Google AdSense Retiring Link Ad Units

[Lagonda]

We've decided to retire link ads. This is in order to modernize our available ad formats, based on the feedback from users, publishers and advertisers. Going forward, we’ll be focussing on improving and developing other ad formats to help you grow.
What does this mean?
From 10-03-2021:
• You will no longer be able to create link ad units.
• Your link ad units will be renamed with [previously link ad unit] added to the end of the ad unit name. This will apply to both responsive and fixed-size link ad units.
• Responsive link ads will begin to serve display ad units on your site(s).
• Fixed-size link ads will stop serving on your site(s).We will collapse each ad unit where possible. In other cases we will show a blank ad.
Your earnings
Our experiments show that, for the vast majority of publishers, responsive display ads can perform as well as link ads. We are constantly optimizing responsive display ads to maximize performance. You will be able to monitor the performance of your link units through the ad units report to compare performance before and after.
What to do next?
There is no action required from you in relation to your responsive link ads as these will begin to serve display ads from 10-03-2021.
We recommend that you remove the fixed-size link ad units from your site and try out the following ad formats instead:
• You can let Auto ads scan your site and automatically place ads where they’re likely to perform well. Learn more about how to get started with Auto ads.
• Display ads work well anywhere on your site. Learn more about how to create a display ad unit.
• For a customized ad experience, you could try native ads. Learn more about how to create a native ad unit.
• If your site is eligible for Matched content, you can replace your link ad units with a customizable Matched content ad unit. Learn more about customizing Matched content.
We appreciate your patience and understanding as we continue to develop our products.
Sincerely,
The Google AdSense Team

[support.google.com...]

In one of my sites, these ad units represent 55% of total revenue.
Nice Christmas gift Google.
Very, very nice.

Well, time to adjust.
They removed Ad Balance, now they remove link ads.
What's next? Not sure I'll be 100% around to wait and see.
(feeling really f'ed up)

[edited by: engine at 12:54 pm (utc) on Dec 11, 2020]
[edit reason] Added attribution [/edit]

[JS_Harris]

Goodbuy unique CPC paying link units, we made a lot of $$$ together you and I. I don't imagine I'll be seeing you again, there are better paying options for all the remaining generic ad types.

Fare thee well.

[jetteroheller]

Just changed the web site of an old friend who uses my CMS for creating the content of his web site.
His website was very similar to my: 2 blocks 600x280 ads and 3 AdLinks 600x20.

They really removed AdLinks some weeks ago and replaced it by far too large ads.
The AdLinks had been in a position absolute DIV 600x20.
But Google put there 600x120 ads and hided the content below the ads.
This was quite successful with hith income from this ads, but important contend was covered.
So I replaced like at my web site with 600x60 ads.
Now I think to make them a little bit greater, maybe 600x80 or 600x90

[rustybrick]

The last bit was removed [support.google.com...]

"Last year, we announced that link units were being retired. We've now reached the final stage of that process: removing fixed-sized link units from the AdSense interface.

Since fixed-size link units are no longer serving ads, you do not need to take any action. If you previously used fixed-sized link units, they will be automatically removed from the list of ad units in your account."