Adsense CTR cut in half after switching to SSL

[dethfire]

After my migration to XF I switched to responsive adsense ads. They appears just about identical. However, since the switch my CTR has been cut in half and my revenue with it. It's extremely frustrating. I only have ads on thread pages because that is what gets the most views. Any suggestions?

Example
https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/autonomy-vs-the-obligation-to-conform-to-a-wider-community.743408/

 

[RandallC]

From what I understand it will bounce back up.

 

[dethfire]

From what I understand it will bounce back up.

All of a sudden people will start clicking again? I guess the bounce back theory makes sense for CPC, but why would CTR just randomly decide to bounce back?

 

[RandallC]

I have not touched adsense on my forum. But if you search around you will see others have had the problem and it comes back up. But someone else will chime in.

 

[Digital Doctor]

I find the placements of the ad weird.





Not to mention on my other monitor ... the ad covers up first post.


Admittedly it is a portrait monitor.


But ... the cutting off the post issue starts with a fairly small change in browser width.


See the C getting cut off ?

 

[dethfire]

See the C getting cut off ?

Very strange, not sure why the floating div is doing that. Maybe the responsive ad is quirky

 

[dethfire]

I find the placements of the ad weird.

Where would you put the ad?

 

[Digital Doctor]

Where would you put the ad?

The usual spots ?
Above the posts, below the Navbar location.


Demo: http://8wayrun.com/forums/new-player-arena.92/

Another spot I dont mind them is after the first post.

 

[Digital Doctor]

I don't mind this spot.

 

[Brent W]

Could be because of less relevant ads due to going to SSL: http://www.admin-talk.com/threads/going-to-https-could-impact-your-adsense-earnings.51235/

 

[FredC]

After my migration to XF I switched to responsive adsense ads. They appears just about identical. However, since the switch my CTR has been cut in half and my revenue with it. It's extremely frustrating. I only have ads on thread pages because that is what gets the most views. Any suggestions?

Example
https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/autonomy-vs-the-obligation-to-conform-to-a-wider-community.743408/

Install this and add your ad code (inside first post location) (preferably responsive ad code) and watch your CTR increase possibly even better then before it went south in the first place.. https://xenforo.com/community/resources/digital-point-ad-positioning.232/

 

[dethfire]

Could be because of less relevant ads due to going to SSL: http://www.admin-talk.com/threads/going-to-https-could-impact-your-adsense-earnings.51235/

omg this is it, screw SSL. what the heck is the matter with google

 

[Brent W]

omg this is it, screw SSL. what the heck is the matter with google

I wouldn't go back to non SSL unless you are severely hurting. The more sites that continue to switch the more advertisers that will switch as well.

 

[rdn]

screw SSL

Instead enable SPDY

 

[dethfire]

Instead enable SPDY

yeah well I'm running apache 2.4

anyway, I'm switching back to http. the money lost is not worth a tiny ranking boost

 

[rdn]

anyway, I'm switching back to http. the money lost is not worth a tiny ranking boost

If you already set 301 redirect to https, sadly old visitors will still be force to view the https version.

 

[Mike Edge]

Yeah, if you been using SSL for more then a few hours, your pretty much forced to take a 2-3 month revenue loss.. It will pick back up..

 

[dethfire]

Yeah, if you been using SSL for more then a few hours, your pretty much forced to take a 2-3 month revenue loss.. It will pick back up..

Why can't I just redirect back to http?

 

[Mike Edge]

Why can't I just redirect back to http?

301 redirects will already have TTL cached to the redirect and will continue to use it on that member until they either hard delete cache or TTL expires, also all indexs will be SSL until your crawled again after the change. SSL is the way to go in this day and age. I won't use any forum not SSL due to the security risks that increase daily not having personal info, even just your e-mail address not encrypted.

 

[Brent W]

IMO you will do more harm switching back now than sticking with it for a few months while your advertisers realize they are losing exposure due to them not being SSL.