Sundance

This post follows on directly from my Oxado post yesterday. Probably best to read that one first.

Overnight the news didn't change. My new Oxado ads seemed to have a lower click through rate (CTR), and a lower cost per click average. I went with Oxado because I was expecting a higher cost per click, and a higher click through rate. On their website is says:

• A better click-through rate, and a better payout.
• A very high revenue per click.
• The best payout in the industry!

I am not saying that this is not true over all or on average, and I am not accusing anyone of anything. But on my first day it wasn't true for my specific page, even when I factored in being paid in Euros not dollars.

Why could this be? I am determined not to throw in the towel and go back to adsense until I am sure Oxado is not a suitable replacement for me. On paper it should be better...thousands of advertisers, stacks of formats, Euro payout...

I think maybe I had been too greedy. I had chosen big thick banners in three places across the page. The banners were the Oxado 468X140 kind. I don't, with hindsight, think this is a good format. It is too fussy and as it is double decker the ads are pushed too close to each other and look messy.

I changed back to something more similar to the old google ones - 468X60. These are single decker ad blocks which look neater and less fussy. Importantly they have feature that I like: they scroll...so as you watch your page the ads rotate, catching the eye of every viewer, at least until the novelty wears off. Will it make a difference? Look out for a post over the next 24 or 48 hours where I will tell all.

I should just add that due to the Oxado terms and conditions, and my paranoia, I have not linked to the page or indeed the site where my Oxado ads are. This site, sundanc-solutions.com, is not monetarised with Oxado. If you want to learn more about Oxado, and I think they have a lot going for them, then look here.