Would you as a webmaster link to homepages with text AdSense ads as readily as you do to ones with no text ads?

Yes.

However, it's unlikely that I'd link to a site where AdSense dwarfed the actual page content (whether on the home page or on inside pages). In other words, I probably wouldn't link to a site that used large AdSense rectangles above the content or that or had three AdSense ad units on each page--though I might make an exception if the site were such an authority in its niche that I felt obligated to mention it to my readers.

In the end, it comes down to editorial judgment. Some people have it; others don't. If you can't tell good from bad, then arbitrary rules may make you feel better, even when they lead to bad decisions.

I have several websites that are informational sites. They have consistantly ranked within the top listings on the first page of many majors SERPS. Therefore they get a lot of daily visitors.

Initially I DID have Google ads on their home pages. But I quickly learned the pros and cons. When it comes to an info packed site, people come there to find answers. Rarely do they land on the HP and immediatel click back out via a Google ad. They head for the navigation to check out the site.

As a result my Google click through percentage was unnecessarily deminished (the ratio between impressions and click-throughs)because the home page, the main entry point, added thousands of impressions, but hardly any clicks.

By removing Google ads from just this ONE page, I've increased my CTR by over 10% because, once the visitor is IN the site, they are more ready to click on my Google ads. Just not immediately from the home page. By achieving higher click-throughs (CTR) I am also increased my bottom line (not only via more clicks but also better pay-per-click).

So, that's my strategy!

How about yours?

[edited by: HemiCharger at 1:50 am (utc) on Sep. 18, 2006]

Yes, I would link to a page with limited advertising on it. No pop ups, pop unders, intersitals or any form of advertising I find irritating though. It depends entirely on the content, and if the page is relevant to my visitors.

I haven't found a problem with other webmasters linking to me. In fact quite the reverse. I'm at position 3 in serps for the keyword so I tend to find people wanting to exchange links a lot. Virtually all of these sites I don't consider add anything to the web as they are often clearly mfa's with some content. Often borrowed from, or based on mine! Virtually all of them have nothing to offer visitors that they can't get on my site so I won't link.

I do have a good number of inbound links to my content, and it doesn't seem to me to matter if there are ads on the pages or not. Seems to me that if the pages are what they think people will really want to see then the ads are not a problem.

I have government sites linking to mine, so they apparently don't have a problem with the ads.

The very success of AdSense is due to the public's acceptance of them. They do not annoy or irritate as do the pop-ups, pop-unders, etc, and when they are properly targeted are actually viewed as beneficial and welcome.

On the home page would depend on individual circumstances, sometimes ok, sometimes not.

A page that has something to sell will always imply that sales are not going that well when any ads are present, not just AdSense.

I spend much of my time and use most of my site linking to ecommerce sites and when I must "cull the herd" because there are too many in one category, AdSense counts as a negative factor in my decisions.

[edited by: Andreals at 5:16 pm (utc) on Sep. 18, 2006]

I haven't read all the posts in this topic, but if it's a poll, I DO NOT put ads on any of my sites' index pages. When I have shown my sites to people here on WebmasterWorld, they usually ask "where are the ads?". Some areas are for "stickiness"(thanks Brett for making up this word's meaning, I love it) and other areas are for making money.

How am I going to advertise to someone I know nothing about? When they land on my home page, that's my cue to start learning about them. Who are they? Where are they from? What are their interests? How will I ever learn about the individual visitor if I sell them out for 22 cents? That's not even a full quarter and I have plenty of those in my penny bank.

I've always thought it looks tacky, but around 45% of visitors who land on my homepage click straight on to the ads, so I don't mind.

If I did not have ads on the main page, I would get less than 25% of the clicks I normally get. Most visitors (75%) only view the first page. That is the way things are, and I have no control of their habits. So I have to leave it like that.

c) Yes I link, AdSense is not a factor.

Remember that some information site's home pages are not that focussed so you can get some pretty random Adsense adverts compared to deeper pages on the site. I always have a thing about sites (including my own) that display adverts completely unrelated to the site contents, it looks spammy I think.

For the first time in 5 years I'm tryng ads on my homepage. So far very little interest probably because Google is having trouble targetting them. At one point I was getting some Arabic Al Queda newspaper getting placed.

I also note what one poster said about it diluting CTRs.

Ads are being run on the home page of this site, does it cheapen the look?

I feel soooo cheap!
I'm just gonna take my bag of quarters and sit in the corner :)

LOL! ditto... except my bag has d:)llar notes in them... ;)