Who Uses Interest-Based Ads and What's Your Verdict So Far?

1. 61

   Fiction Tellerposted 15 years ago

   Interest-based advertising (https://www.google.com/adsense/support/ … wer=113771) on AdSense began launching this spring and is still relatively new.  After trying it a bit and weighing the pros and cons, I opted out and am using context-based ads instead.  But I'm probably going to turn it back on for a spell to compare results.
   
   So, fellow Hubbers...have you been using interest-based ads on your AdSense account?  If so, what have you learned? Do you like it?
   
   If you don't know whether you're using it, you probably are, since it's the default for most (U.S.) accounts.  Check in your account settings:
   https://www.google.com/adsense/account-settings
   
   As for my take, I think the best potential for these types of ads lies in content that doesn't monetize easily, such as fiction, poetry, op-ed pieces, etc.  So I wish we could opt for interest-based ads on some pages, but context-based ads on others.  But I don't think there's enough advertiser competition for that yet.
   
   Note:  Opting out of the double-dart cookie from the user end is different from opting out of interest-based advertising from the publisher end.  The first means you don't have Google following YOU around wherever you browse with ads relevant to your past searches.  The second means your content pages don't display ads targeted to your VISITORS' past searches.

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2. 61

   Fiction Tellerposted 15 years ago

   Also, Google says that interest-based advertising doesn't exactly replace all context-based advertising--it's just that if you opt in, interest-based ads now compete with context based ads on the page, driving up the bid prices.  They think this will mean higher earnings overall. 
   
   Complicating this is the fact that despite the April 8 deadline for putting in our privacy policy, the program was not rolled out at once...it's been gradual. Also it's the summer, a slow time for the Internet anyway.
   
   But as far as you can tell, what has your experience been?  Have you done any comparisons?

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3. 61

   Fiction Tellerposted 15 years ago

   No opinions yet?  No interest? 
   
   Or is it just a particularly sleepy Friday...?

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   1. 59

      Mark Knowlesposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      I have been using it by default. But I will give it 3 months before deciding whether to keep it or not.

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4. 0

   pgrundyposted 15 years ago

   Hmmm. According to my settings I'm using it by default as well. I did notice my ad revenue pick up starting this spring but I also added lots of new content so it's hard to say which it was. I'm just getting used to Google analytics and half the time I feel like I don't know what I'm doing at all with it--I don't feel it really gives me the feedback I'd like, but I'm too stupid to figure out how to set it up so I can learn what I want.
   
   I should be helping kids check out library books or something. I'm too old for all this crap.

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5. 61

   Fiction Tellerposted 15 years ago

   I wonder if anybody has done a small controlled study--one week on, one week off.  The problem for me has been lack of opportunity--as you say, pgrundy, when you add articles at the same time, it's confusing.  And with all the spring and summer holidays, weeks are qualitatively different from each other.  There might be other factors pushing income up or down.

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6. 61

   Fiction Tellerposted 15 years ago

   Thanks to those who replied....Anybody else have feedback on AdSense interest-based advertising vs. context-based?

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