Loren Baker has a useful post over at Search Engine Journal that discusses the possibility of rotating AdSense and Google "Related Links" in and out on various spots on your web site. The idea is to attract users to the useful content that can come with related links and to use that attraction to make them more likely to click on the AdSense ads when they happen to be what's running. While it sounds like a good idea in theory, Loren goes on to point out a few reasons why you might want to think twice before revamping your site.

From his post:

Ideally, I would not suggest rotating Google AdSense with Related Links if the goal of your site, or that juicy space you serve your contextual advertising in, is to earn revenue. If banner blindness is a problem and you've noticed a drop in AdSense revenue, then you may want to try rotating with alternatives such as Yahoo Publisher Network, AdBrite or Fastclick display ads and track their effectiveness.

If, however, you are using Google Related Links on your site as a way to suggest relevant information to your users and from time to time want to replace that space with AdSense, it's not a bad idea. Especially since the AdSense TOS allows for up to 3 Google AdSense Contextual Ad Boxes on one web page, which can be seen as overdoing it from time to time.






About the Author

Jennifer Laycock is the Editor of Search Engine Guide, an educational web site aimed at translating the search marketing world into something that small business owners can understand. Jennifer specializes in common sense search engine marketing, viral marketing and customer outreach via social media and blogs. A former search marketing consultant and in-house trainer, Jennifer’s clients have included companies like Verizon, American Greetings and Highlights for Children. Her primary clients now are a little girl named Elnora and a little boy named Emmitt.

Jennifer Laycock is the Editor of Search Engine Guide, an educational web site aimed at translating the search marketing world into something that small business owners can understand. Jennifer specializes in common sense search engine marketing, viral marketing and customer outreach via social media and blogs. A former search marketing consultant and in-house trainer, Jennifer’s clients have included companies like Verizon, American Greetings and Highlights for Children. Her primary clients now are a little girl named Elnora and a little boy named Emmitt.