468x60 unit CTR down due to Google testing?

[Sgt_Kickaxe]

I have a 468x60 text link ad unit in the header area of my site and the CTR has been noticeably lower for several days. I took a quick look at my site from a friends computer and I noticed that the ads now have an underlined url link under the title and description. The link, for websites with long urls, extends right over the "ad choice" area and since the link is transparent both texts mix and look bad.

I don't know if it's due to the links being there or due to the overlapping issue but CTR is down significantly on that unit. I can't see how often the unit is showing up this way from home since I get 100% old style ads(targeting?) but on other computers I saw it on about 33% of page loads.

I'd like it if Google allowed me to opt out of testing.
I'd like it if Google agreed to pay me my usual if a test does this to my earnings.
I'd like to know if the underlined url links in 468x60 units are now permanent?

[johnmoose]

I am seeing that also and agree that I too want the option to get out of these tests by Google.
This way any testing that I am conducting is quite worthless. Furthermore, I have decided to stop any testing with ads whatsoever until things stabilise, realising that that may never happen.
Until then, ads are sort of blended in and I am back to adding content. Trying to enhance the user experience, which is more important and more fun to do.

[edited by: johnmoose at 3:24 pm (utc) on Jun 21, 2011]

[Play_Bach]

I've been seeing the URL's underlined from time to time as well. Does not look good. Hope they're not planning to go with that as a design.

[numnum]

That ugliness has been showing up at my domain for a few weeks now -- on and off. When it's on, I can almost hear the silence of the mice.

I'll add one more to the Kickaxe wishlist: I'd like it if Google would stop advertising Chrome at my site.

[azlinda]

That underlining appeared on my site today, and today was dismal.

[Play_Bach]

Saw the underlining again. Just makes the ads looks cluttered and confused. I guess AdSense figures they'll try every option that comes along -- whether that's putting the URL to the right of the Title, adding more ads arrows (< >), centered text, changing from "Ads by Google" to "Ad Choices" and now underlining. While all these things look like poor moves to me, Google is the one sitting on mountains of data to show otherwise, so perhaps they know better than I do. Nonetheless, here's to hoping they don't go with the underlining.

[Atomic]

I finally saw underlined links on one of my sites today. They're hard to spot since text ads account for maybe 1% of all ads displayed.

[Play_Bach]

I'm seeing the underlining more and more now. Guess my asking them not to do it didn't work out, sorry. The 336x280 large rectangle format now looks absolutely awful. AdSense if you're listening, I miss the old days. When the ads:

- looked good
- were content related
- and oh yeah, people clicked.

[Play_Bach]

Just changed to the 300x250 rectangle and see that the URLs are being cut in half. How does that look good?