Filtered Categories

Small experiment

[jinxed]

For around a year now, I have used the ‘Filtered Category’ option within the Ad Review Centre panel – blocking 4 categories that I felt were unrelated to my websites (3 very different niches).

My Adsense earnings had recently hit a short term ‘dip’ – lower CTR and eCPM, which obviously meant lower overall earnings.

I decided to do a test, and unblock these 4 categories from the panel, just to see the effect for my overall earnings. To my surprise, and I will say it has only been a short term test (a few weeks), my overall earnings have increased 20%.

From looking at the ‘% of Recent Earnings’ stats, it did indeed indicate a large proportion of the recent earnings coming from these categories.

For anyone experiencing a similar ‘dip’ in CTR, eCPM – maybe its time for a rethink for these setting (if you are using them)?

Anyway, just thought I’d share my results to anyone that’s interested.

[DaStarBuG]

I blocked a few categories as soon as the feature was introduced and forgott about them over time.

I reenabled all categories today for a test because no category really "harms" my website or disturbs my visitors.

Thanks for the idea

[rajivatre]

Like jinxed I also unblocked some categories which were blocked for long long time. Results were really good i must say.

Earnings up Atleast 20% though this is only last few days.
So waiting for more sustainable results.

Thanks
Rajiv

[SEOPTI]

I only see a reason re-enabling them if you run a dating site or a get rich quick site or weight loss site ...

I don't run this kind of sites so re-enabling them could lower CTR because of off-topic ads.

[jinxed]

SEOPTI, I don't run these sorts of site either, which is exactly why when this feature was introduced that I disabled the ads.

To my surprise, though, my visitors do find the ads appealing.

I'm not sure anyone can know without testing.

If the ads would be clearly inappropriate, though, I wouldn't advise testing, but that goes without saying and you would like to think the algorithm targeting the ads would establish this as well.

[piatkow]

The utility is there to block material that you think your customers will object to (eg dating ads on a site for a scout troop) not as a way to manage CPM or CTR.

[jinxed]

I'm pretty sure there are people that use this facility in an attempt to block out 'unrelated', in addition to 'objectionable' ads?

I did anyway.

[netmeg]

Yes, plenty do. I just wish we could do it on a per site basis. I have one family site for which I have to block ad categories that would probably work well on other sites.

[Lapizuli]

Yes, per site, or even better, per URL.

[jinxed]

Yes, definitely on a site level.

I think Google might be missing a trick by not doing this.

[DaStarBuG]

Ok I enabled all blocked categories which are kinda off topic for my medical site.

I left them unblocked for 2 days and my earnings dropped about 15-30% because click rate dropped about the same amount.

After blocking the categories again instant rise to the old earning levels.

I thought that Google would handle the relevancy thing and unblocking categories would just increase competition and with that my earning but far from it :/

[jinxed]

Interesting, your results would indicate that many publishers maybe missing out on revenue by not blocking categories.

I'm pleased to say my increased CTR/earnings have stayed since my change.

[Future]

Filtered Categories we need to check to enable or check to disable them ?
(no information provided about this ?) ;)

Morever, enabling unwanted categories gets unwanted advertise (as well non-language specific).

[DaStarBuG]

Left side serving, right side blocked ;)