September 2012 AdSense Earnings and Observations

[netmeg]

I will start this thread this time, by saying I just got switched to the new payment page and I have *finalized* earnings today? Didn't realize that went with the package.

[OldFaces]

I've noticed yesterday 9/27 and today 9/28 a delay in reporting. This happens occasionally with adsense and it's expected. However, I've also seen that the estimated earnings is jumping all around (say show high revenues then subtract 30% when I refresh an hour later). Anyone else noticing similar behavior?

[Play_Bach]

Still dead. :-(

[zarathustra2011]

My traffic today seems to have plummeted as of this morning. My website is still up and running, but on all my keyword searches, I am way, way down in the results. Has there been some sort of update made this morning? I seriously hope this isn't permanent as unfortunately I totally reliant on my Adsense income (as much as I wouldn't like to be).

[zarathustra2011]

I see there has been an update as of last night, but my keywords and domain name aren't connected - is there any way I can appeal? This is a high quality, non-spammy site that I have had running for more years than I can remember.

[jbayabas]

Zara, had you made changes to your site? Like implementing cdn, etc?

[jbayabas]

And yet another above average Friday. Thanks, Goog!

[Lame_Wolf]

I see there has been an update as of last night, but my keywords and domain name aren't connected - is there any way I can appeal? This is a high quality, non-spammy site that I have had running for more years than I can remember.

That's a question for the Google Search forum.

[zarathustra2011]

I should probably address it over there, but I haven't made any changes as of late, just a minor update to the home page, but only in terms of images.
I've had no down time or dns issues or anything like that. Will have to wait and see if it's just a temporary thing, or whether it will pick up and return to normal.
I always wondered if the proverbial would hit the fan through no fault of my own, and having had such a good September, it had to happen now! Makes me feel sick - not a good position to be in, but I should wait a few days before I panic completely.

[Lame_Wolf]

zarathustra2011, it may be nothing you've done, but people linking to you. I wouldn't worry just yet. It is best to do nothing for now and wait. I always do, and always bounce back.

[zarathustra2011]

Thanks Lame_Wolf, I'll have to be fatalist about it all. This site had no issues with Panda or Penguin, so if a supposed small algorithm change affecting a tiny minority of sites was rolled out, I don't know why they'd suddenly target me now.

[Lame_Wolf]

It's better to be a fatalist than a fatist. :)
If other sites are hit and were linking to you, the strength of those IBLs will also be weakened, hence it may have affected you indirectly. Let the dust settle, and concentrate on good content for good clicks.

[HuskyPup]

I don't know why they'd suddenly target me now.

Collateral damage...friendly fire, call it what you like, I feel sure it's not their intention however it happens with Google. So far I've never seen anything like this happen with Bing, they seem to be able to filter out all the scraping garbage meanwhile retaining clean SERPs...for my widgets anyway.

[JCKline]

The last two days never recovered...just dismal, and today is just as slow/stuck. WTF is going on G?

[Play_Bach]

> WTF is going on G?

Same here. Something seems seriously messed up.

[breeks]

zarathustra2011 sorry to hear you got whacked by update. April I got hit with Penguin and lost 60% of traffic. Just now starting to recover after nearly six months. So far so good on this update, no damage so far.

[zarathustra2011]

Thanks guys.

I've lost about 60% of my traffic looking at today, and because I had a high EPC, only lost about 50% of my revenue - I thought it would actually be a lot worse, but it is still a depressing reality.

Of course, I always knew the wind could turn at any moment,as is a possibility for us all, but when you're having a good run up to Christmas (which has always been my strongest time of the year), and the other side of your business has gone down the pan, making you pretty reliant on Adsense, it's not the greatest feeling. That coupled with the months of solid hard work I put into the site earlier in the year.

Well, I still have a roof over my head for now, so I guess I'll wait and see what the future brings, and see if I can bring the other side of my business back up to par!

[jackonaplane]

Absolutely devastated by Friday's update, worst total pageviews on my sites since probably the 1990s. I'm going to be looking a job sites today.

[Play_Bach]

Big drop in traffic yesterday but somehow managed to pull off a 70% earnings average. Even though I don't see any evidence of my site being hit by the recent algorithm change since my usual keyword searches still work, somehow it must be. Either that, or it's just a bad coincidence.

Looking at my AdSense reports this month, the first significant drop in earnings was on September 27 and 28. Perhaps it's just collateral damage from other sites getting hit, but something is definitely choking off my usual flow of visitors.

[jbayabas]

Saturday, no work: below average traffic but above average earnings. 4th consecutive Saturday of above average earnings. Amazing! Thanks, Goog!

[jbayabas]

I've lost about 60% of my traffic looking at today, and because I had a high EPC, only lost about 50% of my revenue - I thought it would actually be a lot worse, but it is still a depressing reality.

Comfort yourself that you still have Adsense. Others are banned and beg to be reinstated.

I was in similar situation as you two years ago. But I persevere, I never gave up. I created new sites: unique sites with little or no competition. Now, my hard work has paid off and earnings have not gone down below average since.

[zarathustra2011]

Seems the SERPS have changed a little today, and I see a slight improvement. Still pretty depressing, but better than yesterday. I think whatever shuffle Google are doing, isn't finished yet. No idea how things will pan out once they have finished.

[HuskyPup]

I don't know whether I was hit with this new update or not! Traffic was definitely lower than normal for the first 12 hours yet seemed to be better overnight.

I ended up with click volume 116%, CTR at 155%, EPC 90% and earnings at 104% plus today seems to be following a similar pattern. It's almost absolutely dead for me at the moment but I have a 191% CTR...what the heck is going on?

[HuskyPup]

I posted here [webmasterworld.com...] about my increase in mobile earnings.

I've just been perusing my stats and yesterday had my second highest tablets' clicks day of the month at 30.3% for the day, page views were 11.58% and earnings 31.4%...nice.

[breeks]

Yesterday was the second highest day of the year for me. Almost feel guilty after hearing so many getting stepped on by G.

Just have to keep working and adjust to changes. If your don't someone else will.

[JCKline]

Yesterday never recovered, and today is no better. The last 5 days my CTR and eCPM have been way low, yet traffic hasn't wavered. Just doesn't add up.

[Slashus]

Got hit by emd algo change despite not being an emd. Unless you count 10 exact matches a month I guess.

The funny thing? Gross earnings are relatively unchanged (so ecpm is way up). What do I take from this? Google organic traffic didn't find as much interest in the AdSense ads as Bing/Yahoo visitors did/do.

[nomis5]

September has been spectacular for my two main sites, 65% increase in earning and a large rise in page views. No idea why although my current impression is that G is trying to wipe out a huge number of mom and pop type sites in favour of larger sites. Just a gut feeling I have. G are stupid enough to do this because they believe they will always be the major player - time will alter their view on that.

Some of my EMDs have been wiped out although their earnings were always minimal, just a nasty surprise because they were part of my backup plan. They are still doing fine in Bing though.

[zarathustra2011]

Well September ended as my highest month ever, but now Google have hit me (and I'm not an EMD), I've lost 50% of my pageviews, and 2/3 rds of my traffic, and have to face the prospect that this could be long term. I won't be making any knee-jerk reactions, but if things haven't improved after Christmas, I may totally redesign my website, if I'm not totally demotivated.

[Play_Bach]

September earnings shot up 50% over August, which is nice. However, the last couple of days showed a big drop in traffic most probably tied to the recent EMD algorithm change people are talking about here
[webmasterworld.com...]

Unlike with Panda and Penguin where I actually changed my site in response to Google's "improvements," this time around I ain't doing squat.

[HuskyPup]

106.9% v August which is a disappointment since before the Bacon update I was heading for 115% however it's still much better than my lowest month in June at 140.11%.

Mobile and tablets made up 17.84% of overall earnings and were 183.6% v August.