Do you blend ads or make them stand out

Simple question really, do you blend your ads or make them stick out (like the top right of this page)

I personally blend them and my CTR is higher with them blended. What works for you.

This is a public vote and people can see what you voted.

Greg

 

Both (should add both as an option)

Many times I'll blend in two of the ads and then have one that stands out near the bottom of the page.

 

Blend on my e-commerce sites, make them stick out on my AdsSense sites.

So both

 

Well, I am still starting to use Adsense. But I do blend the Adsense with my sites.

 

nice idea lonecrow... smart.

 

"make them stick out on my AdsSense sites"

eh? you have sites just for adSense?

 

Actually, blending the Adsense on my site is the lesson I learn from this site... thanks to all of you.

 

Dam, I thought I'd missed an option. Good idea though of making one stand out near the bottom. Might try that.

 

I review allot of software in my day job and I realized that I of course should be saving the links and making 'review' sites out of them. So here is my experimental 'bookmarks2site' page with the blended/standout example.

http://www.lonecrow.net/roundup/daycare-software.asp

I think it would have a high CTR but I think using site thumbnails as the images is a tad to misleading for my taste. The thumbnails do related to sites on the page but...

btw: thanks again to that thread

 

There, I replaced the site thumbnails with other gifs.

 

I would make the images centered above each of the 4 ads in the unit

 

Hehe... I'm the 1

I like the ads to be prominent, while still looking like part of the site.

 

I'm the 2.

But would have voted 'both' if it was an option.

 

I tried haveing mine all standout, then when I tried blending it worked better, then when I blended em all it worked the best. On my site(s) it definately is a lot better, making them appear like non ads.... looking like content

 

Both. Depending on the site I'll make them blend or not. Each way can produce a great CTR

 

I think you should make them stand out the more you get to the bottom. The further their eyes go down the page the bigger the chance they loose focus and decide to bail out. That's when you need to step in and offer a clear relevant exit channel that pays YOU.

So, blended in first 3 paragraphs, standing out below the fold. In short, and generalized.

 

I have definately found that blending has more effective ctr. I sell a popular business product and have a far bit of traffic.

The one negative I have noticed with blending is I seem to get more complaints from customers. The nature of the complaints are actually about the garbage communication, service and quality they received from us. Customers always speak the loudest...we are very fast and courteous to remedy any fault in our workmanship.

The only problem is...'We did not supply you with this product sir/ madamme'

People actually click the banners thinking that they are still dealing with us. Geez, I even have 1 'poor' Alexa Rating from an irate/ dissatisfied customer who we 'screwed royally'...again it wasn't us.

I am curious if any other AS publishers have seen an increase in this type of bahavior after switching to a 'blended' look?

 

Both is the best way to go.

 

Wow, Homer, you must have done a really good blending job!

 

Interesting. One a few of my sites I have the adsense stand out from the content of the page. But when I check the poll most of the voters have their ads blend in the content..

My CTR us about 1%, is that okay or should I try to blend in the ads in the content to create a higher ctr?