Site Earning Limits

Glass ceiling when introducing new ads

[nrep]

Here's a strange problem... I've got a site that has been earning a steady $XX per day (to within around +/- 10% each day).

Today I introduced an adlink unit to the page, far enough away from the main banner that it shouldn't detract too many clicks.

Interesting, the main banner earnings have halved (but the CTR has gone down by about 10% of its normal value). The adlink unit gets almost as many clicks at the main banner.

You'd think I would be making more this way, but it is actually slightly less.

Has anyone else experienced this sort of problem?

[tim222]

Well for one thing, the adlink ads are probably displaying ads from different advertisers than the banner ads. It could be that the adlink advertisers are bidding less per click.

Also, we don't know exactly how smart pricing works, but Google might charge advertisers less based on type of ad, or the ad's position on the page.

[HuskyPup]

Has anyone else experienced this sort of problem?

My AdLinks EPC is 2/3 (66%) of my leaderboard these days and it's been like this for a few months now and just over half my earings comes from AdLinks however removing AdLinks does not increase my leaderboard earnings at all, they stay about the same!

[nrep]

"It could be that the adlink advertisers are bidding less per click."

I accept that, however why would the banner unit earnings decrease so much for a very small change in CTR for that particular unit?

[tim222]

... why would the banner unit earnings decrease so much for a very small change in CTR for that particular unit?

Hmmm... I wonder if this has anything to do with the combination of banner ads and text ads on the same page? I know that doesn't seem likely. But I gave up on banners a long time ago due to low eCPM. At the time, I didn't think to try running banners only, w/o text ads on the same page, to see if that would increase the eCPM of the banners.

[dibbern2]

I think you have some new dynamics to decode, but nothing at all to do with your topic for this thread.

The last possibility I would consider is an earnngs limitation or (as you put it) glass ceiling.

[jomaxx]

You're only looking at about a half-day's results. I don't care how busy your site is or how steady your stats usually are, you have to give it a few days at minimum.

[tim222]

You're only looking at about a half-day's results. I don't care how busy your site is or how steady your stats usually are, you have to give it a few days at minimum.

Ahh... I missed that. You're absolutely right. In fact, a minimum of a few weeks would be even better.

[BigDave]

Like the others have said, you need to wait a bit longer.

As for your previous stability, you have now changed something, so don't expect other things not to change. By suddenly changing how many clicks there are in relation to how many page impressions, it wouldn't surprise me one bit if it triggered some sort of quality flag on your traffic at this point. If that is the case, the advice is the same, give it a little time.

[nrep]

I'll give it another week or so and report back with my findings :)