Site targeted ads payout for publishers

25% or less for publisher?

[Januuski]

Today I was assured by our adSense rep that we are not smartpriced.

The minimum for targeted ad for our URL is $0.25 per click. Our average earnings per click from site targeted ads is $0.07.

I have only one 300x250 ad unit on this page. Usually I only see 2 ads in large fonts, no Ads by Google link or logo. It must cost way more than $0.25/click to get this spot.

If we are not smartpriced why are we earning only $0.07/click from site targeted ads?

Is Google really keeping 75% or more from every click?

Any reasonable explanation for this?

[Gian04]

Why not ask your Adsense rep?

[Scurramunga]

Very intersting post.
The fact the Google rep actually addressed a query about smartpricing makes it more so.

May I ask how long it has been since you had believed smartpricing kicked in? I am seeing the lowest earnings per click now since my earlier days with Adsense before I optimised so I certainly am not keen to re-enable site targeting on my site as I fear the worst. Site targeting never worked well for me during better days, so I wouldn't dare enable it now.

[Januuski]

Why not ask your Adsense rep?

Of course I asked. She said: "we do not disclose this information" I guess the rep does not even have the tools to see some sort of revenue share info.

May I ask how long it has been since you had believed smartpricing kicked in?

I never believed that we are smartpriced. I only asked because with the site targeted ads we know the minimum per click value. That’s why I asked. I guess it is now official that Google is keeping majority of the revenue generated from every click. There is no better explanation for that. No spartpricing and we are getting average $0.07/click for clicks where advertiser must pay at least $0.25.

[edited by: Januuski at 7:15 am (utc) on April 12, 2007]

[shahab]

due to my 2 years of experience with both Google Adsense and Google Adwords, I can surely tell you that google is keeping at least 90% of publishers earnings.

[joelgreen]

google is keeping at least 90% of publishers earnings

I doubt it. It would be veery hard to keep 90% of the revenue and be the #1 in contextual advertising (according to posts on WW).
I think Google's share depends on many factors, and for "usual" publishers could be up to 50%-60%. Premium publishers have better revenue share (according to posts on WW).

Google drives traffic your site, and get some "tax" for that. They should also cover checks processing / programs and servers support / adsense and adwords customers support / other expenses. A lot of expenses to cover with their share.

[europeforvisitors]

The minimum for targeted ad for our URL is $0.25 per click. Our average earnings per click from site targeted ads is $0.07.

Are you talking about site-targeted contextual ads or site-targeted CPM ads? With CPM ads, you pay for impressions, not by the click.

[Januuski]

Are you talking about site-targeted contextual ads or site-targeted CPM ads?

site-targeted contextual ads

[Januuski]

I can surely tell you that google is keeping at least 90% of publishers earnings.

I would never believe it if I wouldn't see my own numbers. I know the advertisers are paying close to $1/click and we are earning $0.07 on average from site-targeted contextual ads.

Now I do believe it. My estimated revenue share is 80/20 Google/Publisher

[europeforvisitors]

Maybe I'm missing something, but does the AdSense reporting tool show how much a publisher earns per click for site-targeted CPC ads?

[Swanny007]

If the ad isn't working for you, get rid of it and try something else. I don't spend my time figuring out what each click is worth. I look at CPM, total revenue, etc. There have been many times where I've tried different ads (CJ.com, AdSense, Amazon, etc.). If something isn't paying well in a month, it's gone. Why put the ad there if it's not providing value to you ($) nor value to the visitor (i.e. no one's clicking on it). There's one CJ ad on my site that hasn't paid a penny in over a month, I'm going to remove it shortly. I thought it was targeted, I guess not ;-)

The debate over how much Google keeps is pointless. Truly. You have no control over that and Google won't tell anyone how much they share, so put your time and effort into things you can control.

If you have an AdSense rep, you must be one of the big fish...?