Drop in revenue

[ca3le]

I've been making my money off AdSense since before it was really released. But recently I had a pretty major database crash on my largest site. So while I was fixing it I've actually been improving the site, for instance I was running SMF for my forums and have since changed that to IP.Board.

The site is looking better than ever but my revenue has gone down and my traffic has taken a hit. Funny thing is that the CPM is down on all my content not just the pages that were effected by the crash.

Can it at all have to do with Googles Indexing of those changed pages... could that at all effect the ads on other pages?

[netmeg]

I dunno; Google devalues backlinks all the time. Since 55 of my sites are seasonal, I lose links all the time when news stories get archived; it means my PR dances around a lot, but it doesn't seem to affect SERPs or earnings.

[HuskyPup]

Oh wow, EFV came back to life.

Hahaha...I don't think so:-)

[netmeg]

<snort>

Ok, whatever you say. Good luck.

[purplecape]

"The dropping CTR many are seeing (me included) is most likely due to the introduction of Interest Based Ads."

Except that it goes back well before that. The decline in CTR I've experienced has been gradual but steady and goes back years...

[glitterball]

Except that it goes back well before that. The decline in CTR I've experienced has been gradual but steady and goes back years...

I think that we all realise that there has been a long decline in CTR due to ad blindness etc, however there seems to have been a recent very steep decline in CTR that is distinct from the long term trend.

[netmeg]

That's actually not the most recent one.

Watching idiots online since 1985

(not referring to anyone specifically of course - just idiots in general)

[purplecape]

"however there seems to have been a recent very steep decline in CTR that is distinct from the long term trend."

OK. Well, I haven't experienced that.

[HuskyPup]

however there seems to have been a recent very steep decline in CTR that is distinct from the long term trend.

As I have written before mine started on 15th March, until then all my metrics were within normal parameters except for a couple of very obvious Google data loss days, and since 15th March my daily clicks average compared to Jan 1st to March 14th have been -13.79% and my CTR -14.68%.

That is one helluva lot of people suddenly stopping clicking.

[netmeg]

I use StatCounter on some sites, and while I wouldn't bet the ranch on its accuracy, they do show exit links for Google ads, and I also use Woopra for live 'real time' analytics. And across various niches (both mine and my clients) people just plain aren't clicking anywhere near as much as they used to. YMMV. But before you make up your mind, you might want to see if you can figure out a way to tell.

[iBrian]

glitterball, radix, this is what I reported on earlier as well - ads are simply untargeted.

The problem does seem to be one of potential interest targeting, and it would be infuriating if Google are forcing this on publishers without consent, or an opt-out at the very least.

Martinibuster - if your $10 car insurance clicks just got replaced by $0.05 general interest ads, your niche is gone.

Also, gone through stats and earnings are at 85% from the start of the month. That's a fall of a few thousand dollars for those who think we're talking about $10 a day publishers.

[Play_Bach]

Off to a very slow start today, again...

[rocco]

Today, something is smelly again.

And I agree with iBrian, I do not talk about 10 bucks a day.

[geekgirl]

We have experienced the same drop (since April 1st). We're a large publisher, and our revenues are now about 50% what they were in January.

What I've noticed is a change in the relevency of the image ads (or placements). Also, it could be linked to the fact that they opened their bidding to a bunch of other ad networks. I believe that launched in the last couple of months.

~ gg

[jmccormac]

This is absolutely mental. The figures today are at an all time low. They've banjaxed something in Adsense again.

Regards...jmcc

[WordsnCollision]

Going on 3 hours now without a single additional click registering. As the impressions add up, the CPM slips further.

[sid786]

One of the main channel cpm dropped by 50% today! I know, I know, I am Jumping to conclusion but thought I'd share my pain :)

Come back, Adsense! Still love ya..

[jmccormac]

Don't worry. An Adsense cheerleader will be around soon to reassure you that this is just a seasonal/phase of the moon/national holiday/delete as appropriate fluctation and that they are having no problems whatsoever. :)

Regards...jmcc

[edited by: jmccormac at 6:57 pm (utc) on Apr 20, 2010]

[geekgirl]

Don't worry. An Adsense cheerleader will be around soon to reasure you that this is just a seasonal/phase of the moon, national holiday fluctation and that they are having no problems whatsoever. :)

That's their line! And don't forget "Start of a new quarter"

[zett]

One of the main channel cpm dropped by 50% today! I know, I know, I am Jumping to conclusion but thought I'd share my pain :)

Ah, I reassure you that this is just a seasonal fluctation and that we are having no problems whatsoever. Also, please note that we're at the beginning of a new quarter.

<grinning and ducking>

Seriously, the reasons for our "success" may be that we removed Adsense from all but one site. We don't miss it.
<and now running very very fast>

[jmccormac]

Perhaps Adsense had to share their servers with the IRS to crunch US tax returns.

Situation Normal Adsense Fouled Up.

If Microsoft makes a move now, it will get a lot of signups.

Regards...jmcc

[fearlessrick]

Just checked April 1-20 from last year, and I'm down 15% this month from there in earnings. Strangely enough, I was almost even April 1-19 (about -2%). I did allow some of those third party ad networks in last month, but they haven't made much of a difference at all, as far as I can tell.

The last ten days of April 2009 were just about average, so we'll see if there's any pickup here. I'm guessing that I'll be down less than 10% for the month overall.

It's a small site, but steady. Is smaller better, as in, more small sites rather than one big one?

[rocco]

Earnings and click are dropping in, now. I am glad to see that.

[Pepito]

In my site, small, this month is 20% better off comparing with the first 20 days in March. The same as April 2009.

[Cancellara]

Pathetic numbers last few days so I removed AdSense from three of our sites completely.

[dibbern2]

For the first time in 6 years I'm looking at a downturn. Accross a dozen niches, there's no definite pattern. A couple of channels suffer drastic decreases each day, but it seems that its a different pair each day.

Also: all my established norms on daily patterns are out the window. The best 3 days of each week keep bouncing around. And I'm looking at trends that were rock solid for 72 months up to this time.

[fearlessrick]

If it's any consolation, I have never focused on patterning, analytics or any other of the sophisticated schemes that purport to maximize click-through or SEO or anything else. My main drivers are content, traffic and maximizing ad exposure, and that includes multiple networks.

I look at it this way: I am a publisher. My job is to create content and deliver it as expeditiously and functionally possible. Google and the other ad networks, plus a number of long-standing, solid advertisers which I cultivated provide a decent, if unspectacular income. I could readily increase my ad sales with some internal effort, but I prefer to concentrate on content and delivery issues.

In the end, G is my main ad rep, and I trust them just enough to keep them in premium spots across my sites and blogs. Traffic is the main concern, and that comes from content, so, just like it's always been in the publishing business, you can't stop working if you're going to remain relevant and an ongoing concern, with all due respect to "evergreen" pages, which, if identified and managed properly, can provide some awesome revenue.

Bottom line is that everyone needs a mix. Depending on one supplier is and always has been a serious no-no for any business. G's been good, and I believe they'll continue (they are a major company, after all), but there are many other options and more every day.

[rajivatre]

Where is ASA? he or she is missing from this loooong thread. May be G's official line is "We dont comment on speculation and everything is just right" at G'plex. :)

Rajiv

[jmccormac]

Perhaps ASA was a program designed to simulate human responses and when Google got hacked recently, the attackers took it. :) Another SNAFU day from Adsense so far.

Regards...jmcc

[glitterball]

Well, despite my attempts to remove the irrelevant ads, CTR has stayed at a pathetic 20% of what it should be.

I can compare the CTR with other sites (on a different account) that use the same backend and have the same demographics and advertisers (the same business just for different cities). The sites have the same layouts and up until very recently had near-identical CTRs and eCPMs etc.

Something is definitely broken on my account.

If ASA actually responded to this thread, it would mean that they acknowledge the problem (and this would affect their share price). So that's not going to happen.

[glitterball]

Just found a thread on Google's adsense forum claiming a sudden decline in CTR after adding Google Analytics.
I've just realised that I also added Analytics at the same time as my massive CTR decline started - anyone else?