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Optimizing AdSense™ by User Behaviour
If web surfers behaved all alike, if there were strict patterns in users'
behaviour, wouldn't all publishers be on a sunny beach right now, with a
fancy-colored cocktail, worring not about AdSense™ optimization
matters?
Web user's behaviour depends on two main groups of variables:
the user-related one and the website-related one.
A) User-related
Behavior Variables
Though people react very differently at various
stimuli, we can identify some peculiarities specific to web surfers. The
behaviour is much like yours. Have you considered watching your own actions
while surfing on the web? This might help if you want to improve your site's
appeal to readers, especially if you sell something or if you want your visitors
to click on your ads.
Several groups of variables that influence users'
behaviour can be identified:
* Components of the mental processes
involved while searching and browsing on the Internet: attention, awareness,
language, mental imagery etc.
* The behavior of websurfers is influenced also
by their subjective approach to matters, determined by temperamental
characteristics, such as mood, patience and their purpose and degree of
interest.
* Also, users act differently varying with how used they are to web
surfing.
Let's see how we can tweak our websites to turn these to our
advantage (and turn visitors into “clickers”):
1. Mental
processes
Attention - The web designer keeps the tools to direct readers'
attention. A simple design, without unnecessary loading will prevent the reader
from being distracted by unimportant elements. The ads placement must be done
strategically, in a place impossible to overlook (recommended in the first
paragraph, usually in the upper-left area). Pictures and graphics are considered
attention-grabbers and will also be considered when choosing your ads'
placement.
Awareness - This is a very debated topic. Opinions differ on
readers' ads awareness. Some sustain that the more blended into content, the
better, others say that this formatting will induce the readers the feeling of
being “tricked” into clicking on ads, which they resent. I incline to say that
blend-in ads work only for very well targeted ads, coming naturally as if
belonging to the content. Positioning ads outside the content area would be
effective mostly with advertising that builds brand awareness, based on image
impressions.
Mental Imagery - Again, a pleasant, uncluttered design, a
balanced look of the page contribute to a positive perception of the page from
the part of the reader and to a more open state of mind. A professional layout
is important. It inspires confidence, people don't want to purchase from a just
any backyard business.
2. Subjectiveness
Patience - A golden rule:
don't abuse your readers' patience (for they usually don't have one)! Web pages
must load quickly, ads must not be placed in readers' way and should be kept to
a reasonable number.
Purpose and Mood - Are more related to the topic of
your site and the type of content you publish. The idea is that users' purpose
and mood can be influenced by copy.
Degree of Interest - Besides
relevant, good content, that answers questions, the reader's interest is
influenced by involvement and interaction. Keep your reader involved, integrate
your ads into an interaction environment: these will work wonders on your
CTR.
3. User's Degree of Acquaintace with Web Surfing
Net savvy
users have developed certain immunities, such as ad-blindness. These are less
likely to click on any ads. Customizing ads for this type of readers means
harder work; the result must be ads of high relevance (and remarkable ad
texts!), with an aspect as close to the rest of the page as possible, as if they
were a natural continuation of your ideas. Important! avoid default
formats.
B) Site-related Variables
The type of the site and the
topic attract visitors with different interests with different behavioral
patterns.
1. Site Type — Readers vs Browsers
Whether the visitor
is a “reader” or a “scanner/browser” depends also on the site type — content and
topic. Generally, readers are regular visitors while “scanners” are the ones who
look for information and will not spend too much time on the same site. Site
topic and content are most times factors in bringing more “uniques” or more
regular visitors. Though not as a rule, these apply to many sites:
Sites
Attracting Unique Visitors - These are mostly commercial sites, content sites.
Statistics say that unique visitors are more likely to be your clickers, for
regular readers are more used to your pages' look and your ads. Contextual
advertising works well with these sites. If you're headed for unique visitors,
make your site “SE-friendly”. They come mostly from search engines and are said
to be “pre-qualified” clickers. So, your efforts should be directed towards
keywords and keyword phrases optimization. The ideal would be to go beyond the
technicalities, that is finding out what are the most searched for keywords in
your area of preoccupations and try to find out why these are popular, try to
find a behavioral pattern. This can be achieved by statistics and analysis. Find
out some niches in your area and the users' behaviour within them — that is,
lists of searches and then see what is it customers want. This will solve your
puzzle and give you exact hints towards what works best for your site. Keep in
mind: unique visitors are mostly "browsers". Use ad placement and ad
customization techniques that apply best for this type of users.
Sites
with Regular Visitors - These are mostly forums, blogs and news sections (though
news are somewhere in between). If you own sites with many bookmarks, that
attract especially repeat visitors, then either you will be very imaginative in
customizing your ads and finding new ways to interest your readers into clicking
or if not the case, better use CPM based advertising. Brand
bulding/reinforcement advertising works better in this case.
2. Site
Theme Relates to Visitor's Mood and Purpose
Commercial Sites - Sites
selling and promoting products are more suitable for CPC advertising. By their
specific, this type of site will attract visitors looking for a specific
product/service/business opportunity. Thus, users are more in a buying mood, are
looking for a way to spend their money profitably. These are
clickers.
Content Sites, Blogs, Forums - Unless you market specific
products, your readers will land on your page without the express purpose of
buying something. However, you can influence your reader's mood and needs thru
witty, sales-directed copywriting. You just need to know some basic things that
sell. One is that people are more likely to buy from persons they know, like and
trust.
So, what will help you build these? Good content and structure.
Especially with content sites, these are fundamental issues to focus on (unlike
commercial sites that focus more on products). Good content, profesionally
written and formatted for the web, containing information that is of high
interest and relevance for the reader, within an easily manageable structure and
good targeting on a specific theme are imperatives. On one hand these mean
bulding confidence, the first step in selling. On the other hand they will
attract well-targeted ads, more likely to interest your reader.
Great
content will give you credit to your reader. Once you've gained trust, it's easy
to direct your readers: you just give recommendations and the results will
appear. (Avoid being too explicit in recommendations, though — for example,
directing readers towards clicking on ads is against AdSense™ Program
Policies.)
With blogs and forums, it is a different story. Not all forums
and blogs are accepted for AdSense™ (or even if accepted, they must be also
profitable). Only genuine, specifically-themed blogs and forums, with highly
interesting content are suitable. These conditions being fulfilled, forums and
blogs are perfect as a source of advertising money — they have what is very
difficult for others to achieve: reader's trust, liking and
involvement.
Richard Warren is a veteran user of Google Adsense and is
skilled in the art of boosting CTR and Adsense revenue. Visit
http://www.AdsenseHowTos.com for a complete Adsense how to guide.
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