Site completed, now... add layout

10 days ago I posted this link:
http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=73131
and had some great feedback regarding the layout of my site, banner, colors, etc. I've since launched my site and have had some steadily increasing traffic. Does anyone have time to provide me with some feedback on my add layout?

Thanks once again for your time.

 

The ad layout is not the best, only one ad unit on the left sidebar will not be the most efficient.

You are not using AdLink unit.

You should look at this post and try implement the advices, then ask again here when you've done so, it's good advice:
http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=76185

 

I assume you are talking about this site: www.thetoolsmith.com

Ok firstly on your homepage I would make it so your Google Links blend better. I'd remove the "Sponsored Links" from about the link unit, and if possible I'd make it so that all the other category titles where underlined like "Ads by Google" is. Secondly if posible I'd also indent the links of each category in your nav bar by a space so they again look like your Google Links. Thirdly on your actual content pages you seem have dropped the Links Unit and place a skyscraper - this is well and good but I personally wouldn't completely remove the links unit - I have found them in the past to be the best money earners. If you really don't want them in your nav bar on content pages maybe thinking about placing them as a 728x15 horizontal nav bar under your page header. Just make the back ground the same green as your header and then place it below - I think you would find that really effective.

I hope you find the suggestions useful.

 

Great advice...as always! Ok so here's what I did:

1. Using AdLink units
2. removed the "Sponsored Links" heading
3. matched the font size to the AdLinks
4. indented the links in each category to match AdLinks
5. propagated these changes to all my pages

I still need to underline my headers but it's getting late.

Thanks again!

 

Looks great - the best thing to do is work off trial and error - you should have channels set up to test such changes as the ones you have made. Though if your site is new and not getting a lot of traffic I suggest making the trial time over a longer period like say a week or so. Also I recommend placing a Ad Unit somewhere - if not in your nav bar at the top of each page maybe you could place a leaderboard (728 x 90) though it might not fit with your layout is the user is on a 800 x 600 resolution setting. So instead maybe opting for a 468 x 60 at the top and placing an Ad Block down the bottom when users have finished reading you article and are looking for more information. I think those two suggestions would make a fair bit of difference - as blending your ads in with actual content always seems to work well for me.

 

Don't spend too much time bothering with placements. Spend it adding more content instead. Ad optimization means little without the traffic, and there won't be traffic without content.

Good luck.

 

Definitely some advice worth taking on board. There is only so much time you can invest in this stuff - I think if you are spending much more than 24 hours focussing on the placement and blending of your adsense on your sites then its probably too much time invested (I'd understand investing more time when you site is developed and has loads of traffice - because then a 40% increase in CTR will make a difference)