Putting Ad Sense on your site is not as easy as it seems. There is a common myth out there that it is. Chances are you have put the code on your site and didn’t make a dime. Alright, maybe you made fifty cents. The problem is, many people create the ads and don’t put any thought into the appearance or position.
There are many ways to customize your Ad Sense 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 Ad Sense. The best locations are just below the header, the upper left 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.
Let’s move on to the style of your Ad Sense ads. Borders are a big no-no when it comes to Ad Sense ads, yet I still see them around. When you have a border it provides a visual stopping point between your text and the ad. Make your border the same color as your background on your site so that it becomes invisible. Also, the background of the ad itself should be the same as your site.
The title 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.
Here’s another trick, don’t treat your ads as ads and your customers won’t either. Pretend your ads are links to relevant content, which they are, and give them the same look and feel of your site. Web Surfer’s have developed something called banner blindness, which means they don’t even see ads anymore, particularly image ads. Their brain simply blacks out that area of your site.
Here are a few more tips that may help you along the way. Avoid image ads, opt for the text only version. Make sure that you maximize your ads. At the time this article was written you are allowed 3 text ads, and 3 ad link units, these are the two I use. Be sure that you use them all on your pages.
The Ad link 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 Ad Sense below, above or between the other links. If you have horizontal navigation, you can place it above or below.
When deciding on links per unit, take the font into consideration. If your font is larger, try 4 links per unit. If your font is smaller, try five links per unit. Also, you may want to underline your links so that they match better with the ad links.
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