Apr 26 2008
Using placement targeting to sell specific ad spots to advertisers.
If there is one exceptional thing custom channels can do, it has to be that of Placement Targeting. Placement targeting by itself is a concept for advertisers. It allows you to specify specific ad placements on your site that advertisers can then choose to have their ad displayed. You thus make your site more attractive to advertisers by allowing them to specifically target these ad placements.
By using custom channels, you can specify which ad placements on your pages are up for placement targeting. Always put your most desirable and visible ad locations up for placement targeting. For example, you might want a separate channel for your homepage top leader board, thus making it a premium space for advertisers. As more advertisers bid for this space, the value of your ‘prime’ ad spots will eventually go up.
To set up placement targeting, you need to use custom channels. In our example, create a separate channel
for the front page leader board. Then, go to Adsense Setup > Channels and edit the leader board channel.
Now click on the checkbox marked Show this channel to advertisers as an ad placement and enter a description for your channel. The advertiser will see the geographical placement on the page (top, left etc) and location in your site (a specific sub-section or all inner pages etc). Be clear and descriptive when you are keying in channel specifications. Remember, what you type here has to impress the advertiser. Show advertisers only your top ad spots on your site. You are better off with contextual advertising for other spaces. [See how you can put your channel up for placement targeting by clicking the thumbnail on the right]
Together with ARC - Ad Review Center and Placement Targeting you can maximize your earnings from advertisers who are looking to advertise specifically on your site. You can track who is using placement targeting to advertise on your site by using the Ad Review Center. Remember two things here.
1. Tweaking custom channels to reflect as placements for advertisers will only work with those advertisers who are using placement targeting campaigns on your site. Other will use the broad based contextual targeting.
2. You won’t see instant improvements on incorporating placement targeting. It happens gradually.
And in case advertisers are not bidding on your placements or placing low bids for your placements - Google will serve higher paying contextual ads in your spots. [There is no way of exactly knowing how high your bids are going to be.] To see how your placement targets will be shown to advertisers click on the thumbnail on the right.
If you want to track the performance of your placement targeting on your site, remember you can always separate earnings from contextual targeting and earnings from placement targeting in your advanced reports.
Few pointers while making placement ad specific channels:
- Advertisers are interested in high visibility prime spots or package offers. So separate them accordingly. For example, a square box on your homepage should have a separate custom channel. And square boxes on all inner pages should have another channel and appear has a different option for advertisers.
- If your site is based on different topics, specify them in your channel descriptions. For example, All inner pages of your Latest Technology News section can come under once channel.
- Have clear and concise descriptions. An advertiser must be easily able to spot the the placement when he checks your site.
- Use a good amount of large formats. Google recommends the 300×250 Medium Rectangle as one of its best performing ad units. Many advertisers also use this format for creating rich media image and video campaigns.
- Enable text and image ads for your placement units giving advertisers more options and therefore resulting in an increased competition for your ad space.
Note: Google renamed site targeting to placement targeting in November last year. They also activated CPC campaigns for placement targeting in addition to CPM.