Click rate

how to explain the drop?

[vivalasvegas]

Last year I had a steady click rate of about 2.8%. Since December I've been trying to improve this by changing colors, ad format and so on. I only got lower CTRs so I decided to go back to the old format. However, CTR is staying at all time lows (between 1 and 1.5%). Now I just don't know how to explain this. I've also added Google Ad Section comments to improve relevance and I believe ads are more relevant than ever. Where do you think I should look to explain this drop?

[nrep]

Google changed the clickable area of the ads, so that might explain some of the change. Now only the title and URL will act as a link, whereas the whole ad unit would before.

[purplecape]

That's true, but if people really want to click, they'll find the area where they can.

Two other possible factors--ad blindness, which can happen if you have a lot of regulars, who have seen the ads before, and even if you get a lot of new visitors, because they might have seen the ads before, elsewhere. OR a change in the ads being displayed. An advertiser might have dropped out, or the selection changed for some other reason.

FWIW, my CTR declined steadily through 2007 and I can only attribute it to the two factors I mentioned--Google changing the clickable area had no impact.

[greatstart]

See this thread - [webmasterworld.com...]

[vivalasvegas]

When the clickable area changed I saw a small decrease in CTR (about 5%). This wasn't significant though and I totally agree with those who support the recent Google change. This month I'm already seeing a higher EPC.

The CTR decrease I'm talking about is more recent. Also too sudden to attribute it to ad blindness. I guess what's left is ads displayed, though I don't see a big change here either. It just seems that no matter what I do I can't bring the CTR anywhere near the 2.8 levels.

[martinibuster]

I guess what's left is ads displayed...

Here are more variables: Geographic region of traffic, keyword phrases used to access the site, age of users, intent of users (students doing research vs. consumers, for instance).

I guess what's left is ads displayed though I don't see a big change here either.

Take a vacation to a different state or province. Visit your website. Be surprised by how different the ads displayed are.

[vivalasvegas]

Take a vacation to a different state or province. Visit your website. Be surprised by how different the ads displayed are.

I've been using the Adsense Preview Tool for this. I hope it is reliable.

[martinibuster]

I hope it is reliable.

It's not reliable.

That's why I suggest viewing your site from a different state or province for your own personal education to understand how radically different the ads shown to your visitors are from what you are accustomed to seeing. You will be surprised.

[vivalasvegas]

Thanks. I will do that and also ask friends in other countries to tell me what ads they see.