You will not get the "exact" guidelines from Google. They suggest that you "blend" and then "smart price" you for doing it. It is a very goofy company.

Thanks ArtistMike. What a lovely, descriptive adjective!

You will not get the "exact" guidelines from Google. They suggest that you "blend" and then "smart price" you for doing it.

The only way to satisfy both of these contradictory interests is to implement one of the top 5 most-requested features: Provide publishers with Smart Pricing information for each URL and each custom channel.

It is in Google's and advertisers' best interest to allow publishers to remove ads from non-converting pages (or to improve their non-converting content). It just can't be clearer.

Sounds intriguing, but rather limited. There are more web-compatible fonts in ordinary use than Times, Arial, and Verdana. Times and/or Arial are defaults for most PC systems so what is the whoopie do?

Sorry... took a deep breath. If A is sans serif and incoming B is not... okay, I get it.

Hooray! Still no control over what appears, etc etc etc.

I'm on the outside, kiddies. I've been reading this Adsense stuff for two years trying to make a decision to add or not to add. All the little in and out, giving more than take, etc, and a one off font thingie is the next big thingie?

I'll keep on with my direct marketing. Which is subtle, not in your face, and has paid for the last 10 years.

Jaideemaak

I have heard the same contradictory statements about blending. In my view it is best not to ruin the aesthetics of one's page by having text ads stand out too glaringly. I think there are ways to blend your ads without in any way deceiving the surfer, but I have seen many sites where text ads are so meshed with the actual content that I can barely tell which is which. On none of my sites do I put the recommended 300x250 size ads in the body of the core content, as I find it annoying as a reader to have core content interrupted when I am trying to read off a computer monitor -- no matter how good the resolution is or the font selection is. Yet it is said to convert better, so I am likely losing money out of consideration for those viewing the site.

The other problem I see is that one can select a font type, but not size. If the size is too small or too large, it could cause major aesthetic problems.

not sure if google are still testing the fonts, but i'm still seeing Times crop up all over my site when i've set the ads to Verdana. It's been a whole day now, and still no change.

i know it's not me, because i've got the same ad showing on different pages, and i'm getting different fonts on each.

Don't see much point in allowing us to pick our font if google then go and change it themselves.

true_INFP, I am not sure if this is quite what you are looking for but if you go into the 'get ads' section and where you can change the font for an individual ad there is also a link (Ad display preferences) to set the global font for all ads that don't override the setting.

klogger, no that's not what I asked for. Thanks anyway.

It's excellent to be able to set preferred fonts.

I don't know if this would work with existing technology, but it would be lovely to be able to set preferences for font size also.

Google font is often a couple of points smaller than the fonts I normally use on my sites, and I worry that my visitors won't always bother to put their glasses on just to read the ads.

Occasionally ads do appear with larger font which fit in much better with my site (with fewer ads in the block of course). If there could be a preference option to encourage these larger fonts to appear I for one would be most appreciative.

so google is selling us the option to select two other - unreadable and tiny - fonts as an amazing new feature? did i miss something? sorry, but i'm pretty, uhm.. underwhelmed. most publishers will want to use default verdana as the least evil anyway. i'm with the others who demand that first of all the adsense team should allow us to set the *font size* as it is too small for most websites (standard 12px). a change should boost earnings as ads would actually be readable by all people.

I need to be able to block broad topics like "online dating" ads that lead to things like this

Anne,

I've blocked several sites who fall into that category.

When AdSense first emerged years ago one of the biggest selling points to publishers was that ads would be targetted to your site's content.

Now we have arrived at a situation where I have to waste several hours a week permanently blocking certain advertisers for no other reason than they are wholly irrelevant, including dating ads.

If I can't have helpful ads consistent with my content then I'd rather have no ads at all.

I can't help but feel that AdSense in financial desperation is now scraping the bottom of the barrel. What was once a wonderful idea has now degenerated into a let's display anything at all.

Mixing various fonts on one page can be very ugly, so I think this is very useful option. Looking forward to see Trebuchet or Georgia soon

If only gmail had this with font size control.

You will not get the "exact" guidelines from Google. They suggest that you "blend" and then "smart price" you for doing it. It is a very goofy company.

Ever heard of the term Googly in Cricket?
[en.wikipedia.org...]

Now, you will know why the name Google :))

Honestman, I wasn't actually expecting to get exact guidelines but I was just interested to hear a few other takes on this subject.

I agree with you that aesthetics shouldn't be compromised. I don't have any huge ad blocks stuck in my content either, not only because it looks bad but because it also looks like classic MFA.

My first priority is aesthetics and I guess that if Google believes I am trying to deceive (which I'm not), they will let me know one way or the other.

I - like others - just find this a very grey area.

anand84, I used to be a very keen cricketer - and a bowler at that - so I know what a googly is!

Ever heard of the term Googly in Cricket?

Crickey

How can i Change the FONT of Google Adsense ads ?

How can i Change the FONT of Google Adsense ads ?

[google.com...]

Ever heard of the term Googly in Cricket?

Crickey

Stone the Crows!

I've been seeing my fonts change on their own. Is Google testing?

Even though this is something I doubt I'd use, I appreciate having the option.

Glad that is done with.

Veranda is bigger and bigger is better! We want them to read the ads.

Tired of seeing one of my adblocks in Times, you can't read it.

Now If we just had command over how many text ads appeared in each ad block!

I am spinning around in my office, clicking by heels together with my eyes closed and repeating, "There's no place like Google, there's no place like Google!"

Maybe the Wizard will here me?

The following message was cut out to new thread by martinibuster. New thread at: google_adsense/3857292.htm [webmasterworld.com]
12:10 am on Feb. 25, 2009 (utc -8)

I am not sure which, but certain fonts and styles perform better in ads.
I think you need to blend for visual improvement but be careful not to use fonts that may be ad killers. It Will be interesting to see CTR and CPM reviews later on.

I gotta tell ya, there's just nothing better than seeing all those "Find best prices on new and used supper" ads displayed in the same font as the rest of my site's pages.

My life's work is done. I am ready to die.

used supper? maybe used super for cars?

So I don't get it.

I chose Veranda why am I seeing Times still pop up in the adblocks and destroy my profits in a time that is very hard to stay profitable.

Things are bad enough I don't need this going on too.

On an underground railroad article I've gotten ads for "new and used slaves".

They just pick up a word from the page and claim they have it. Pathetic.

Has anyone tested different fonts yet and seen better/worse revenue? I've looked through this entire thread but was surprised to find nothing...

p/g

It's nice to have the new fonts - a step in the right direction, although after looking at them on my sites, I think I'll probably stick with the default.

I tell you what though - I've been playing around with the adCenter Publishing beta, and while the ads are pretty uninspiring, the choices for creating ad blocks are WAY ahead of Google. If MS ever gets their act together on attracting good advertisers, Google's gonna have to up its game. You get the same three font choices, five different sizes, bold, italic or underlines, drop shadows, gradiant backgrounds, textured backgrounds - I was impressed with that portion of control.

(oh yea - you can filter by keyword too)