I used to test google ads links and the regular google ads in the past, but I haven't tested them for a while now - and I was wondering, do ad links sometimes have higher pay than the regular ads or no?

Don't people have to click like 2x for you to get paid with those link unit ads?

I wouldn't know much about Adsense though, I'm a die hard YPN-er.

I have adsense and adwords I think thats what it's called, just put them on though so I dunno how good they work, but I heard fairly well things about them so I figured Id give them a try.

Id say regular ads.. but thats just what i prefer just because its easier for me

Never tested out link units myself. Once I get one of my new blogs up sometime soon I will share the results.

Nobody ever clicks on my ad links. I get more clicks from regular ad units

Same as me with the ad links. I think people click on it thinking it will do something else other than just take you to a page full of crap!

I have had no luck at all with link unit ads. I just can't get them to work for me. Leaderboards and rectangle ads bring in a ton though.

The trick is to put them right under to header, almost as a navigation.

I like the 728x90 ad links. Those work well for me.

Yeah, if you put them somewhere, where the user will think its some kind of navigation, they will click on them but if that "Ads by Goooooogle" wasnt there it should be ALOT easier.

I have had success with the 728*90 ad unit (as mentioned by a previous poster) running the link unit under my nav menu across my header. I am experimenting with ad units as part of a std right/left menu but these are not showing the clicks that my previous pages have done but I will continue to test them.

Standard ad blocks seem to pay more on my sites even after the double click through (to answer the original question)

I have had pretty good luck with link ads. In fact they generate almost as much as my text ads. Placement is crucial and I had to experiment a few times but it has proven well worth the efforts. It is true that the visitor needs to click twice to get paid.

Has any one tried Google's Adsense Search? I have will limited success. It is weird because some search & clicks generate $0.60 and others will only pay out 1 penny. I do like the ability to run a report and see what my visitors are searching for. It does help me target future content for my site and blog.

There is no correct answer to cover all sites.

I have one site where the adlinks will do as well or better than a leaderboard ad. on another, the ads don't do nearly as well. I run both on each site, however, displaying the type of ad that gets me the best money in more attractive locations.

I have one forum where I am using part of the "Deep Adsense Integration" tutorial, along with some various changes by me and finding it very successful.

http://www.mudbog.net/forum/

Feel free to rummage through that site and see the various ad locations. All adsense links were in the standard blue link format for 2-3 weeks, I am now experimenting some locations with the links fully blending in with the forum.

Originally Posted by AuctionMan

I have had success with the 728*90 ad unit (as mentioned by a previous poster) running the link unit under my nav menu across my header. I am experimenting with ad units as part of a std right/left menu but these are not showing the clicks that my previous pages have done but I will continue to test them.

Standard ad blocks seem to pay more on my sites even after the double click through (to answer the original question)

the 728x15 works well for me.

Mike,

Did you find the deep adsense integration was a big boost to revenue?

What front end are you using for your forum? vbadvanced?

Do you track how well the regular ads convert vs the ad links?

Thanks for any information

I am using vbadvanced.

I am tracking each ad individually. The ads on my individual thread pages do the best and I feel that is due to section targeting. Other ad locations do very well though.

If you are using a forum, I would recommend utilizing the deep adsense integration, or at least part of it like I have, and work ads in to suit you. Track each location individually, and do the tracking over a long perioud of time. (at least a month). Try blending the link colors in the ads with the colors in yoru forum, and also try using the standard link color as Lee mentioned in his podcase #0000FF.

Whatever you do, whether it is a forum, a blog, or any other online site, dont just throw the ads up in the most popular places and hope for the best. There is no standard setup that fits every site. It is up to you to make it work.

Do you show more ads to guest than you do members?

I thought of displaying a large ad for guest with a note that says "register with us to remove this ad"?

What do you think?

I show the ads to everyone on that site. It is a new forum though, and the most active members know about the ads and their purpose and don't touch them. I have them, I think, displayed in an unobtrusive way so I dont get any complaints.

I also have the ads in my photo gallery, not sure if you seen that. I attached the ads to the actual photos (thanks bamastanguy), and also added some leaderboards within that area.

www.mudbog.net/gallery

Got an atv girls section there while you are looking that is becoming pretty popular.

As far as displaying extra ads to visitors, nothing wrong with that, especially if they are ads that really stand out like large rectangel ads, or colorful cpm ads.