AdSense Tips

Best Formats

The best AdSense ad sizes are as follows. Again, this has been tested and proven. There is no need to go back and redo the testing. It's already been done for you.

Large Rectangle 336x280 / Medium Rectangle 300x250

These are by far the best AdSense blocks for most users. These blocks usually receive the highest CTR. These two ad units also blend in quite well with the most common blogger templates.

Leaderboard 728x90

For most of us, the 728x90 ad unit can be quite difficult to work into our template. However, when it's blended properly it can also receive quite a high CTR.

Wide Skyscraper 160x600

Finally we have the 160x600 Wide Skyscraper. This is a great ad to use if blended properly, but to be honest, it's also the most overused ad there is. Don't make the common mistake of putting this ad in the right sidebar. It doesn't work there.

Link Units - Anything Goes

Anything that blends in will work well when it comes to the link units. Just pick a format that looks great and you will be fine. PS: Remember, with the link units you need two clicks to get paid.

Worst Formats

Anything that is not listed above is not listed above for a reason. The following ad sizes should be completely avoided at all costs.

• 468x60 - This is the "old school" banner ad size. Anything shaped in this form usually has a pretty low clickthru. Whether it's content or an ad, it's not really a good idea to place anything you want clicked on in this format.

• 234x60 - This is half a 468x60 ad. It's also quite small meaning that it usually goes unnoticed by users. When users do finally notice this ad, all they see is the "Ads by Google" logo anyway.

• 125x125 - This is only a good sized ad if you're into private advertising. However, if you're trying to make money with AdSense, it's a good idea to steer clear from this ad size.

• 180x150, 120x240, 200x200 - These ad formats are noticed by the users, but they're so small that the "Ads by Google" shows way too much steering users away from these ads.

• 250x250 - I've heard of some people having some success here. However, the 336x280 and the 300x250 perform way better.

Best Placements

In this section you'll learn where to place your AdSense ads. We'll be using the best AdSense ad formats from above as our advertisements.

Below Post Title - 336x280 or 300x250 or 728x90

The number one spot for an AdSense Advertisement is directly below a post title. Now, you don't want to break AdSense TOS by having a misleading title above your AdSense ads.

So make sure that you do one of two things.

1. Have a sentence or two of the post and then display the ad.
2. Put the word "sponsored links" or "advertisements" above the ad. (Not recommended, but if you have to do it, at least make the word a light gray and a little smaller so it's less noticeable.)

Blogger Users - Be sure to check out my article on how to put AdSense in Blogger Posts if you're confused at how you can go about doing this.

In the Middle of a Post - 336x280 or 300x250 or 728x90

Simply have your article flowing and then break it. Put an AdSense advertisement right in the middle of your post. Now, this is a little difficult if you're a Blogger user. Actually, I believe it's impossible. However, if your platform allows you to do this, I highly recommend it.

Think about what you're doing with this. Your reader reads down your post and gets bored midway. They now have two options. They can either exit your page or click an ad.

End of a Post - 336x280 or 300x250 or 728x90

Give your reader somewhere to click after they read your article. Don't allow them to simply exit your site. Give them an AdSense advertisement at the end of each of your posts.

Many AdSense users make the mistake of only placing one AdSense ad above the fold and then calling it good.

If you want to make the most from AdSense use the most ads that TOS allows on any given page. PS: Less ads doesn't mean more money with AdSense. That's simply a rumor.

160x600 Wide Skyscraper

The 160x600 AdSense format is very notorious. I don't really like it, but others do. If you're going to use this ad block make sure that you don't place it in the right of left navigation. Instead, float it in with your post to the left of your article so your article text flows just around it.

Link Units - Below Header - In Sidebar

Link Units often work best in these two positions. Link Units work well below a site's header / banner. Link Units also work well in the left sidebar navigation. Some people use them within posts, but this isn't actually something that I can say I have tried.

A quick note about link units - You actually need 2 clicks to make money with link units. You need a click on the unit itself. This click then takes the user to a page with ads. The user will then need to click an ad on that second page for you to make any money.

Best Colors

This topic can be quite controversial because many users believe that a standard blue or #0000FF works best when it comes to getting AdSense clicks. However, for me #425BC4 works a little better.

Link

AdSense Link colors should be a blue color. Like I said above, #425BC4 works best for me however, Joel Comm recommends #0000FF otherwise known as "standard blue."

Description and URL

The simple answer is black or #000000. However, you want to blend it to your sites text color. So say you have a site background color of black and a standard text color of white, you'd want to mimic that for your AdSense ad.

Background and Border

Again, you'll want to blend this with your template. No borders, and background color should blend / match your site's background.

Common Mistakes

These are some of the most common AdSense mistakes that I can think of. Please be aware that there are probably a lot more mistakes then I have posted here. With that being said, be sure to carefully scan over the TOS of AdSense.

1. Clicking your own ads

Never click your own adsense ads to "see if they're working." The same rule applies to friends. Don't call up a bunch of your "boys" asking them to click ads for you. You'll surely be banned.

If you do happen to accidentally click your ad, be sure to refer to "I clicked my own Google AdSense ad" over at Dave Taylor dot Com. This article will tell you how to go about contacting AdSense Support so you can avoid being banned from AdSense.

2. Using competitive ads

For example: Don't use Yahoo and AdSense on the same page. Also note that you're not allowed to use anything or have anything on your site that looks like or is formatted to represent an AdSense advertisement.

3. No Privacy Policy

AdSense now requires that you have a link on all of your pages that states you're using AdSense. If you don't have this "privacy policy" you could be banned from AdSense. Be sure to get your privacy policy today.

Other common Mistakes

There are many other common AdSense mistakes. Be sure to check out these 15 common AdSense mistakes. Also refer to the AdSense TOS to make sure you're not breaking AdSense guidelines. Again, it's important to read through the TOS as carefully as possible so you're not banned from AdSense. PS: Entrecard and AdSense do not work together. Entrecard users should be aware of that.

Everything You Need

All the AdSense tips you need can be found throughout this article. You don't need to purchase programs and you don't need to do a load of research. Everything is here. Everything is done for your. You just have to implement the advertisements into your site and let your traffic do the rest.

Want a Free Link?

In final note, my big brain does believe that everything is here. However, I know that I likely missed a thing or two. If you notice a missing tip, please let me know by commenting below so I can add it to this article. Cool tips will receive a DoFollow link to their website as long as it's appropriate and related to my niche.