The Google Adsense Basics

In this Post we will go over the layout for your pages and discuss
why they are a key part of your Adsense earnings.

With AdSense you can place up to 3 ad blocks on your web page. You
will find different theories on whether or not it is most effective
to have your ads blend in with or stand out from the content on
your page. While some would say they have better results when the
ads stand out, in my opinion it is best to try and make them blend
in with the rest of the site as much as possible so that your
visitors will see them as content rather than advertisements.

Try mixing the ad blocks throughout your content to create a
natural flow through the page. The proper positioning of your ads
should be done with great care. The goal is to position your ads
where your visitors are most likely to click on them. According to
research the first place most people look when they visit a website
is to the top left of the page.


Although it may seem to be a good idea to add bright borders,
colors or links to make you ads pop out on the page, you will want
to take in to consideration what your visitors are looking for when
they come to your site. If they are there looking for information
or a solution to a problem they would be more likely to click
through on a link that appears to be content rather than one that
looks like an ad. If they are there shopping for a product you may
do better to have your ads stand out. The key lesson here
is....always keep your visitor in mind when you are building your
pages.

Google has run tests that show horizontal ads tend to receive more
clicks than vertical ones. This is because a person is more used to
reading horizontally, so they are more likely to be attracted to
this layout. The larger rectangular ads that read horizontally have
been proven to get more clicks as well.

Another tip for ad placement:

There are certain areas to place ads that are thought to be more
likely to encourage a greater click through than others. For
instance:

- above the page footer.
- below the navigation at the top of the page.
- on the top left hand side of the page.

Keep in mind that near the middle above the main content is thought
by many to be the best place to put your ad blocks. Let's say that
you have 3 ad blocks on your page, but still want more. What can
you do?

Here comes Google's link units to the rescue. You are allowed to
add these in addition to the standard 3 ad blocks without breaking
any of the Adsense rules. These link units are a great way to
incorporate ads that can look like they are a natural part of your
site's navigation menu, but when they are clicked on they take the
reader to a page of targeted ads that are related to the topic of
your site.

I know this is a lot to think about, but it is very important to
take the time to think about your page layout. If you get stuck for
ideas just start surfing. See what other sites are doing and where
they are putting their ads. You will get some great ideas!

If you are a little confused, you can watch VisitorSense Videos and
watch how a professional Adsense professional goes through creating
his sites. There is no better way to learn than to watch as someone
does it right in front of you. Check that out here:
http://www.visitorsensevideos.com/