What's the Deal with Mobile CTR? High or Low?

Better or Worse than Desktop?

[Sally Stitts]

I recently read an article that showed a graph of CTR for Desktop, Tablet and High-end Mobile. The High-end Mobile showed a CTR of 10 TIMES the other 2. The explanation offered was that there were MANY bogus (unintended) clicks, due to the small, cramped screen.

I am not seeing this at all. Instead I am seeing 1/10 the number of clicks for High-end Mobile. I have discussed this with others, and they ALL say that the rate for High-end Mobile is a small fraction of Desktop, just like I am seeing.

I think we can resolve this right now, right here.
What do YOU see? My Desktop and Tablet CTR are about the same (3%).

Thank you very much.
Now if I could just figure out how to increase it about 10 times, since the EPC is about double Desktop and Tablet. I Googled "increase mobile CTR", but all I could find was general BS from people that did not know what they were talking about. Do YOU have any tips, tricks or pointers about how one might do this?

Speculate for me. What fraction of Desktop CTR SHOULD High-end Mobile CTR likely be, in a somewhat "typical" situation?
4 times?
2 times?
Equal?
1/2?
1/4?
1/8?

I am trying to figure out how to intelligently direct my efforts, without fruitlessly chasing an erroneous preconception.
.

[netmeg]

My mobile CTR is significantly lower than my desktop CTR; the EPCs are pretty high. I don't see anything I can do to increase CTR that won't bump up against TOS.

[Sally Stitts]

I didn't really mean "tricks". I also seek strict adherence to the TOS.

I am simply seeking some indication of what might be nominal performance
and -
trying to determine if any corrective action may be indicated, due to some unknown screw-up on my part.

[jackonaplane]

My mobile CTR is a small fraction of the desktop rate, currently about 1/7.

[netmeg]

I didn't mean tricks either.

If I think about the focus of my sites, and user intent, I'll probably never get a great CTR out of mobile there. Generally my mobile users (which are inching up over 40% of my traffic now) are already out and about or in their cars, and they're coming to my site to check a date, a time or a location. Shopping, or ads, is not their main intent, and probably never will be unless it's a way cool irresistible ad.

I have an iPhone myself and use it for internet all the time, but I don't think I've ever intentionally clicked on an ad on it in my life.

[nomis5]

Here's the stats from my largest site:

Tablets have a CTR roughly 65% of laptop

High end mobiles have a CTR roughly 30% of laptop.

I run 300x250 standard ads irrespective of the platform. Finalised earnings tend to be around 98% of estimated earnings so very few invalid clicks, as far as Adsense are concerned anyway.

[breeks]

High end mobile for my sites about 60% CTR of desktop, Tablet CTR is about the same as desktop.

[mbmobile3]

It sounds like there is one factor that hasn't been addressed yet.

Do you have a mobile-optimized site?

If mobile visitors are visiting your desktop site, then all the ads will be TINY. However, you don't need to change your site necessarily, you can just add a mobile ad unit which will show up only when viewed from a mobile device. Not many companies do it just yet, but tapit can give you a mobile ad unit which shows up as a footer on phones.

[netmeg]

Yes, my sites are optimized for mobile. Have been for three years now.

[jpch]

Verve Wireless just launched a Wordpress Plugin this week for anyone that needs a mobile version of their site.

[Lame_Wolf]

Do you have a mobile-optimized site?

No. And I have no intentions to do so.

[IanCP]

No. And I have no intentions to do so.

Me as well. The only ones looking on my sites with a mobile would be students cheating in exams.

[Lame_Wolf]

The only ones looking on my sites with a mobile would be students cheating in exams.

Send them to a different page with the wrong answers <G>

[nomis5]

If mobile visitors are visiting your desktop site, then all the ads will be TINY. However, you don't need to change your site necessarily, you can just add a mobile ad unit which will show up only when viewed from a mobile device.

I don't understand that comment and would love to explore it a bit more.

If I go to a site on my mobile (six months old, up market but not the best) with Adsense on it, EVERYTHING appears tiny. In fact on my mobile, the only thing I can easily see for any site I visit is the Adsense ad. All the other writing is too small to easily read.

So, I do what I always do, and expand the content section large enough to read it easily. I may do this more than others because my eyesight is not the best in the world.

When I do that, on any of my sites, because I have intentionally positioned the ad centrally, the ad enlarges with the content. And the ad is now massive. No mistaking it for anytthing other than an ad and it's far more prominent than the content.

Are other people using their mobiles differently? Have ultra good eyesight?

I've tried this out on many, many sites and the ones that loose out are those that don't place their ads centrally. If the ad is to the side then when the user expands the page to view the content the ad disappears off the side. But with a central ad, the ad gains even more prominence and readability compared to viewing it on a PC or laptop.