There’s lots of discussion at Digital Point forums today on A New Type Of Ads By Goooogle that AdSense seem to be besting on their ads. Previously they’ve had ‘Ads by Gooooooogle’ in text above or below each ad unit – but now they seem to be experimenting with images with the ‘Google’ symbol like this (click to enlarge):
Some are also seeing the ‘G’ Google symbol on sometypes of ad units.
I have to say that I’m not really a fan – particularly of having a white background on a colored ad unit. It seems to go against everything that Google teaches of blending your ads.
While some have done tests on the ‘Ads by Gooooogle’ and believe it increases click throughs on ads I’m not convinced by it. Of course if AdSense are willing to make the links ‘referral links’ (like some other ad networks are starting to do) then I wouldn’t mind as much them making the links to their own ad program stand out more – but even then I’d like the option to be able to switch them off as in my mind they take something away from the blended look that I try to achieve with my ads.
What do you think of them?
I agree with you Darren, this does go against the grain! The idea I thought was to be able to blend the ads within your content and make them appear to be part of the site as much as possible. There has got to be a reason behind it, I don’t think Google starts messing with things that are working just for the heck of it!
As long as there is away to convert to the original style then maybe its not so bad.
The white background definitely will stand out. I have two blogs with dark blue backgrounds and that logo would really pop out. I don’t mind the colored Google lettering, but the background makes it look unfinished against another colored backdrop.
Personally, I prefer to blend the ads. I don’t want my visitors to think that I am advetising.
[…] Darren berichtet darüber, dass im Digitalpoint Forum unter der Kategorie Adsense vermehrt berichtet wird dass auf einigen Seiten in Googles Werbanzeigen, der Hinweis “Ad by Gooooogle” durch Google Symbole anstelle der schwarzen Schrift ersetzt wurden. […]
If it ain’t broke, why fix it? I also agree (and I think a lot of comments here will start like that) because everything I have read in the last year or so has been about blending the ads into the look and feel of your website. Having a Google logo, especially with the white background, just goes against what even they say.
But as you say Darren, an option to turn the logo off and revert to the traditional look would be nice.
By the way, does anyone know why Google put so many ‘o’s in their name on the AdSense blocks? If they’re having a problem with brand identity or copyright issues, surely changing it to ‘Ads by Google ™’ would be enough?
I think from a marketing standpoint this is smart for Google since some people know them for the mixture of colors in their logo. I think this is also a bit more professional than Goooooogle.
Marketing aside I think Google should have left well enough alone. The program is working so well why bother to change it. Had I been running the program, I would have kept it the way it was but some changes turn out to be good in the end and this may be one where we just have to give it some time to see how the ads do in the long term.
It must the reason why I earn less these days. Most of us just earns a few cents per click. And, the earnings will go down even more.
Yeah! An option to turn it off would be great. Yes I did notice on my blog the change. It’s gone since.
Good for now – my background is white :-)
Cheers!
Alpesh
Well they are doing it for a reason. Is it possible that people know and (to a certain extent) trust Google, and are more likely to click once they see that Google is associated with an ad? Giving us a higher CTR?
Wow, some people seem to not have gotten past AdSense 101 here. So here are some very important concepts:
Leaving things the way they are is potentially leaving money on the table, when doing something differently could bring you more revenue.
Testing is the only way you can determine if such a thing works or not. A very small test across a small, random portion of the ad network would quickly answer the question.
Anyone who’s been running ads for a while and has gotten good at it knows the importance of testing and experimentation. That Google IS testing things is good. It means they’re working to make more money — and therefore make us all more money.
I have to agree to Darren. I noticed this showing up on some of my ads the other day. I think it’s tacky and nothing more than a cheap way for Google to push their brand. However, I’m guessing it’s their way of separating themselves from the competition that is becoming increasingly “Google like”.
Send google an email asking if it’s the advertise who can choose..
Well it sure looks pretty terrible on any site I own…makes it look unfinished and tacky.
this must be due to click fraud. too much blending. personally i think it is good. if google do not solve this click fraud due to ad blindness, then we’ll be earning zero cents per day. better to be 1 cent then zero cents.
Who wants a visitor to feel that your just there to sell them something? Not me… the white background is a terrible idea. I don’t mind the top ad so much, however the bottom with the mere “G” symbol is just horrific.
Darren,
I have also noticed several changes to google adsense and i have taken screenshots which can be seen here http://www.techaddi.com/index.php/archive/translated-google-adsense-adsnow-a-reality/.Take a look when you have time.
http://www.techaddi.com/index.php/archive/translated-google-adsense-adsnow-a-reality/
this is corrrect link- –
Here’s what i had to say about it in another blog:
Google is tightening the ring around low and average earning publishers and ignoring their interests because they know they have a very strong monopoly in the contextual ads market. Not only this will decrease CTR, but it will also reduce the transparency of the ads, something that might get the ads to be even more annoying to publishers.
Allen.H
I wrote about this 2 days ago on my blog and I feel the same as the majority here, I can’t stand them. Although the referral suggestion by Darren would be interesting idea.
They haven’t started showing up on our site yet, but they will not blend as well as a ‘no image’ ad. Not a fan.
I am not a big fan of these new graphical google ads.
Yeah I wondered what was going on – we’ve got them as well. I guess its part of G branding efforts – to distinquish themselves from the competition – what competition? But not good for publishers – as it is G get free advertising by displaying the gooooo bit – this just gets more attention for G but distracts from the text ads. Also while I’m here – the advertisers are getting a free ride anyway by displaying their url below the ads. Publishers should get paid for display of url’s – as well as clicks!
Same on my ads, if ads background white its appear small google logo icon. For size 160×600 ad, with background more dark color, its appear white arrow.
[…] Yesterday we reported that AdSense were testing new ways of showing the ‘Ads by Goooogle’ links on their ad units. […]
I believe this move has little to do with benefiting advertisers/publishers and everything to do with benefiting Google. If it was about making the ad units more effective for publishers Google would permit us to turn it on or off same way it is permitted to modify colors, locations and sizes of the ads to maximize effectiveness.
There is no option for publishers to test this new “feature” because it is not for publishers. This is a way for Google to increase their brand awareness by getting a free ride on the back of paid advertisements to publisher websites. Google does not pay for the branding value received… and it is likely an enormous value.
It was mentioned that maybe the free links to Google should be made into affiliate links. Why affiliate links? I would see incredible irony in that. It would certainly be better than zero revenue from the Google links… but wouldn’t Google then be endorsing an ad model which is not part of Adsense? Adsense is a CPC network… it only seems suitable that Google ads distributed via the Adsense network be CPC, no different than how all the other advertisers pay.
I agree; it seems to be against what they are all about. I would be interested to see if the click throughs are actually higher though.
Most of my blogs contain white backgrounds, simply because black on white is easier for the eye to read, so the white background is not a huge problem. The coloured Google logo however detracts from the blended advertising that most bloggers strive for. Whether or not this translates into less or more clicks is yet to be seen.
I’m going to get my blog off the ground and hopefully I can get Adsense feeds going! I can’t wait to test the water.
Jan from Unique Baby Gear Ideas and Nursery Decorating Tips
Personally, I prefer to blending the ads inside my site. I don’t want my visitors to think that I have advertisements.
Regards
http://www.yosax.com