Which Size Ads Should I Use?

Google has published a list of the highest performing ad sizes:

• 336 × 280 large rectangle
• 300 × 250 medium rectangle
• 160 × 600 wide skyscraper.

 

I generally put a 728 × 90 banner across the top and on the bottom. Even though this is not mentioned in the top three, for me, it has been the most profitable. Again, I reiterate how it is important to play around and keep an eye on your statistics. What works for some doesn’t necessarily work for others.

The next best performing size for me is the 300 × 250 medium rectangle. I have in the past used the skyscraper, but it didn’t work for me, and this is the reason why: My sites are full of content. Content means space. I felt I was wasting space using a 160 × 600 skyscraper, and this has been justified by the increase of my AdSense clicks.

Any Adsense To Avoid?

In my eyes, and pretty much in everyone else’s, yes, there is one that you should try to avoid. The 468 × 60 banner has become so apparent on the internet that it is claimed that users of the internet have developed a natural blindness to any 468 × 60 banner as we automatically register this shape and size of banner with advertisements.

‘Annoying, non-releveant, spamming’ 468 × 60 banner is what signals in our heads and we automatically overlook it. Very much like advertisements on TV when an ageing, over-tanned man in a grey suit starts talking about insurance or ‘consolidating your loan’, we tend to ignore it as we automatically register it as a crummy company with something sub-standard to sell. Whatever the scientific reasoning behind it, it is generally agreed that this option should be avoided and it is one of Google AdSense’s lower earning banners.

Using Images To Improve Click Thrus

Have you ever thought about using images to correspond to the Google AdSense listings? This legitimate way of adding a bit of life to your AdSense is easily done on the 728 × 90 board which usually holds four ads like the following:


This is fine as it is, but once images are applied the vast improvement in click thrus is really significant. The idea is to relate your content, write ups and images to the advertisements that come up. You should note that sometimes the 728 × 90 board will hold three advertisements as opposed to four, but the latter is more the case than not.

!!!Extra Tip!!!

Do you notice how the url disappears on the 728 × 90 board when four advertisements come up? Try it for yourself and see. This makes it look less like a blatant advertisment and when tied in with a relevant image, makes it a worthwhile click thru for visitors. It’s not tricking anyone, nor is it illegitimate or against the rules of Google AdSense. It’s just polishing the rough edges.


Can you see how this has improved the aesthetic appeal of the click-thrus? It really does have a great effect on them. Test it for yourself and see the improvements. The key remark is relevant images.

You should note that generic/non-trade images should be used and not images that correspond to a particular brand or a specific type of consumer based product as this will firstly distract the person clicking and make them wonder about the image for too long and, most importantly, you could contravene the regulations of Google AdSense.

Do Affiliate Links Affect Adsense Income?

(To find out what an affiliate link is go to page 123)

It depends. If it can spruce up and add content to your page, then it should not really be a problem as long as they are affiliate links that pay out. It is no good having a 336 × 250 placard on the site that gets you a £3 commission every couple of months. You need to either:

What you do with the remaining space is up to you, but again, I stress: content is crucial.

A good way to see if the links are having a positive or negative impact is to take the affiliate link down for two weeks and see how your AdSense takings have changed for that page.

It also depends on what affiliate links you are using and whether they offer high click thrus. My site phfinance.co.uk is a site that offers financial advice and products to visitors. I get a good return on the affiliate links as they are finance related, which pay out highly for visitors filling out their loan applications, mortgage applications, finance tracking, credit card leads, advice online and so on. So what is important is what your affiliate links offer and if they add relevance to the site. The finance affiliates usually pay anything between £2 to £115 for each lead, and I usually get around eight to ten applications a week through this, amounting to roughly £250-£1,000 every week! So in this case, the affiliate links are definitely staying online.