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Adsense Reports Webinar Today

I rad on Threadwatch that Jensense announced yesterday about an AdSense Reports webinar which just happened today featuring the AdSense Product Manager and open for attendees - up to 750. I was lucky to be able to hear about it this morning and fit it into my schedule, although I did miss the first 5-10 minutes.

When I joined the Webinar in progress there were 50 attendees and 1 host logged into the online Webinar page.  I think there would have been more had the word gotten out sooner this week.  There was an initial introduction to the new AdSense Publishers Reports, and then they took questions from any of the attendees until the 30 minutes was up.

I can't say I learned anything surprising, but I was glad to see some communication between Google and the publishers, since a common publisher complaint is the lack of communication from Google on AdSense, and the limited interaction for publishers to ask questions or make comments (other than e-mail AdSense and wait for a response).

I have a screenshot of the Webinar page and the online poll we were asked to fill out (and you'll see my comments there).

I wrote some notes on questions that were asked, and I will include a few examples here (although very much paraphrased from what was said as I don't have a transcript or anything). My apologies in advance to Rob from Google and the people below for any incomplete or over simplified responses.

For Question 1, Ryan asked "How can I see what pages are working best by channel"  He also asked how could he figure out whether the top/left ads vs. the bottom/right ads worked best. [Obviously for publishers with 2-3 separate ad units on 1 page.]

Answer:  Use tracking by URL or channels to find which ads work best.  Also Google is working on A/B testing for the future.

Question 2, Gary asked 'is there a way to find where your AdSense code is (or what pages they are on?)'  [I assume he meant for Publishers that have a number of sites and lots of pages to keep track of]

Answer: We don't report where the AdSense Ads are showing up....There are no publicly exposed data on where your code is showing up. Do a [local] site search for your Channel ID number in [your site's] HTML.

Question 3 - Bradley asked, 'I like to check stats alot and would it be possible to extend the Admin login cookie enable for longer than 30 minutes.'

Answer: A back end change is needed to do that, and it may cause report data to update slower than it does now [in order to make that change].

I hope Google does this again, and that we can have more chance to prepare to ask some harder questions, too!  From what Rob said, if today's participants say they benefitted from today's Webinar, and if we would like to see more, Google is planning to expand this program in the future.

My response to that is Yes and More, please!

New TOS Changes and AdSense Admin Changes

I got into my AdSense Admin today to a TOS update screen and you can read what changed in detail from WMW - Anyway, have to say "yes" to get access to your AdSense account, right?

I like the new interface - it's much cleaner/brighter, and the main page is simplified.  If you want the "old" look you just have to click on Advanced Report and you'll see it there.  Still looks a bit different with a softer blue and maybe a font change (?) but don't freak out over the change yet.  Well, unless you develop software that tracks Adsense earnings!

If you are interested in What Google has to say about the changes, you can click here for more information AdSense What's New - July 2005.

Better Adsense Stats Rolled Out

Never know until you either read the forums or log into your Google Admin area, but this afternoon Google rolled out some requested, new stat features.  One of the big things they accomplished is up-to-date stats for all channels, instead of the 2 day lag - hurray! That was something quite a few Adsense Addicts wanted and complained about.  Definitely makes tracking changes to ad pages faster.

Another feature is ad impressions versus page impressions.  If you have a page with 2 or more ad units, you can track the ad unit impressions separately from the complete page impression. 

Speaking of impressions, the Admin now uses eCPM not CPM - now called "effective" cost per 1000 impressions. Google glossary gives a description that sounds like CPM and doesn't clarify the effective part. Sounds like jargon to me, and trying to meet a technicality that covers how Google presents CPM data, errr, eCPM data.

Thanks for listening Google, and now we all have to whine about what we want next....since you apparently listen to us.

Google AdSense - What can you reveal?

In talking lately about stats, people stating their earnings publicly and even details like CTR and CPM, I thought I would check Google's TOS since it includes new information about what you can or cannot reveal.

You may not disclose Google Confidential information about the Adsense Program.  That includes pretty much anything they let you read/see as a publisher, and I assume that includes copy and pasting the TOS verbatim (says confidential info includes guidelines and documentation).  But I will paraphrase what you can reveal:

1. Your gross earnings - I assume that to mean what you made on a monthly basis.

2. information made public by some other party besides yourself or Google which includes:

a. Independly developed information without access to confidential Google info through you or Google.

b. Received from a 3rd party

c. Required to be disclosed by a government or law  - Doesn't say this, but I assume for example, revealing income for tax purposes.

BUT it specifically says, you may not reveal statistics or CTR provided to you by Google (unless that info is provided within the framework of what we list above).  As I understand the TOS, and what others have said (not always reliable), you can reveal statistics obtained thru a tracker software because it's an independent 3rd party source of information.  As always, if you are concerned about revealing your information, contact Google for clarification.