Adsense optimization : Basic ad placement

In my previous articles , i discuss about adsense basics i.e what is adsense & how to analyze adsense reports,
Today we will discuss about Adsense optimization or how to get maximum earnings from adsense. Adsense optimization is a step by step procedure,So, i will cover it step by step in my forthcoming articles , just subscribe to my email updates to receive articles in future. .

BASIC AD PLACEMENT

This is the most important factor in adsense optimization as if the ad is not place at a correct location then how it will get clicks. So, it is the most important factor in adsense optimization.

First thing, You must place the ads above the fold as the ad above the fold always performs well , In case you don't know that the "fold" means, imagine that you fold your monitor in half horizontally. The area above that fold is where ads perform best (in general). View image for details.

However, Each and every site will have different locations within their pages that perform better than others.
also, This rule is not fixed but it is a common that ads above fold always perform better.


 HOW TO TRACK ADS PERFORMANCE

Ad performance is tracked by adsense channels (will discus later) , it helps you to analyze which ad is performing or generating how much revenue.. Learning from these you can do the following changes in your ads if they are not performing better

1. Place Ad
2. Test/Track Ad  (Using channels)
3. Change
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 over and over.

This simple method of adsense optimization is very simple but it is mostly  ignored by all website owners. Poorly placed ads will lead to low CTR (click through rate). If you have a good site, good traffic but a low CTR of 1% , it means you are losing your earning. With optimization you could increase the CTR to 3~5% which would mean a 3~5 fold increase in your revenue.

Also, Google suggested various ad placements for adsense users which helps them to increase their revenue. It is different for blogs and websites.

ADSENSE ADS PLACEMENT FOR A SIMPLE WEBPAGE

Google suggesested that Certain locations tend to be more successful than others. This "heat map" illustrates the ideal placing on a sample page layout. The colors fade from dark orange (strongest performance) to light yellow (weakest performance). All other things being equal, ads located above the fold tend to perform better than those below the fold. Ads placed near rich content and navigational aids usually do well because users are focused on those areas of a page

As you can see from their "heat map" most of the locations that perform well are above the fold and to the left of the page. Again this is just a generic view of ad placement but it's a good starting point.

ADSENSE ADS PLACEMENT FOR BLOGS 

To increase the likelihood that your readers will see and click on your ads, blend your ad units into the background of your blog. Choose a bold color for the ad title to help draw attention to your ads, then make sure that the background and borders of your ads are the same color as the background of the area where the ad is placed.

  ADSENSE ADS PLACEMENT FOR FORUMS

• Because forum regulars tend to skip the header and go straight to the content of the thread, placing your ad unit above or below the first post can be more effective than ads next to the logo.
• Place a leaderboard immediately after the last post. This provides users who make it to the end of a thread with a 'next step' when the content ends. Try to avoid placing it after the footer, though, as your readers will likely move to the next thread without seeing the ad.

 Successful Adsense placement also requires you to step into the shoes of your visitor. For example, if you have a page which is one long article an advert placed right at the end of the article may be a good idea (especially if you have little other navigation links at the bottom of your page. This is because the visitor will finish reading the article and then is presented with the ads when they are wondering "what next?". It's a great way of getting them to notice your advert and therefore increase the likelihood of them clicking on your ad.

So, It is the first step to adsense optimization. If you like this article stumble it or tweet it and also read my forthcoming articles on adsense optimization , just subscribe to my email updates to receive articles in future in your mailbox. .