unit between the second and third paragraphs or something like that.

Have tried it? Is it a good thing to do?

Any comments?

If yes, do you see a good CTR?

Thanks

[Erku]

No opinion or tests on this subject?

[Atomic]

It will depend on your audience. There are no absolute answers when it comes to something like this. Why don't you give it a try? I've had double digit CTR on some pages and less than a percent on others. So, some of my pages have this kind of ad unit and other don't.

[Erku]

That's interesting.

Do you know if visitors find it annoying?

Thanks

[MThiessen]

I use the large rectangle embedded in content "where appropriate". That being said, let me explain "appropriate".

A small paragraph would be overpowered by the ad-unit. A large page with several paragraphs and lots of content is ideal though. If the content is too small embedding the adcode just looks trashy, like an MFA.

[Atomic]

A small paragraph would be overpowered by the ad-unit. A large page with several paragraphs and lots of content is ideal though. If the content is too small embedding the adcode just looks trashy, like an MFA.

I agree. My articles are generally long and I won't use this format unless my first paragraph is meaty enough. I would never want a vistitor have the impression that the ad is the most important part of the page.

I doubt visitors are annoyed by the way I use these ad units. I can tell that many visitors make it to the bottom of the page by how they respond to additional offers in the footer.

[Erku]

I agree that many visitors make it to the bottom of the page.

By embedding the add between two paragraphs in the middle do you get double digit CTR?

[Atomic]

Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

[martingale]

I have a small adlinks box between the 1st and 2nd paragraph and it works OK. It was better than not having it. Once I screwed up my layout and put a full length tower ad between the 1st and 2nd paragraph, didn't notice for a day or two that it was there. The results were amazing--my CTR went through the roof.

However, it looked so ugly and it annoyed me so much that, despite the high CTR, I removed it. I'd rather have a nice looking site that people enjoy reading than one that maximizes CTR. I think in the long run that will pay off, but who knows.

[Erku]

I don't mean full length tower, but perhaps 250-250 size.

[Atomic]

I think in the long run that will pay off, but who knows.

I think this strategy works best. People are more likely to refer their friends to you and give you some links if they find what they needs and don't think that your site is trashy. I'd gladly surender some quick clicks for solid growth in traffic.

[elguapo]

All our article pages use a large rectangle box after the first paragraph -- and this format is the best performing format for us bar none. CTR is typically double digit, and CPM varies by topic though also very high (above $35, in some topics waayyy above).

We made the large rectangle ads more visible by giving more space in between the content and the ad (instead of the approach used by others whereby they squeeze the ads to blend so well with the content).

[ken_b]

I use a 160x90 Adlinks unit placed right after the first paragraph of text content on most of my pages.

Works very well for me.

[farmboy]

We made the large rectangle ads more visible by giving more space in between the content and the ad...

If you don't mind my asking, did you put a visible border around the ad display?

FarmBoy

[potentialgeek]

People are more likely to refer their friends to you and give you some links if they find what they needs and don't think that your site is trashy.

To say nothing of advertisers! Who is going to target a site run by someone whose use of Adsense makes him look like an internet panhandler? Raise the quality of your site to be so high and far superior than the competition in every aspect that advertisers are begging to get on your web.

p/g

[elguapo]

Farmboy ... no, our large rectangle ads have white non-visible borders. So it's just a large white space.

[Erku]

I see some news stories in MSN doing this approach very tastefully.