The Photoshop Roadmap is a free resource site with links to downloads and tutorials. I use Adsense and the Chitika RPU (Related Product Unit) text ads solutions, and they perform extremely well for my visitors who are more attracted to text links than to product specific banners. Since both solutions perform well at my site, the main problem I was facing was how to distribute the ad units from both networks to maximize the combined earnings instead of one “stealing” clicks from the other by placing them side-by-side. It is no secret that the first ads in an Adsense block are the highest-paying ads. So, each additional ad block you place on your site will show lower paying ads than the one located right before it on your page. The Chitika RPU pays the same per click no matter where you place them, and you can set your own keywords and design to match the content and look of your page. So, high CPC and CTR are, in some way, guaranteed. You only have to find the best place to capture the attention of the visitor.
To decide the best ad layout for both networks, I worked under the following premises:
1. Visitors’ attention is more dispersed at the beginning of the page (higher acceptance of loosely related topics) and becomes more focused as they start reading the content (eager for information closely related to what they are reading).
2. Adsense offers a broad range of different topics related to the content of the page.
3. Chitika’s RPU shows ads that are closely related to the content of the page with the proper use of user defined keywords.
4. Adsense places the highest paying ads first. Additional blocks show lower-paying ads.
5. Chitika’s RPUs pay the same amount per click, no matter where on the page you place them.
6. Chitika’s RPUs outperformed Adsense in CTR and earnings at the end of an article.
After considering all these premises, it was very clear to me that I should place two Adsense 336×280 blocks at the top and a RPU at the end of the article. The ads at the top are there to capture the clicks of those visitors that wander through the site just “looking around”. Those who are really interested in the article probably won’t click on those ads; they are more interested in the content of the page. After reading it, their minds are still focused and are likely to click on a link that is closely related to the same topic they’ve just read about.
Since I had already placed two Adsense blocks at the beginning of the article, placing a third block at this point would result in lower paying clicks Instead, I set up an RPU with related keywords and a custom CSS to mimic my site’s design. To maximize my earnings even more, I used the alternate URL feature to show Adsense (and other networks) to countries not supported by RPUs.
Here’s a summary of my experience trying to maximize my earnings combining the best of both networks:
1.Place Adsense ads at the top, showing the highest paying ads, right before my content to capture the attention of those who are browsing the site.
2.Place the Chitika RPU at the end of the article, to offer related content to the article the visitors have just read.
3.Add Adsense and other networks using the alternate URL feature to show ads to countries not supported by Chitika’s RPU. It is a common (and erroneous) belief that Chitika’s ads perform well only in product reviews related sites. 90% of The Photoshop Roadmap is about free tutorials and downloads and despite of that, the Chitika RPU results have been outstanding for me so far. It is just a matter of knowing your audience and testing the best ad placement to get the best results.
Tip By: Enrique Flouret, The Photoshop Roadmap
What do you think of this implementation? Got a Chitika/Adsense combo of your own? Comment with your own tip & it may be picked to be part of this series!