LiewCF Tech Blog

Google AdSense has made some changes and improvement in April 2007. Please allow me to summarize them for you. Hopefully you will get some useful tips here.

Google Apps referrals

AdSense has added another program into referral family, the Google Apps referrals. You will earn $5 per referral for Google Apps (Google’s communication and collaboration tools in a package). However, it seems to be limited to the US publishers only.

Customized optimization tips from Google AdSense

Since April 3rd, 2007, Google AdSense is sending customized optimization tips to AdSense publishers in AdSense account. Every month, AdSense system will automatically analyze publisher’s account and ad settings, then send a notification that could help to improve AdSense performance.

The first optimization tip I received is “You may be filtering ads that monetize well on your site.” I have three entries of “no quality websites” in Competitive Ad Filter. I don’t think removing them will make any difference in my AdSense revenue.

New look for AdSense Ads

Google AdSense ads changed a new look in April 2007. The “Ads by Google” link on the top left is moved to bottom right with rounded corner background, and removed the separator line between ads.Refer to Google AdSense ad formats page for all AdSense ad formats in new look.

According to my AdSense report, the CTR is slightly increased after applying the new ad look. Note that I use white color ad borders on white background, in short, no border. Without border, the “Ads by Google” is only a styled text at bottom right of the ad block, which is almost invisible to eyes flow.

Beside AdSense ads, Google also changed the design of AdSense login page. [Thanks, GekoFly]

Separated link for Onside Advertiser Sign-up

Google AdSense ads had an “Advertise on this site” link if you activated Onsite Advertiser Sign-up. But, with the new ad format change, the link is no longer available on AdSense ad block.

In order not to miss any potential advertisers for your website, you can create a separated Onsite Advertiser Sign-up link on your site. You can place the link on anywhere of your website, Google suggests on sidebar or footer.

Sample code for Separated Onsite Advertiser Sign-up Link:
[html]Advertise on this site[/html]

Since the separated Onsite Advertiser Sign-up link is same as other web link, you can custom the style of the link as you like. Be creative!

My two cents

My friend who is a teacher signed up Google Apps for his school. He is very happy with the free services. Now, every teacher of his school get a 2.8GB email account with own school domain name! But I did not get any referral fee because the new Google Apps referral program is not available in my account. Too bad.

In my opinion, the “customized tips” is not really customized. I guess they are a set of general AdSense tips. Useful for beginners, but experts should have known already.

I like the new AdSense ad format. By removing the separator line between ads, the ad looks clearer and cleaner. Of course, I always “disable” ad borders to increase CTR. The trick works even well on the new format.

Previously, I did not activate the Onsite Advertiser Sign-up link because it adds another link (“Advertise on this site’) to previous AdSense ad format and made the ad became so obvious (read: CTR decreased).

Now, I inserted the separated link to my “Advertise” page. I also inserted a Google AdWords referrral link below the Onsite Advertiser Sign-up link and hope to earn some referral fee.

Has your AdSense revenue increased after AdSense changes in April 2007?

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