Ad Units Per Page

Optimization Reports Recommend This

[Eazygoin]

I have read on previous threads that it can be advantageous to place just one ad unit on a page. However, Google Optimization Reports recommend placing 3 units per page.

My question is 'does it necessarily dilute the value of each PPC by placing more than one unit?'

I ask this because I have found that pages with 3 units give a much lower PPC than a single ad unit on a page.

However, this could be because the content of a page with one unit, is more valid in terms of conversions and content, than those with 3 ad units.

I ask you to respond with a full answer, rather than 'maybe' or 'sometimes' which provide no depth in answering the question. Many thanks :-)

[celgins]

Well, the reason people usually respond with "maybe's" or "sometimes", is because each website owner has different experiences.

My question is 'does it necessarily dilute the value of each PPC by placing more than one unit?'

Most folks here will tell you that it does. But it really depends on your niche and ad placement. If there 2 ad slots on your site as opposed to 12, the possibility of Google matching a higher CPC ad to your content is better.

Maybe! :)

[Scurramunga]

However, this could be because the content of a page with one unit, is more valid in terms of conversions and content, than those with 3 ad units.

I often wonder if it has more to do with demand and supply. That is, what if google's algo also takes into acount the amount of available ad space on a page and the advertiser's bid as part of it's click value determination? This would then suggest to me that real eastate availability v's advertiser bidding is calculated on page by page basis or at least on a publisher account basis.

Yes this is just another wild theory and it may or may not be one of many other factors involved, From anecdotal evidence I have observed I believe it could possibly occur on a page by page basis. My belief is simply based on my observations made at times when the same ad or groups of ads appear across my website. During these times I have noticed that the same ads or groups of ads can pay vastly different amounts per click and that the addition or removal of adblocks on a page almost always seems to influence the payout for a particluar page. I observed this during times in the day when my traffic originates almost exclusively from one country, the USA. I have also used various proxies to view the traffic as it would appear in various US states to further eliminate variables.

[sailorjwd]

Sometimes.

My experience has been that having fewer ad blocks results in the most income. I've experimented for years and have settled on a single 336x280 ad block as performing best. Although, it is harder to tell recently since G sometimes puts only one or two ads in the block which kindof defeats my goal (few ads but with variety).

Always:

The only time i saw a decrease in income by lower the number of ad blocks is when I went from one to zero.

[Eazygoin]

Thanks guys for the repsonses. It is really good to see just how much interest and time people give in responding to threads on here.

I actually replaced/ added to many of my ad units about 10 days ago, and it seems to be settling down around now, with the average value of clicks slowly creeping upwards. I found that by customising the ad units, not only do they enhance a website, but also provide a valid option if the user doesn't find what he/she is looking for in the content of the website.

[netmeg]

I try to mix them up, but I notice that if I have too many ad units on a page, I sometimes get duplicate ads, and I don't really think that helps.

[annej]

I often wonder if it has more to do with demand and supply.

Good point. You can probably carry more ad units on a page if your topic has plentiful ads.

Also the last ad units on a page will get the lower paying ads so consider if they are worth cluttering your site with ad units.

I typically have one link unit and one regular unit. I've experimented with a lot of combinations and decided that is best for my style sites.

[potentialgeek]

I sometimes get duplicate ads, and I don't really think that helps.

I've seen that, too. You'd think Google would program it to stop doing that.

However, Google Optimization Reports recommend placing 3 units per page.

It's possible that G has upgraded its programming so three units does better now than it did before.

It is probably dealing with junk sites and then finds a big hole to fill. (Or loves making so much money off junk sites, it wants to show even more of their ads.)

p/g

[MThiessen]

The amount of ad units depends on if you are targeted or not, and the overall size of the page.

If you are getting targeted, then the ad might take up the whole ad unit. In this case having just one causes the ad to taken up by the target, and NO contextuals appear at all. This can pull down bottom line revenue.

On the otherhand, if the page is SMALL then more then one ad unit might make the page look spammy and cluttered.

I try to make my pages relatively large, so that three ad units can be seperated from one another and not look trashy. This way they can show image or whole ad unit ads, *and* show contextual ads as well.

It all really depends on two basic things:

1. Are you being targeted
2. Are your pages big enough to artisitically place them there without looking spammy.