Very bizarre metrics in February - March

[realmaverick]

I've just been taking a closer look at my stats for last month and something rather bizarre is going on.

I don't know whether it's select account or what, but it appears some level of testing is going on. I feel like a beta tester.

My CTR ranged from about 2.5 0 3.5% on my main ad channel and eCPM was relatively stable, bar adsense stuck stat days that were always bad.

In February my CTR was fluctuating much more than normal. One day CTR of 1.5 and then next 3.5%. Big jump. On the days CTR was high, CPC was low and vice versa. So at the end of each day, earnings were still stable yet clicks could have been significantly different.

Then suddenly on March 4th? we had the downtime and ever since my CTR is below 1% consistently and my earnings, tanked.

Yet nothings changed? nothings broken?

I really don't believe you Google. Do you care? Unlikely. :)

[HuskyPup]

I really don't believe you Google.

Me neither...since March 3rd v 2009 average:

Clicks -15.9%
CTR -15.85%
eCPM -11%

Saturday 7th has been the only day for me with 2009 average metrics.

This is coming up to a week, that for me is a trend since I have never seen it this bad since the Glitch of late October/November/December 2007 and I sincerely hope we're not having a repeat of that debacle?

[realmaverick]

This is coming up to a week, that for me is a trend since I have never seen it this bad since the Glitch of late October/November/December 2007 and I sincerely hope we're not having a repeat of that debacle?

Oh god me too. That was one of the updates that changed things for the worse and never rectified itself and therefore intentional. As it's been almost a week, this could well be a repeat.

Luckily I have a few other ad networks doing really well. Otherwise I'd be buggered about now.

[karkadan]

My income dropped in half since the Feb 14th. The system reports strange numbers, CTR drops at some hours like crazy, and each day, I gain less and less and less....

[TapTapper]

Luckily I have a few other ad networks doing really well. Otherwise I'd be buggered about now.

What other few, may I ask?

[JS_Harris]

Adsense accounts for a small percentage of my sites income, of course I'd like to increase that ratio but with no transparency on how much money is being made and what my percentage of that is... I can't give Google more ad space.

When I make $100.00 from adsense does Google make $200.00 ? $300.00 ? $500.00 ? I need to know what I'm dealing with. Since I don't know what their take is I don't know how much benefit there is to gain by working to "improve adsense earnings"

[edited by: JS_Harris at 7:27 am (utc) on Mar. 13, 2009]

[purplecape]

JS, why does it matter what their take is? Surely you should use whatever revenue source or sources gives YOU the most income.

If it's AdSense, then use it.

I rely heavily though not entirely on AdSense, for the simple reason that if I replaced it with something else, I'd lose money. If Google is able to pay me more than I can make from other sources and still turn a hefty profit, I have no problem with that. I don't understand why you do--you're basically saying you're willing to earn less yourself to prevent them from earning more.

[tangor]

Can't work with what google makes... you can only work with what google PAYS. They don't have to tell you what they make. But you have to decide what is acceptable as payment for your end.