"Active View Viewable" - Lost Its Mind?

Cut in half across top pages today

[Sally Stitts]

I have been working to increase my Active View Viewable, mostly by moving my AdSense ads closer to the top of the page.
Especially since Google has loosened the "Too close to the top" rule.
The closer to the top, the better the stat of AVV.
I had gotten them all above 50% (it's mobile that drops it down, desktop is always much better).
I use a single URL, one size fits all. The price I pay is a narrow page on desktop, but that's fine. Has its own advantages.

TODAY, MY TOP PAGES ARE ALL UNDER 25%. Never seen this before.

Somethin' jes ain't rat.
I am asking for confirmation that this is also happening to others, as well.
Otherwise, I must do some detective work.
Thank you for any input. Cheers.
.

[Sally Stitts]

I waited a couple of hours, and now they are all above 50% again.
The other stats did not change that much, just the AVV.

So, I guess all I can say, is flaky, flaky, flaky.
Sorry about the alarm.
.

[keyplyr]

I use a single URL, one size fits all.

Are you saying your pages are responsive?

[NickMNS]

Close to the top is not always better for mobile. If the ad unit is too close to the top and async, then if the page loads but not the ad, then the user will often scroll past the ad before it is loaded resulting in an AVV of 0 for that ad unit.

[Sally Stitts]

Responsive? No. The identical page is served for both mobile and desktop. I run a single AdSense ad near the top.
The only difference is produced by my viewport setting, which I change according to each page's width (450-600 pixels).
I have sacrificed big screen wonderfulness for ease of mobile implementation.

I use only sync ads, because my ancient WYSIWYG editor destroys the Google AdSense async code.
To use async code, I have to use another app as a last step, a text only editor (Text Wrangler). Too much hassle.
I have tried this method, and there is little change in my stats, one way or the other.

If my ad occurs halfway down to the fold on mobile, it has a low AVV.
Dropping the ad further down from there drops my AVV LIKE A ROCK.
Any portion of the ad dropping below the fold, and the AVV is extremely low.
.

[edited by: Sally_Stitts at 3:28 am (utc) on Jun 15, 2017]

[keyplyr]

Responsive? No. The identical page is served for both mobile and desktop.
The only difference is produced by my viewport setting, which I change according to each page's width (450-600 pixels). I have sacrificed big screen wonderfulness for ease of mobile implementation.

IMO there's no "ease" doing that, all that extra work. Much easier to just use bootstrap, a screen sniffer script and control presentation with CSS. Then there's no compromise with either.

One advantage to using responsive layouts that concerns your issue here is some responsive ads size themselves according to the space allowed. Then you'd likely get better than a 50% AVV.

[Sally Stitts]

... easier to just use bootstrap, a screen sniffer script and control presentation with CSS

I'm sorry. I am an old hardware guy. Self-taught HTML, that's it for software.
I have no idea what bootstrap, screen sniffer script are. I know nothing about CSS.

I did very well indeed in 2013 ($xxx,xxx), which was very fortunate, since it determined my SSA monthly benefit for life.

But I was lucky and blessed. I did put in a tremendous of work, which helped because I didn't really know what I was doing.
BUT , ALAS, my lack of knowledge, apparently, is starting to hit hard.
Taking a shot at https this week. Not relishing that. Read some horror stories about the transition. Don't know what I am doing there, either.
Like Blanche DuBois, "I have always depended upon the kindness of strangers." Great guy at my host.
.

[keyplyr]

I did very well indeed in 2013

That may have been the tipping point where mobile started to significantly steal traffic from Desktop. If I remember correctly, it was about the time I noticed a decline of revenue since I was not mobile responsive then. Still, it took me another year to go responsive.

Taking a shot at https this week. Not relishing that. Read some horror stories about the transition. Don't know what I am doing there, either.

Upgrading to HTTPS should be straightforward if you follow the steps outlined here:

- Generic Steps to Switch from HTTP to HTTPS -


• Read all info at your host concerning certificates & switching to HTTPS and when applicable, follow those instructions.

• Install security certificate.

• Have you host enable HTTPS (if needed.) This will enable access from both HTTP & HTTPS.

• Go through site, page by page & make sure all file paths are relative (no protocol.) Test by accessing site using HTTPS and look for any browser alerts.

• Install 301 code in .htaccess file

RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} !=on
RewriteRule ^ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]

Note: your server may require a different code

• Go through site again, page by page, and test. Any remote absolute links will need to be HTTPS including those found in scripts & pluggins. If you publish Adsence or other advertising, links in these scripts need to be HTTPS also (or just remove the protocol altogether.)

• Update sitemap.xml (if applicable) and submit to appropriate agencies (Google, Bing, Yandex, etc)

• In Google Search Council create a new site using HTTPS (do not use the Change of Address form.) It will take a few days to start populating information. This is normal & traffic to old site (HTTP) will drop off accordingly.

• Bing Webmaster Tools, Yandex & others should update automatically once they crawl your new pages. Updating/re-submitting sitemap.xml should speed up this process.