Our templates are all designed with advert placement and integration in mind. This means that the adverts are placed in highly visible areas of the page, which tend to offer high click through rates (CTR). Likewise, the adverts are integrated in terms of size and colour since this usually has a positive effect on CTR. However, every proxy has different traffic sources and referrals, so it is important to constantly review your proxy sites performance.
It is easy to change templates, and this can be an easy way to monitor the impact of advert placement on your earnings. Our templates offer a range of layouts and advert placements, so it easy to try something new with absolutely no complex coding required. Generally speaking, it is easier to simply change template than it is to move adverts around on an existing template.
The general consensus is that adverts will always work best if they are placed above the fold (so they are viewable without scrolling). With proxies in particular, link units are popular around the URL box. This is the one area which a user is guaranteed to look at, so ads there make sense. By placing the URL box lower on the page, adverts can be placed above. Adverts underneath the URL box (other than link units) are likely to be ignored (or fall beneath the fold), so this is the best place for link exchanges or link sales. Some webmasters feel that ‘less is more’ in terms of adverts. The argument is that fewer adverts mean that a user is more likely to focus on the few that are displayed. Speaking from experience this can definitely make a difference. The temptation is certainly to fill the page with adverts and hope that users will click somewhere. However, one or two well placed adverts will usually have a much more effective response.
Proxy webmasters often disagree on the extent of advert integration. Some webmasters feel that ads are more prominent if they are garish, or deliberately stand out. While this may be true, it doesn’t necessarily mean that users are more likely to click on them as they are more aware that they are adverts. This might sound obvious, but a surprising amount of ad clicking is done by users who don’t realise that they are clicking on an advert. This is particularly true with the link units, where users often presume that they are navigating the site using a menu. It is easy to change the integration of the ads if you want to see how it works for you. The easiest way is to change the colours so that they don’t match the rest of the site. Leave it for a few days, and see what results you get! The right contrast of colours will actually result in a well integrated advert, and it is usually this option that we go for. In our experience you simply cannot beat the CTR that well integrated adverts offer. This is because the whole site is ‘tied’ together, and the adverts seem more relevant to the content. However, as with all proxy optimization it’s really important to keep trying new things and to keep an open mind!