Question about Adsense - results contrary to Google's advice

[Clinton]

Some of you would have seen the latest post on the Adsense blog about what to do and what not to do.

On the do side is advice that the top paying ads on the page will go to the ad unit nearest the top of the HTML.

At the page in my signature, that is sooo not true. The 120x600 in the left column is at the highest in the html but it's the 336x280 that pays the most - far more than the 120x600.

Can you tell from your channels which unit pays the most? Where on your page is it, near the top or elsewhere?

[MrP]

Hi Clinton, sorry to be picky but can you clarify that slightly. When you say:

it's the 336x280 that pays the most

Do mean it pays more on a CPC basis? or it pays more due to having a higher CTR?

It's just that if it's because of the CTR, I would say that it may because that ad unit is kind of 'in your face' more than the others when your reading the page.

As far as my ad units go, I'm afraid I can't tell anything much - I've only got one unit on my one and a half sites - I think I'll go and add a couple more

Jas

[grynge]

I find the 336x280 definitely pay more per click than other adverts and if they are in the content they get higher amount of clicks.

[ScottJ]

Yeah the 336 beats most other blocks for cpc for me albeit it can be a bit spammy looking above the fold.

[hooperman]

Visitors to my sites tend to like clicking on the squarer ads (336x280, 300x250) than the skyscrapers and links. Lower CTR --> lower RPM?

Can you tell from your channels which unit pays the most? Where on your page is it, near the top or elsewhere?

Performance Reports > Custom Channels, change the date range if need be.

[Clinton]

I meant that as a request for data from your stats.

Do mean it pays more on a CPC basis? or it pays more due to having a higher CTR?

It pays a higher EPC as well as getting a higher CTR. For me.

[kmander]

So the top earning text ads should appear in the first ad unit in the HTML, but that doesn't mean it'll earn the highest CPM - the CTR being the obvious component that could alter the earning potential of the unit. The other one to think about is the prominence of image ads; a unit supports the most (or even, just high-paying) images will help that unit get more competition and push the CPM to potentially more than the top HTML unit. If the top unit shares the same size as others on the page, then it will get both the top text ads and top images - so then it's only the CTR that impacts earnings.

That help at all?

[Clinton]

Ah, yes, image ads could have skewed it! There could be more (and higher paying) image ads for the 336x280 over the 120x600.

[kmander]

Ah, yes, image ads could have skewed it! There could be more (and higher paying) image ads for the 336x280 over the 120x600.

Not sure it's the definitive answer, but seems plausible to me. If I recall correctly, there's more demand for MPU units (300 x 250 and 336 x 280) than any other, fueld in part by widget/video ads.