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Google asks for left aligned ads?

Google wants ads before content?

ascensions

10:28 pm on Aug 16, 2012 (gmt 0)

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So I assumed with Panda and the Page-Layout-Algo of the last year, along with new suggested "best practices" with ads, that Google was encouraging me to place content before ads. Then today I get an email from Adsense suggesting (blatantly) I left-align a 336x280.

WHAT?

Why would Google suggest something that would algorhythmically punish me, or at the very least appear to go against the "best user experience?"

Furthermore, if I was originally wrong, and they're not discounting left-aligned ads, then why aren't they? Doesn't Google want the best for their customers?

Now I'm more confused than ever.

To be honest, since Panda I've done everything in my power to fix things, including many things which is better for the visitor. The lack of recovery has led me to believe I'm very close to doing everything in my power to make it worse now, because I just can't win.

So do I go back to the left-aligned (more evil) ads and make more money or do I try to do what's right for the visitor and keep it clean and on the right?

Frost_Angel

10:39 pm on Aug 16, 2012 (gmt 0)

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I got this too and thought - WTF?
It's almost like.... "take the bait so we have a reason to punish you later!"
It's so ridiculous and so NOT helpful.

jimbeetle

11:01 pm on Aug 16, 2012 (gmt 0)

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AdSense is not Search Quality. Be very, very careful about following any recommendations from them and how they might impact your site.

Left hand, right hand.

netmeg

11:30 pm on Aug 16, 2012 (gmt 0)

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I got it too; I'm sure they blasted everyone. Pay it no mind.

Kimkia

3:52 am on Aug 17, 2012 (gmt 0)

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A while ago, I was personally advised by an AdSense rep to remove the borders from ads on my home page and use colors to blend in. I did this. CTR improved; earnings increased. Then I got a warning from them that my AdSense could be terminated because I wasn't following the TOS, and my ads looked too similar to the content. If I remember correctly, I was given a few days to comply, or else.
I forwarded the original email to them, explaining that I was only following their own suggestions. I returned the borders and changed the colors slightly. CTR dropped; earnings decreased. But they told that the original person who had advised me to make these changes no longer worked for Google, and I was ok now that I was in compliance.
So yes, be careful following the advice of AdSense reps; and make sure you keep any communication so you can refer to it later if necessary.

IanCP

6:01 am on Aug 17, 2012 (gmt 0)

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If AdSense told me the sun was rising tomorrow morning I'd double check with the weather bureau.

Yes I received the same email, well one rabbiting on. Let me check. Nope.

Hi,

We've noticed that you're running less than three ad units on #*$!X of your pages on example.com. By taking advantage of all three available units per page, you could place at least #*$!X additional ad units on the pages we reviewed...

Now you know why I didn't bother reading it further in Mailwasher.

Visit Thailand

7:12 am on Aug 17, 2012 (gmt 0)

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I would not be so quick to discount all of GAS' recommendations. Some do work, although I imagine a lot of that success is a numbers game rather than someone actually looking at your site and thinking mmmmm.

What I do wish I had done much earlier is to block certain types of ads. I received a lot of comments/complaints about some of the ads people were seeing on my main site. Of course what they see in one part of the world and what I see maybe two different things but I understood. Since then I have blocked any type of ad that some might deem offensive.

I suggest read what GAS has to say, think it through test if necessary but always consider your viewers first.

IanCP

9:10 am on Aug 17, 2012 (gmt 0)

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It's not GAS opinion I value. It's GAS opinion all too often in direct conflict with Google Search.

I wish that duo could clean up their act and get on the same song sheet.

netmeg

12:50 pm on Aug 17, 2012 (gmt 0)

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I don't mind them making recommendations, but the automated ones I don't pay attention to. Occasionally they've contacted me via email with a human type being, and that was worth listening to.

ascensions

4:33 pm on Aug 17, 2012 (gmt 0)

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Interestingly, I've noticed the traffic recovery received from moving ads to the right after the algo change, did not equate to the earnings difference of having the ads aligned left.

What's my incentive to continue, if they don't balance out the value of the page layout more than they do now.

dhaliwal

4:34 pm on Aug 17, 2012 (gmt 0)

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their different departments talk different things.
i also feel that they only want to confuse people more and more.

Chrispcritters

4:52 pm on Aug 17, 2012 (gmt 0)

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You just have to think of the different services of Google as if they are entirely different companies. If your run-of-the-mill ad network suggested three ad units, left aligned units, etc. would you do it? They are going to tell you what is in the best interest of their business unit. Same with AdWords, Search, etc.

JCKline

5:46 pm on Aug 17, 2012 (gmt 0)

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I was also confused as to where they suggested the ad location. What happened to center above the fold? This is where my ads do best, so I'm not going to mess it up, however I did take the advice on ONE page, but made sure it was within the content, not first.

CainIV

6:07 pm on Aug 17, 2012 (gmt 0)

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AdSense is not Search Quality.

The problem is that one Panda was released the connection was made by Google, and now they need to be more accountable for providing quality information to webmasters in regards to this.

matrix_jan

7:34 pm on Aug 17, 2012 (gmt 0)

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Got it too, and since it looked like it was generated to fit almost everyone, I just ignored it... Earlier this year I've received an email (not a message through adsense) which was from a real rep asking to move some ads to a certain location for better performance...

I'd say publishers are not favoring the large rectangle much, and adsense just sent this email to most of them to trigger more placements...

frankbomarito

9:42 pm on Aug 17, 2012 (gmt 0)

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A while back I received the email like IanCP

Hi,

We've noticed that you're running less than three ad units on #*$!X of your pages on example.com. By taking advantage of all three available units per page, you could place at least #*$!X additional ad units on the pages we reviewed

and a 'guardian angel' rep followed up for the month. My income more than tripled that month but over the next 6 months returned to its former level with no additional changes on my part.

I wondered if anyone else is having a situation similar to this.

For the past few months the "Current balance" column is about 10% less than "Last month" earnings column. Previously it had never been more than 1% or 2%. I'd ask but I'd rather take a chance of opening a can of worms.

conroy

11:33 pm on Aug 17, 2012 (gmt 0)

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Yes, it's a fantastic way to get your site penalized, or algorithmically dropped or whatever you want to call it.

Sgt_Kickaxe

5:32 am on Aug 18, 2012 (gmt 0)

Search doesn't care what adsense is doing, and vice versa, and neither could care less if a suggestion of theirs results in troubles with the other.

That being said, the adsense recommendations will likely increase earnings, at least temporarily, and if you don't get most of your traffic from Google are worth trying.

loner

6:42 am on Aug 18, 2012 (gmt 0)

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You've got to make yourself happy. I'd rather fail on my terms than fail on Goo's.

hannamyluv

1:36 pm on Aug 19, 2012 (gmt 0)

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I wondered if anyone else is having a situation similar to this.

I actually went the other way. I took a block off the page and a year later I make the same amount per visitor as I did before the ad was removed.

I ignore emails from the adsense team now. I did the personalized review by one of their reps a few years ago and they pushed for the ad above the content and I said no. I decided they were more interested in revenue than quality and after that I figured their suggestions are more about them than me.

galapiat

11:59 am on Aug 30, 2012 (gmt 0)

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Oops I thought left-aligned was ok. Now I see it's right-aligned :-)

Erku

1:05 pm on Aug 30, 2012 (gmt 0)

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Sometimes I think there is a huge disconnect between people who work at Adsense team and people who work at the Search Quality team. They need to sit down and have a lunch together before making more recommendations.