AdSense Search - Flop or Top?

After running it for months I am a little discouraged

[adfree]

Financially AS search has not performed for me as I though it would. I am aware that there might be many factors contributing. Having a nice, clearly structured site where folks hardly need search being one.

How has it been for you? Anyone really happy on the money side of things?

As a search tool I realize the brand recognition as being important for my users. Although the tool I used before (atomz) provided much better customization, design-wise but also (always liked that) scaling importance of the various page elements and tags as ranking triggers.

So, after a couple of months I think I will go back to my old engine...

[Jon_King]

I used Atomz too and had good results. I do like G's search better, for one thing you don't have to log in and tell their spider to reindex every time you make a change to your site, G visits automatically. And while I haven't made squat from the G searches, I've made more than nothing as with Atomz.

[sandor]

my main problem with it is that they wouldn't give me permission to customize things like the size of the search box so that it could fit into the look of my pages. so i dont use it

[europeforvisitors]

It's working fine for me. Good CTR, high CPM. Total revenues are a fraction of what I get with content ads, but that isn't because the search ads aren't performing--it's only because search impressions are so low in comparison to editorial page views.

[hunderdown]

You actually CAN set up Atomz to reindex your site in a regular schedule. I set up mine to do it weekly.

I am also thinking about going back to Atomz, which was my previous search function. The problem isn't just that the income is small, but the results pages can end up dominated by the Google ads. I did a test search which brought up ONE page on my site, sitting between FOUR Google ads above it and four more below it.

The problem is, I read somewhere that Atomz now is running Google ads on the results pages if you belong to their free service! Of course, they may be less obtrusive... Something to check into.

[Paris]

I've had lousy CPM through AdSense search -- and by that I mean that it is actually lower than the CPM I'm getting through AdSense. So not only is it less productive than the AdSense pages, but it is also taking visitors away from my site.

If you have a search site or a portal it may make sense but if you run a content site it just doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

[europeforvisitors]

If you have a search site or a portal it may make sense but if you run a content site it just doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

As the expression goes, "your mileage may vary." My search mileage, in terms of CTR and CPM, has been better than my CTR and CPM for content ads--and I've got an editorial site.

[icedowl]

I am also quite pleased with Adsense Search. It's enough for a dinner out each month, and not at McD's.

[Never_again]

For those who were using a "paid" service before switching to Google Search, you must factor in the cost savings in not using that "paid" service when making an evaluation of Google Search.

Google income + cost savings = real impact on your pocket book.

[Graham]

The problem is, I read somewhere that Atomz now is running Google ads on the results pages if you belong to their free service! Of course, they may be less obtrusive... Something to check into.

They are now showing ads on the free service, which can of course distract from your own search results.

Must admit that I have stuck with Atomz as they allow you to customise your search results to fit in with the rest of your site, which I understand is not the case with Google yet.

[hunderdown]

Graham,

How obtrusive are the ads on Atomz? Google Search runs two big blocks of ads, full width, set off by a thin border, one above and one below the results. If Atomz has less obtrusive ads I'd be tempted to go back.

Google DOES let you put up a logo at the top of the page of search results, so it looks like it goes with your site to some extent--are you referring to being able to tweak how the results were displayed? I liked that feature too.

Maybe I've talked myself into going back to Atomz.

[europeforvisitors]

I actually like the Google-branded search results, because Google is by far my biggest outside referrer and my readers are therefore familiar--and comfortable--with the look, feel, and organization of Google's SERPs.

[Graham]

hunderdown

How obtrusive are the ads on Atomz? Google Search runs two big blocks of ads, full width, set off by a thin border, one above and one below the results. If Atomz has less obtrusive ads I'd be tempted to go back.

I would say that the ad blocks are very similar in either Atomz or Google site search. Again, both full width and both thin border.

Google DOES let you put up a logo at the top of the page of search results, so it looks like it goes with your site to some extent--are you referring to being able to tweak how the results were displayed? I liked that feature too.

I understand that Google lets you place a logo, but Atomz gives (as far as I know) greater control over the style of your results, and allows me to blend the results far better into my page layout. Having said that, I have not tried Google, only seen this on other sites so can't be 100% on this.

If you want to see an example, PM me and I'll let you know address and search terms.

Graham

[annej]

results pages can end up dominated by the Google ads.

Actually I went back to the old free Google Search as the AdSense one was so cluttered with ads before and after that a person could hardly find the results. The old Google free search that has been around forever looks pretty much like a regular Google results page.

I wasn't making enough money to matter anyway. So if you just want a decent looking free search the old basic Google search is one way to go.

[ronin]

Has anyone compared Google Adsearch against
running a search script on ones own server and earning revenue from Google Adsense placed on the same page?

Is the best argument for Google AdSearch the quality of the Search Results?

It's certainly not the customisation options, is it? >;->