AdSense Foul Ups - Where Did I Go Wrong?
There is a common myth that simply putting AdSense on your website will get you some instant cash. If you are one of the millions who have tried this….you know it’s not that easy. Many people simply create the ads and place the code on their site without giving them another thought.
There are many ways to customize your AdSense ads. First, you want to think about location. Where is the best place to put your ads? Top? Middle? Bottom? Locations is one of the most important factors in AdSense. The best locations are just below the header, the upper right hand sidebar (if you have one), and directly in the center of the visible page (the user doesn’t have to scroll). Also, another great place is directly at the bottom in the center, this gives your users a place to go.
Next you need to think about style. One of the last things you want is a border. This separates the ad from your text and makes a visual stopping point when reading your page. When creating the ad, always make the background and border the same color, this eliminates it. Speaking of backgrounds, where ever you are placing the ad, make sure it’s background color is the same as the background color you are using. If you have different areas with different background colors, change it for each ad.
The tile link should be the same color as all other title links in your site/area you are working with. This will draw the surfer’s eyes to it as a clickable link. The text should be the same color as the text you are working with. Also, the little URL at the bottom should be the same color as the text.
Now, if you’ve paid attention, you’ll notice the same theme in the paragraphs above. Make the AdSense blend in with your site with the exact same colors of your site. Instead of thinking of them as ads, think of them as small areas of important text related to your site. People have developed “Banner Blindness” and anything that looks like an ad will not get any attention or clicks, people simply don’t see them anymore.
A few more tips, I would avoid image ads when it comes to AdSense. Unless your site has mostly clickable images…Also, maximize your AdSense. Currently, you are allowed 3 text ads, 3 Adlink units; and so on…these are the two I use. Make sure you use them all.
The Adlink units are best placed in navigational areas. Again, make sure the background and border are the same as what your are using in the area they are to be placed. Also, don’t forget the link color should be the same as the other links. If you have vertical navigation, place the AdSense below, above or between the other links. If you have horizontal navigation, you can place it above or below.
Try to get the same size of font as you are using. There are only two sizes, which are determined by the amount of link units. If you have 4 links in the unit, the font will be larger, if you choose 5 links, the font will be smaller. Also consider underlining your links so that they match Google’s.
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