Adsense search default that works

Your site selected, or search web selected?

[silverbytes]

What is working best for your earnings when using Adsense search box, make your website radio checked as default, or search the web as default?

[celgins]

I noticed a long time ago that users on my site were searching for specific items on my site -- not the web. So I changed my default search selection to my site.

Either way, I was earning about the same no matter which (web or site) was checked.

[silverbytes]

Oops. So no change in income?
Well at least you did your users happy ;)

[hyperkik]

Although I haven't done so myself, I've noticed quite a few sites using Google Custom Search (with AdSense) instead of AdSense for search. They get a lot more flexibility in how the search box appears (e.g., smaller implementation, less obvious Google branding, letting people choose between searching part of your site, all of your site and the web with a drop-down menu). I don't know whether it affects revenues or how it impacts reporting, but the basic AdSense for search feature set is so limited that I'm thinking about giving it a try.

But in relation to your question, the default I set is for the search of my site.

[silverbytes]

Yep, but did you compare income changing default?
I get under a 10% of income with search, but I can't tell what is better yet. I have default in some sites and my custom in others.

[SEOPTI]

Pay Google for the ad-free box, this works fine.

[tim222]

I've tried both ways and didn't notice a difference in income. My assumption was that the searcher would find more hits on the internet than on my site, and therefore would have more non-paying links to click on. So I made my site the default. But, as I said, it really didn't make a difference.

One thing that made a huge difference was to move my search link from a position below the fold, up to the top right corner of the pages. That resulted in more than 5 times the search revenue income, and no loss in ad clicks.

[celgins]

Nope. No big change in income for me when I compared web search vs. site search.

[YesMom]

move my search link from a position below the fold, up to the top right corner of the pages

Oh, this is great advice... thanks! Hadn't thought about positioning changing how often search is used.

I have a different strategy on search... I use an outside search (of my site) that gives less than desirable results but allows for complete customization and placement of AdSense. Then I make sure content appears on every landing page (usually a random article that appears below search results)... and then near the results I also put something like "Didn't find what you are looking for? - Try Google's site search instead!" and put my Google box there.

I get better revenue from the landing page... then "second chance" revenue from anyone who uses Google as a 2nd try.

That's my secret -- now a gift to all my friends here. :-)

YM

[hyperkik]

I formerly used a search script, but abandoned it when I switched servers last year because (a) it wasn't being supported, and (b) the AdSense matching left something to be desired. AdSense for Search is far from perfect, but my search revenues have gone way up due to the fact that ads are much more likely to be relevant.

[jrowlinson]

There are a couple of other options using Google Enteprise search ( [google.com...] )

I use the business edition on a collection of 300 sites that I have. This returns a results set in XML. Your wouldn't know it was Google. I was using an internal engine but it got too many 'no matches'. One of the 300 sites this is on is [safekids.co.uk....] It is advert free apart from a contextual box that I add. I paid $500 for the 50,000 article version as this searches all my 300 sites. I do filter the XML set to display up to 5 from the main site and then up to 20 from related sites. This introduces visitors to new sites.

Then on the main collection site at [pts.com...] I use their sponsored one where they display ads. This was free.

Both work very well indeed.