I Tried Link Units - Huh?

What A Joke.

[Sally Stitts]

It has been 10 years since I last tried link units (now "link ads").
With all my problems trying to get targeted AdSense ads, I heard that "at least",
they provide much better targeting. That is what I needed!

So I gave them a try on a very popular page which only got cr@ppy ads.
It is a page about mathematics.
Lo and behold, the initial links seemed targeted. Just don't click on one.

Ten years ago, each link would provide about 10 URLs to click on, as I recall.
TODAY, you get JUST ONE!
How bad can they be? Here's a sample -

Link Name - - - - Single Link Offered
Binary Number --- Start PDF Download
Histogram Graph - Start Download - Search & Download PDF
Convert Number -- Optimize App Performance
Find Address with Number - Easy Public Record Search
Power Table ----- Wayfare: Official Site

I'll be dead before I ever try them again.
So many AdSense things have just gone south. And there is nothing to do about it.
.

[Sally Stitts]

The same bottom shelf ads I was getting, but wrapped in a shiny, new, DECEPTIVE link.

Another example -
Link Name - - - - Single Link Offered
Histogram Graph -------- Great Meeting, Now What?
Find Address with Number - Enter Name, View Info
Calculator Exponent ---- Download Now Free - Free Instant Download
Power Table ------------ Wayfare: Official Site
Binary Code Translator - Hydrogen Fuel Cell Stocks
.

[ember]

They work really well for me.

[Sally Stitts]

ember - Do you get just ONE URL offered per ad link, as I experienced?

Is it targeted?

I can't believe that there are ZERO math subject advertisers.

[ember]

Yes, one URL, but it is well targeted.

[koan]

They used to be a significant part of my Adsense income but they gradually deteriorated in the past years (lack of advertisers? mobile traffic?) and I removed them all out of my sites.

[keyplyr]

I heard that "at least", they [link ads] provide much better targeting.

That's a joke right?

Links ads, while they do well on my sites, are random text pulled from the surrounding content, but often it makes no sense. I can't argue the fact they make me money, but I always feel it makes my site look silly.

[QuaterPan]

In my case, the text of link units are perfect, too good to be true, really interesting, with the right theme, nice design (especially on small screens). However, once you click on them, you end with page with one or two ads, which are TOTALLY unrelated.

[glitterball]

I have long suspected that link units are a poison chalice, but kept them because, frankly, they are the only units that anyone clicks on anymore.

However, having read the comments in this thread, I clicked on some of the link units (hadn't done that in a long time), and I was shocked to see how badly targetted the ads were once I clicked through: as someone already said, the text in the link unit was too good to be true.

With that in mind, and with very little left to lose, I have decided to completely remove all link units from my sites. I always thought that link units trick users into clicking what they believe is a link to another part of my site, so from an honesty point of view, I'm glad to be rid of them.

I'm hoping that removing these ads will increase page views and user engagement on my sites.

[QuaterPan]

The someone would like to add, that, even for ad links where it would seem obvious there are advertisers (common and popular themes), this is totally unrelated ones showing. I don't get it. So I wonder if something is broken, or if Adsense turns the AI ON .

[Sally Stitts]

Initially, I think that AdSense did very well BECAUSE of razor-sharp targeting.
Today, that targeting is gone.

Thank you folks for confirming what has frustrated me daily. My only solution - pull the ads on pages that just won't target.
I am not going out with a bang - just a whimper. AdSense is PUSHING ME OUT, with their garbage ads.
I now have one question remaining - when to short ABC stock. Timing is everything.
.