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Something is Definitely Screwy at Google

         

Swebbie

4:04 pm on Oct 3, 2005 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



Something happened on Oct. 1 at Google, no doubt about it. AS revenues tanked, CTR tanked, ad relevancy tanked. I have been pouring over my traffic logs and rankings in the big 3 engines, and nothing has changed at all. EPC is right on average, but some of these ads are way out of left field (first time I've ever seen that). And, of course, CTR has plummeted because of it. I'm really disgusted right now. Anyone else have thoughts on what the heck this is all about?

Ankhenaton

4:08 pm on Oct 3, 2005 (gmt 0)



Something definitely happened. Traffic seems to rise again now and sitemaps were all downloded at once as if they had to catch up. SM were before only partially downloaded in a pattern that would suggest partial system failure. Funny.

ypsites

4:12 pm on Oct 3, 2005 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



I have been seeing something screwy since before Oct 1 -- since about Sept 1, actually. My wedding site is now displaying programming ads (c++, .NET, scripts, offshore tech, etc) exclusively. (It started last month with them showing most of the time upon first visit to the site, then switching to appropriate ads after a few page loads. Now it's all tech ads, which make absolutely no sense on the site.)

I've written to them and heard nothing yet.

Probably goes without saying that my results are in the toilet. This is peak season for us with offline products, so I haven't had time to dog this, but I must say it's very aggravating. Makes the site look pretty stupid to our audience of brides ... I'd rather have nothing there but don't have time to strip out the code right now.

Urgh!

photo200

4:36 pm on Oct 3, 2005 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



Have You used section targeting?

It looks like Mediabot pays more attention now to this tags.
My earnigs was way up in september after implementing
section targeting.

First 2 days of october was quite low but today everything is leveling out back.

europeforvisitors

4:41 pm on Oct 3, 2005 (gmt 0)



I haven't seen anything out of the ordinary this month. Of course, we're only a few hours into the third day of October, so it's a bit early to be analyzing trends.

Swebbie

5:02 pm on Oct 3, 2005 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



No EFV, it's not too early. My OP makes it very clear that EPC is the same, traffic and SE rankings haven't budged. The problem is CLEARLY ad relevancy and CTR (which go hand-in-hand). You can play the contrarian role, which you specialize in, all you want, but sometimes there really is something amiss. This is one of them.

hunderdown

5:09 pm on Oct 3, 2005 (gmt 0)



FWIW, I see all the usual ads on internal pages, and they are doing just fine, but the Adlink block on my home page seems to have drifted off its usual focus and CTR there is half what it usually is.

I've gotten used to seeing these drifts. They usually self-correct.

ElvisFan

5:10 pm on Oct 3, 2005 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



Something screwy alright... I can't seem to see the ad that I recently upload on a new site page... checked and re-checked the adsense code... all other ads are showing but this one... and I can't figure out why

Can someone here check the url and see what is going one please...

RS_200_gto

5:34 pm on Oct 3, 2005 (gmt 0)



We have the same problem as " Swebbie" our revenues tanked also , CTR tanked by 40%, ad relevancy tanked with Google's PSA ads. Google receives probably a tax deduction by publishing these ads but we are paying the price! I like to receive the credit by publishing these ads on our site so that we can receive the tax deduction. I like to know how many PAS ads are published on our sites per month so that I can use this as a Business expense.

I've have written to them also and heard nothing yet

photo200

5:38 pm on Oct 3, 2005 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



We should always listen what EFV says.

He is "Oldest" adsense publisher in my theory which I've been sharing with you month ago or so.
If he see nothing means nothing is happening in AVERAGE.
In the same time someone can win someone can loose.

If you particulary see a drop in AS earnings means you personally did something wrong OR stupidpricing strucks
you (again).

icedowl

5:45 pm on Oct 3, 2005 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member



Yes, it is the usual ups & downs of AdSense. I experienced a great weekend - everything was up for both the 1st & 2nd. Today is just too soon to know which way it will go.

europeforvisitors

6:01 pm on Oct 3, 2005 (gmt 0)



No EFV, it's not too early. My OP makes it very clear that EPC is the same, traffic and SE rankings haven't budged. The problem is CLEARLY ad relevancy and CTR (which go hand-in-hand). You can play the contrarian role, which you specialize in, all you want, but sometimes there really is something amiss. This is one of them.

I try to specialize in a common-sense role, not a contrarian role. And common sense would suggest that 2-1/2 days don't represent a long-term trend.

It's no big secret that ad relevancy has its ups and downs. Sometimes that may be caused by supply and demand; at other times it may be the result of software tweaks at Google. But if you're seeing ads for corn plasters on a page about seed corn for the first time, that doesn't mean Dr. Scholl will be your ag site's primary advertiser from now till Doomsday. The problem is likely to be a blip, not a trend. Your best recourse is to pour a wee dram of something soothing and e-mail AdSense Support.

Swebbie

6:09 pm on Oct 3, 2005 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



I have been an AS publisher since early 2004 and I've NEVER seen poor ad relevancy. Not even once, and I check all the time. My pages are highly focused. I reiterate: something is WRONG at Google. When over 600 days have been one way and then suddenly 2½ days in a row are very very different, it doesn't take a rocket scientist (or a know-it-all) to figure out there's a gremlin in the works somewhere. Others here have been attesting to it as well. That it began precisely on Oct. 1 is a red flag to anyone objective.

DamonHD

6:40 pm on Oct 3, 2005 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member



Hi,

Well, my AS ads are mainly boringly relevant to my content, with a few of the usual minor wobbles here and there! (Motorbikes on pages about pregnancy for example, though I can see exactly why!)

I think that there is simply a temporary shortage of ad inventory caused by end-of-month and end-of-quarter ad issues, if anything at all. The last few days have been a bit lumpy but OK for me.

Rgds

Damon

europeforvisitors

6:50 pm on Oct 3, 2005 (gmt 0)



I have been an AS publisher since early 2004 and I've NEVER seen poor ad relevancy. Not even once, and I check all the time.

I've often seen mistargeted ads, though nowadays they're less frequent than they were a year or two ago. I'd say that my AdSense ads are on target or on theme at least 95% of the time, but when they're mistargeted, they can be waaaaay off target (such as "St. Martin hotels" ads on a page about Martin Luther or "ATM equipment and supplies" on a page about using ATMs abroad). And sometimes I'll see weird targeting on my home page for a day or two, presumably because Google is testing some new tweak and the ad-matching software plucks the wrong phrase from the body text.

jetteroheller

6:51 pm on Oct 3, 2005 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member Top Contributors Of The Month



Great weekend. Monday could be a new highest ever.

Rodney

7:01 pm on Oct 3, 2005 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member



weekends are normally lower for me, but this weekend was higher than many previous months.

I don't see anything screwy at all, so it's definitely not a universal thing.

Targeting is fine and earnings seem to be on the upside.

Swebbie

7:03 pm on Oct 3, 2005 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



Well ok. Guess I'm on the "loser" end of the old "some will win while others lose" spectrum. I suppose it was my "turn." Life goes on.

universetoday

7:05 pm on Oct 3, 2005 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



It's all good for me. Targeting is bang on, and EPC is up nicely.

jahfingers

11:52 pm on Oct 3, 2005 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



when they're mistargeted, they can be waaaaay off target (such as "St. Martin hotels" ads on a page about Martin Luther or "ATM equipment and supplies" on a page about using ATMs abroad).

These examples of mistargeted ads seem to be problems on the advertiser end picking the wrong keywords to bid on. An ad for atm equipment, on a page about ATMs abroad is not what I consider a problem in Google's targeting. Could be improved though, if we could somehow hint to Google what our visitors might be interested in on specific pages.

But as far as the op, I have seen huge drop in traffic and ctr in the last few days, but the ads I've looked at are right on target as usual. Can't explain it, and hope ctr/traffic comes back to normal. Usually does.

Heartlander

12:14 am on Oct 4, 2005 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



Alright-
After reading this, I sat and looked with pride at a few pages that are just so spot on for the first time, I can hardly contain my enthusiasm.......
UNTIL I went to write to my regular blog.
The major Rectangle ad at the top is simply "gone".
The skyscraper in the left column is showing Katrina and cell phone ads on a page that has none of those terms.

Screwy is right.
....and I've got a great breaking story in my niche that I was so excited about getting out.
Looks like it will bring lots of applause, and zero dollars.
Bummer.
Been waiting for a day that I'd break out, guess today isn't gonna be that day.

Heartlander

12:19 am on Oct 4, 2005 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



Switched browsers, and now see completely different ads in the skyscraper between the 2 that are open.
Refreshing does nothing to change the fact they are different.
One shows the rect. ad, the other browser does not.

I'm at a loss on this.....

europeforvisitors

12:41 am on Oct 4, 2005 (gmt 0)



These examples of mistargeted ads seem to be problems on the advertiser end picking the wrong keywords to bid on. An ad for atm equipment, on a page about ATMs abroad is not what I consider a problem in Google's targeting.

Whether it's the advertiser's fault or the Google ad-matching software's fault really doesn't matter if the end result is mistargeted ads and a loss of revenue for both Google and the publisher.

jhood

12:57 am on Oct 4, 2005 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



"Google receives probably a tax deduction by publishing these ads but we are paying the price! I like to receive the credit by publishing these ads on our site so that we can receive the tax deduction. I like to know how many PAS ads are published on our sites per month so that I can use this as a Business expense."

There is no tax deduction for running PSAs. You don't get revenue for them and therefore your tax burden is reduced ... if you want to consider that a tax deduction.

PSAs have been around forever in every medium. You can substitute a banner ad or house ad very easily. Why not do that instead of cursing the darkness?

AlexMiles

1:28 am on Oct 4, 2005 (gmt 0)



I agree with Swebbie. Theres something wrong.

JuniorOptimizer

1:43 am on Oct 4, 2005 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member



Things look desperately wrong in my account.

Heartlander

1:50 am on Oct 4, 2005 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



Care to clarify?
We have 2 more here...I for one would like to know HOW things have changed.

dauction

2:03 am on Oct 4, 2005 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member



been with adsense a few years ..nothing really out of the ordinary at my end .. my revs are actually up since about 8 days ago....but I can follow that back to a couple keywords picking ranking.

fearlessrick

2:32 am on Oct 4, 2005 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member Top Contributors Of The Month



I have a different problem. eCPM through the floor. Never seen it this low so late in the day.

ypsites

2:36 am on Oct 4, 2005 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



Just because only some people are experiencing a problem does NOT mean no problem exists. (I really get aggravated sometimes when people posting here are pounced on because they dare suggest there might be some problem with Google -- for heaven's sake, Google itself freely acknowledges it has problems on occasion!)

As I said in my post responding to Swebbie, I've seen big, very weird problems on my site since September. I haven't changed a thing on the site -- it's a 500+ page site about weddings that has been in adsense since the beginning, and I've never had a problem with mistargeted ads before. Now I am seeing C++, .NET and other programming ads (and ONLY programming ads) on every page I check of the site. THe targeting couldn't be more off, and these ads are appearing on every page, regardless of the subject matter (and there are a LOT of wedding subsections that generate targeted ads -- photographers, reception sites, caterers, etc., all advertise heavily and very specifically).

There is something most definitely wrong with the ad targeting on my site -- and I'm not basing that conclusion on my earnings (which of course have completely tanked), I'm just looking at what G is putting on my pages!

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