Smart Pricing

Anything to Fix It?

[ElvisFan]

I know I have been SP as it is the only explanation IMHO why my earnings over the last few month have dropped to an all time low. (Been with adsense for 5 years)

It have spent hours (changing position/size/color and removing ads from low traffice pages etc) trying to fix the problem but alas to no avail. I believe it would of great benefit if adsense would notify us that a site has been SP and why?

This would make for a wonderful solution for the publisher and the advertiser.

In the meantime... any advice would be most welcome

[netmeg]

All pricing is smart pricing, I'm sure of it.

That said - if you want to encourage advertisers who pay more, then you need to develop an audience of happy shoppers who not only like to click, but like to convert. Changing ad positions and sizes and whatnot is not your solution. Attracting top quality traffic is. If your site isn't targeting people who are in the mood to buy something when they hit your site, you either have to add some focus in that direction, or resign yourself to the earnings you're seeing now.

[ElvisFan]

I hear what you are saying netmeg... however, after 5 years of consistant good earnings, it is not until recently that things have changed with my bottom line... yet my sites stats remain the same.

I'm trying to figure out what I can do to improve the situation... but without knowing the exact reason I can't do much to fix the problem...

[sid786]

Come May 2011 and I will be linked with Adsense for almost 3 years. Earnings were consistent, in fact they were growing at a healthy rate. Things changed--unexpectedly, earnings went all-time low from the 1st day of February.

If your EPC is low, then count me in as a member of this eerie "smart price" scheme. I don't know how to fix this issue, but I believe this is similar to sandbox? Perhaps it should be fixed in a month or two? Has anyone been affected with smart-pricing before?

My main site does pretty well with 25000 pageviews per day, and it hurts me real bad to see the earnings go lower with increase in traffic. Past three days have been "horrible." Can anyone enlighten us on what to do? Really: My brain has stopped working.

[incrediBILL]

Past three days have been "horrible."

Same here but it's not a big enough trend.

Fluctuations occur but I agree, something is new in the AdSense stew this Feb.

Maybe we should call it the "Valentines Day Massacre Update" or VDMU for short.

[HuskyPup]

Stupid Pricing is what it is, more or less impossible to fathom since it clearly does not make sense otherwise why would my image pages earn considerably more per click than my fact-filled informational pages?

Something certainly seems to have changed in the last few days and especially so with AdLinks values having tumbled.

[Pepito]

I do not understand how a 5 years old with regular incomes can be smart pricing suddenly. What previously was a quality content are not longer good?

At least that your loyal visitors are making you a "favor" in clicking without conversion just because they are thinking in giving you a "favor" because like your site and in fact they are doing the opposite. Sometime I feel people are doing the same in my old site, but fortunately not very often.

[drall]

Last three days have been a bloody massacre for us across every site. A clear % drop and staying.

[ken_b]

Are all of you with the big drops talking about drops in EPC?

[Lame_Wolf]

I do not understand how a 5 years old with regular incomes can be smart pricing suddenly. What previously was a quality content are not longer good?

It's not the content, it's the visitors and adverts.

You can have the greatest content ever written, but if you are attracting say, kids, who have no intention of buying, then the price will drop.

As for adverts, some just do not pay very well.

I've always believed in the SERP-Adsense marriage. From observations I have seen better payouts when my SERPS are higher. Coincidence? perhaps, but check your SERPS and see if you've dropped or not. Even if they have, this is only be one of a number of possible reasons why the drop.

Friday was great for me (esp for a friday). Saturday was okayish. Today ? too early to tell, but looking okay - good atm.

[Lame_Wolf]

To the people who have experienced a drop in income (or think they are smart priced)...

How many of you are maxing out on the amount of adverts allowed ?
How many of you are trying to squeeze them above the fold ?

[sid786]

Last three days have been a bloody massacre for us across every site. A clear % drop and staying.

So its not just me then, but I don't see why Adsense would do this only to a small pool of publisher. Maybe a test is under process? My eyes hurt to see such low figures.

I've always believed in the SERP-Adsense marriage. From observations I have seen better payouts when my SERPS are higher. Coincidence? perhaps, but check your SERPS and see if you've dropped or not. Even if they have, this is only be one of a number of possible reasons why the drop.

I have seen huge increase in traffic, my main site is now touching 27,000 pageviews per day thanks to SERP boost, however, my earnings are similar to what it used to be when the site had around 15,000 visitors.

How many of you are maxing out on the amount of adverts allowed ?

— Three adverts. No link ad unit, two of the adverts are big rectangular blocks while the other one is 160x600 banner.

How many of you are trying to squeeze them above the fold ?

— If you mean on the header, no. However, I do believe placing them below title brings in good revenue (not blended).

[Lame_Wolf]

I have seen huge increase in traffic, my main site is now touching 27,000 pageviews per day thanks to SERP boost, however, my earnings are similar to what it used to be when the site had around 15,000 visitors.

Extra visitors do not mean you will get more clicks, or more money.

— If you mean on the header, no. However, I do believe placing them below title brings in good revenue (not blended).

I do not mean "on the header"
Above the fold is when a site displays the adverts without the need for scrolling. This can include "on the header" but not restricted to it.

[sid786]

Extra visitors do not mean you will get more clicks, or more money.

True. However, what I meant was: I had a SERP boost, but it doesn't translate to better earnings (with reference to your statement: "I have seen better payouts when my SERPS are higher.")

Above the fold is when a site displays the adverts without the need for scrolling. This can include "on the header" but not restricted to it.

Oh... yes, I have them. I was planning to change the position of adverts tonight, but I'd be better off waiting for sometime, I think.

[Lame_Wolf]

True. However, what I meant was: I had a SERP boost, but it doesn't translate to better earnings (with reference to your statement: "I have seen better payouts when my SERPS are higher.")

Yes, I did say "I have seen better payouts when my SERPS are higher" but as my site covers 100's if not 1000's of SERPS that I rank high in, it depends which one the visitor is "linked" to.

For example, "tangerine widgets" was on page 2 of the SERPS and was receiving 50c a click. Then it is on page 1 and get 75c a click.

But... were the people who were clicking came to that page from a S/E or did they find it from surfing the site ? who knows.

Yes, sometimes even on page 1, they do not always pay out well.

Maybe your visitors surfed to your page from another page on your site, rather than using a S/E and going direct to that page. If they did, they probably get more for the click... and even more if they purchase or pass some other test.

It is a guessing game, and so it should be.

[Lame_Wolf]

Don't forget ElvisFan, there is a lot of things going on in the world atm. The cost of living is shooting up, job losses, etc etc.

Where I am, the local bra making company went bust. The crematorium closed because business died off. The ice cube making company had their assets frozen. (Although they did say if the weather was warmer, they would have gone into liquidation). And don't even think about buying shares in the yo-yo company as the price keeps going up and down. And shares in the local parachute club have been falling for months.

Who says I do not have a sense of humour ?

[edited by: Lame_Wolf at 4:35 pm (utc) on Feb 20, 2011]

[Play_Bach]

> Who says I do not have a sense of humour ?

Very funny! Had me going right from the first sentence :-)

[Lame_Wolf]

Very funny! Had me going right from the first sentence :-)

That's not all. The construction company collapsed. The only shop selling Manx cats had to close after sales tailed off. And just last week, the origami shop folded.

[netmeg]

(ork ork LW)

Smart pricing affects your EPC, I don't really see how it could have anything to do with your CTR.

So if you want to improve your EPC, you should probably look at the focus of your content, your audience, user intent, and how closely all those fit together. As an advertiser, that's how I look for sites to place my ads on, and I have a higher budget and maximum CPC for sites that perform better.

If CTR is your issue, then yes, which ad blocks you use (and how many), color scheme and blending, and positioning on a page would be additional things to look at (as well as the previous mentioned)

(and unfortunately, the club where I work out went belly up too)

[Lame_Wolf]

Smart pricing affects your EPC, I don't really see how it could have anything to do with your CTR.

I didn't say it will effect your CTR. I was on about CPC.

The bit where I said "Extra visitors do not mean you will get more clicks, or more money." was in reference to "I have seen huge increase in traffic, my main site is now touching 27,000 pageviews per day thanks to SERP boost, however, my earnings are similar to what it used to be when the site had around 15,000 visitors"

I've noticed that the CPC goes up when I am doing better in the SERPS for certain things. It is not like it all the time, because there are plenty of other reasons why a low CPC/Smart priced.

[Pepito]

You can have the greatest content ever written, but if you are attracting say, kids, who have no intention of buying, then the price will drop.

LW, I am agree fully with you, but this is applicable to new sites only IMHO.

I do not believe that this is the case of ElvisFan, that was OK for the past 5 years, with a type X of visitors, and it is rare that that type has changed dramatically from one day to another.

[Lame_Wolf]

LW, I am agree fully with you, but this is applicable to new sites only IMHO.

I do not believe that this is the case of ElvisFan, that was OK for the past 5 years, with a type X of visitors, and it is rare that that type has changed dramatically from one day to another.

It does happen to existing sites too. It happened to me the other year. April 1st too! That joke lasted for a few months and I eventually recovered. The site in question was a number of years old.

[Lame_Wolf]

(and unfortunately, the club where I work out went belly up too)

I am sorry to hear that. But it's not all doom and gloom. Sales in ladders are steadily climbing. I am doing a roaring trade in open fires. And the amount of chimney sweepers around here are going through the roof.

Okay, Okay, enough of the puns. Back to being serious. Nah, one more... I am keeping my shares in space hoppers because I am sure they will bounce back up.

[sid786]

Lame_Wolf, it looks like you are totally active today. Reading every word of yours very closely. :)

It (SP) does happen to existing sites too. It happened to me the other year. April 1st too! That joke lasted for a few months and I eventually recovered.

Any ways to tackle SP? Like, were you adding new pages even after SP was hit on the site? I am desperate to get out of this situation.

Today is yet another bad day and I am #*$!ting bricks already.

[Lame_Wolf]

Lame_Wolf, it looks like you are totally active today.

They've increased my meds :)

At the time I was making a regular amount. I could tell what I would make by midday. By the fifth/sixth day of the month, I could tell what I would make for the whole month. That is how stable it was.

The site was about 9000 pages in size, and only added a handful more (if that) in that period. I made no alterations to the adverts, or moved them to different locations. I just mainly left it as it was.

I do feel it for people. I really do. But there is no magic wand. What works for my site may not work for yours. And for all I know, I could be making tenfold the money on my site and not realizing it. But as I am happy with what I am getting, so it isn't bothering me. I get good days and not so good days, and I get oh-shoot-is-that-all kind of days, but there is no point in complaining about it because what is done is done, and have to ride the storm. But generally it works itself out by the end of the month.

[netmeg]

I didn't say it will effect your CTR. I was on about CPC.

Oh I know, I was referring to the OP who said he'd been playing with changing ads in order to combat smart pricing. Won't work.

[Lame_Wolf]

Oh I know, I was referring to the OP who said he'd been playing with changing ads in order to combat smart pricing. Won't work.

Ah, okay. Sorry about that. I was distracted with a flood of orders from my swimming club.

Note to self. Lower the meds.

[ElvisFan]

Lame-Wolf... I started this topic to get some answers but all I got from you was a good giggle...

thankyou-thankyouverymuch for putting a smile on my dial.

[Lame_Wolf]

I am pleased some good came out of it, ElvisFan. :)

[dataguy]

Well, I guess it's been a few months since I've been guffawed here on WW, so I'll post my observations once again just in case it helps you, ElvisFan.

I've been able to increase my AdSense revenue significantly by removing AdSense from low-paying pages, and by not displaying AdSense to visitors from chronically low-paying countries. This probably only works on sites with over 50,000 pages or so, so maybe it won't apply to you.

For example, I've got pages which get a few thousand visitors per day, but RPM on these pages is less than $0.25. When I remove the ads from these pages, my revenue goes up several hundred dollars per day. (And of course my RPM goes up too.)

When I prevent ads from displaying to chronically low-paying countries, my total AdSense impressions go down by about 10,000 per day, but my revenue goes up about $80 per day.

I've been having consistent results with this for over 2 years.

Your mileage may vary, but this is something you might want to experiment with.

I'm a premium publisher with AdSense, so I have an ad rep and I've confirmed my results with him, even though they still advise that to make more money, you need more ad impressions. My experience shows that this isn't always the case.