Funny thing the way adsense works. I have two sites running with adsense. The stupid thing is when one makes more in a day, the other makes less. This always swaps too. Sometimes the other one will make a better result in one day, but now the others' profit went rock bottom. Here's my real problem. I own echoarcade.com. It's a powerful site. Lot of traffic it averages at 1600UV a day, but sometimes reaches over 2000. This site is hot. There's even about 50 people a day searching in google using the keyword "Echo Arcade". I spent a lot of time getting it stable with traffic but it isn't helping my adsense. I know that arcades have horrible CTR and what not, but this is too horrible. I've optimized adsense and tried anything to bring the profit up. With 1600UV a day would you believe that I only make between $1 to $3 a day? What method am I totally missing here? Is there something everyone knows that I may have missed because with this amount of traffic, I expect a lot more from adsense.
What is your ad placement like? Are you using a leaderboard or what? Do your ads blend in? With 1,600 daily uniques you should be earning at least $10/day.
From looking at your main page (http://echoarcade.com/), you are only using 1 ad unit (at top of page) and 1 link unit (on right side of page). You can be using a max of 3 ad units and 3 link units on a page. Also, your ad unit has black colored links, you should make them blue (color of normal links on the internet). You should try using a skyscraper ad on the right side of your page (120x600, etc.), those have been shown to work well. Also you should try adding an Adsense ad at the bottom of your page or in the middle of your page (which would be the best). You could try a square or rectangle ad for these locations. I have a blog where I provide Google Adsense tips if you want to learn additional Adsense strategies to increase the money you can make on your website: http://dailygoogleadsensetip.blogspot.com/
Have you ever tried to change the position of the leader board ad? I would try to place the leader board under the Welcome title (in the content area) and blend it (i.e. white background and borders, and use same font color for the text and color for title same as your link colors). This is the only thing that comes in my head at this moment, worth giving it a try.
my estimations would be arount 16$ day for all those visits i've checked your ads... and you really have to improve that. dude, you've got 1 adsense for search and one link unit. you have to add adsense for content, one on top of main content [main page] and probably 2-3 between posts also, add a vertical skyscraper on the right side try doing that, and you'll surely see a boost in your income.
I looked your site and found ur ads placement is very bad, if you wana earn 10 plus $ / day you must have to use all options as you can place 3 ad units + 3 link units + 2 search boxes at the same page so use them all. More your top Ad is too much up bring it below where games listings starts. And regarding search boxes use box layout and put google name in button and write Search text upper the search box and remove your own search box. I hope this will improve your click rate.
In my opinion I think the link unit is work than others Because the links unit will have just only the subject, then visitor will understand that if they click, they may see useful information, then theu click
Wow, on a second look, you guys got a lot of good points. The standard google placements for this script are extremely awful, so I did change it a lot. It must've been so horrible, I thought this was enough of a change but I guess it still needs more help. I'll change a lot of what you all mentioned, then let you guys know how it works out.
Yes, arcade site pays horribly low. Not only they have low CTR, they have low CPC too.. Try to blend your ads well and use small ad boxes..
Yep, arcade sites pay crappy from what I've heard. Why not start a section on colleges that offer game design? Anything that has to do with colleges and online learning usually earn 1-2 dollars per click. Hope this helps
There, I've done what I can, I think. The only thing that worries me is the footer link unit may be breaking the rules for google because it's blending a little too much. Or am I wrong?
Don't use Adsense, it just sucks. Make an advertise page on your site or run advertising here on DP on the link sells or advertise forum. Sell banners and text link ads directly and you will make a fortune. You could do button ads for $100 each, if not more.
Selling ads and links is too unreliable and it's hard to sell. I've tried selling sitewide links for even as low as $3 a month on this Pr4 high trafficed site. They still don't sell.
ok, there's certainly an improvement from what i see there. ads on top of content are really well. you should change the module's title from the right part [big skyscraper] from "Ads" to "Support Us" and you could try to add ads between posts, or on the bottom of your content too that should do it. don't sell links for 3$ per month when you could earn 3$/day with good ad placement
Are you allowed to put support us at the top. Isn't there a rule that says you can't show that you want people to click the ads? The adsense is doing better. Its hard to tell because On Sunday, the totals never are the same and are difficult to track, but it is definatly doing better.
Keep playing with ad placement and perhaps a color change as well. I find the blue color of your adsense ads boring, but that just may be me - I mess with color all the time. You might also want to place an affiliate advertisment (clickbank or commission junction, etc) using a small banner ad between the game lists on the right side. Keep adsense, but a game affiliate or ringtone affiliate or ?? seem right for an arcade. I use a rotating banner script to test various affiliates on one page. More info on getting a free banner rotator script can be found at this thread: http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=530164 And finally, make a change ,wait a few days and see what effect it has, then make another change. A little patience will allow you to keep track of your changes and go back to an older style if a new change make things worse...