AdWords/ Adsense System

Google Summaries

Here is a summary regarding AdSense channels, site targeting, and ad placement in the Google Ad Words/ AdSense PPC and CPM programs.





Many times I get confused about all the AdSense program attributes.
So I have started an "Adsense Options Chart". I hope you like it.

AdSense for Content - 8434 Channel Summary

Custom Channels - 9869

Track
- by page
- by ad type
- by placement
Ad Placement (CPM)
Ad Placement allows advertisers to target your site, or your page with CPM ads.

Paste channel code into each page manually.

URL Channels - 13993

Track Channel groups
- by single page
- by multiple pages
- by specific directory
- by specific sub domain
- all pages on a domain

Automatic, once set up.

AdSense for Search - 144 Channel Summary

Custom Channels

Track
- by page
- by placement

Paste channel code into each page manually.

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CPM

Placement Targeting
(formerly "Site Targeting")
Using Custom Channels

OLD PAGES
What Is "Placement" Targeting? - 18265
Placement Targeting Overview - 342 --
Finding and Selecting Placements - 7075
Placements and Keywords - 13177 ----
Place. and the Content Network - 15053
CPM Pricing for Placements - 13175 --
CPC Pricing for Placements - 13176 --- Demographic Bidding - 13665 ---------

NOW: Advertiser targets CPM ads to URL (site) level, not page level
Needed for sites with diverse content: Advertiser targets CPC ads to PAGE level. This is another reason why PPC ads are superior to CPM ads.

NEW PAGES
107914 - What's a Placement?
15907 - Content Network Placement
15910 - Adding and Editing Placem.
15912 - Place, Kwords and Settings
15907 - Content.Net. Placements
16066 - Focus on Impressions
16787 - Focus on Clicks
gone

Keyword Targeting - 6100

Advertisers can target websites by keywords, OR
Advertisers can target geographic areas and languages, but not both.

Geo Targeting - 6317

PPC

Search Network - 6119

All the places where your AdWords ads will be displayed on the Google Search Sites Network, and the Google Content Sites Network..

Content Network

Advertisers may "opt out" of the Content Network.
Many do because of click fraud, either real or perceived.

CPC Targeting Beta

"CPC bidding has often been requested by advertisers who would like to utilize site targeting, but are not comfortable bidding on a CPM basis." These are advertisers who wish to avoid risk.

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CPM

Placement Targeting
(formerly "Site Targeting")

Adsense - What Is AdSense Placement Targeting? - 32856

Ad Placement

What is Ad Placement? - 50677
How Placements Work - 77776
How to Define An Ad Placement - 47413

Custom Channels

The publisher makes ads site targetable by CPM advertisers, using Custom Channels.

Third-Party Ads

AdSense Third-Party Ads - Image Only, Must Update Privacy Policy
Third-Party Ad FAQs 14535

PPC

PPC Site Targeting
PPC Page Targeting

I cannot find any information on how this works.
It has been mentioned, but not defined.
Are the targeted PPC ads distinguishable from regular PPC ads?
Must they compete with regular PPC ads, or are they given priority?
Do targeted PPC ads pay MORE or LESS than regular PPC ads?
Is page targeting available?

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CPM

CANs
Third Party Networks

Google AdSense Certified Ad Networks
This area is growing fast - many CANs" have been added, and continue to be added. These 3rd-party entities compete in the AdWords auction, to be served on the AdSense content network.

.
CONCLUSIONS

CPM Ads Are Not the Best Choice for Publishers
Targeting and Placement refer to CPM ads only. In my personal opinion, CPM ads are best only if your CPC performance is incredibly poor, AND your traffic is extremely high.

One problem is that all the Site Placement discussion relates to specific pages, but the advertiser can only target at the site level. If your site consists of many diverse subjects (this site), this is a poor option, since the ads will all be targeted to the content of just one page.

For the average small to medium-size web site, CPC should provide a MUCH higher revenue than CPM ads, by a factor of 10. I was "Site Targeted" for a short time, at a rate of many impressions per penny. The eCPM was abysmal. I emailed Adsense, and had site-targeting turned off on my sites. I don't know what the formula is, but somehow the CPM ads were reducing my CTR and eCPM stats - not acceptable to me. Why settle for an eCPM of $2 with CPM, when you can achieve an eCPM of $20 or more with CPC ads? I just don't get it.

All the talk about "reducing advertiser cost", is the same thing as reducing the publisher payout. CPM rates need to go up quite a bit, to produce the same publisher income that CPC currently does.

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PPA Jensense on PPA

- " ... publishers can choose specific pay-per-action ads that are relevant to their site to run in new ad units that they create."
Publishers can SELECT a single ad, a group of ads, or a keyword.

IN BETA: BETA CANCELLED
Adsense now accepting applications for new referrals beta
The publisher targets PPA ads to SITE level.
The publisher CANNOT target PPA ads to URL (page) level.
Bad for sites that have multiple subjects - not everyone is in a "niche".


Because the PPA option is NOT contextual, the program policies are different -
You CAN draw attention to the ads, but
You still CANNOT tell people to click on your ads!

PPA Ads - The Newest Google Adsense Alternative - Cancelled August 2008
Now we have PPA - a new ball game. At first blush, this looks very positive. But elsewhere, there have been problems with PPC in the past, with publishers being denied commissions, through cookie manipulation and hijacking. The announced cookie conversion timeframe is thirty days. I dump my cookies every week, for several reasons. Others do the same. Does this mean that I CANNOT use the new PPA option?

And, we have no way to confirm that a conversion actually occurred or not. Only the advertiser knows this, and each advertiser may or MAY NOT be honest. Future forum reports will make or break this new alternative, in the next few months.

AdSense Referrals - 1449 Channel Summary (PPA Program cancelled August 31, 2008)

Custom Channels

Track
- by page
- by placement

Paste channel code into each page manually.

URL Channels

Track Channel groups
- by single page
- by multiple pages
- by specific directory
- by specific sub domain
- all pages on a domain

Automatic, once set up

PPA (Jensense on PPA)

March 20, 2007 - PPA Beta began
August 31, 2008 - PPA Beta terminated

Pay Per Action Beta Test

This applies to the Content Network only.
PPA Site Placement - Text, Image, or Ad Link

Pay Per Action FAQs

"You can create text, image, or text link ads for your pay-per-action campaign."

Conversion Tracking

Campaign management - Conversion Tracking
A click implements a cookie - The conversion time frame is 30 days.

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Disclaimer
This is NOT A Google, Inc. Site
I am not privy to any inside information.
This page consists of a compilation of public information, commonly available on the internet, at multiple sites, as well as public webmaster forums, and simple manual tests.
The opinions stated above are merely the personal opinions of the author.
Although the author makes every effort to verify the information on this page, no information on this page is guaranteed to be correct, and any data contained herein may be erroneous.
This information is subject to change, and may not be relevant when you read it.

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