Better without 4 image trick?

you may of seen the 4 images above the 4 ads appearing as if the link matches the image in the past
is the 4 images trick a disadvantage now that google offers 1 2 3 or 4 ads instead of the original 4

is it worth scrapping the 4
image trick?

anyone got anf stats or facts?

 

It's a fact that it looks pretty tacky.

 

hxxp://seoblackhat.com/mesothelioma/

blatant use of the 4 image trick...

 

I don't think it makes much difference. But who knows

 

Might look tacky BUT it really does work...even if all it does is grab attention.

 

I've tested it and it does work. I don't care for the looks of it though. It devotes too much space to the ads in my opinion.

 

I used this for couple of months and now I have scrapped it. I have dropped the ads, but kept the image as it enhance look of the site. After the droping, I haven't noticed any major change.

 

I've never used that image thing and my CTRs are huge

Don't see any use for them

 

it will depend on your readers. those that are blind to banners will ignore these pictures and any ads under it.

i will stick with blending into content

 

I guess it must vary depending on the type of site, source of visitors, placement of ads, colors, amount of text vs. images on the baseline page, and probably a dozen other factors I can't think of.

I see a measurable positive difference (usually about 30%) when I put images above the ads on my sites that are all text. Sites that have lots of graphics already on the page seem to gain little or no benefit.

And an adsense rep looked at my displays and okay'ed them so my opinion is that there is no TOS violation with it.

The only way to know the effect for sure is to test it for your specific site... and it's pretty easy to do.

 

LOL how random could those images get? Judge Judy and a hippie kid petting a goat?

 

I find this method is actually quite effective. Check this out, you will love it :

www. pixel2life .com

 

I don't see Adsense, only Chitika. Are you refering to images next to tutorials?

 

Oh, my bad, looks like the changed providers, but under SOTW / POTW used to be adsense, it is still there, but with another provider.

 

Images above ads are still very effective...

 

i still use them...don't think i will ever go back!

 

It's actually present - See the "Latest 20 Tutorials" section

 

Isnt this against the TOS??

 

No i believe if you look at the Sticky thread that Nintendo created at the top of the Google Adsense forum, in there you will see Google's response to the images beside Adsense.

i dont have time to look at the thread, but i am pretty sure that it mentions that you have to make sure there is a distinction between the images and the ads. (aka... a line, or border)

 

I just started using that trick on my page 10 minutes ago, it will be interesting to see how it goes...

http://www.g15forums.com

What do you think?