In Internet marketing, it can feel like every new development means another site to profile, link to and include on the morning’s blog roll, tweet list or bookmark index. Google feels your pain. So they’ve created the Google Display Network to house all their updates and new tools related to their advertising.

The Google Display Network is an umbrella that covers every site that displays Google ads, from the company-owned YouTube, Blogger and Gmail to the more than 1,000,000 websites that exhibit Google ads.

Over the past year, Google has been working hard on creating new advertising opportunities for their AdWords, AdSense and DoubleClick AdExchange users, as well as adding new features and tools to their content network advertising. Now they’ve reorganized and sorted everything so you will be able to direct your ad placement from just one site, instead of going to multiple sites to set up ads.

You’ll notices changes to the AdWords interface that will enable you to select more sites to bid for ad space on, more ad format options, and targeting technology.

Google will be making the adjustment over the coming weeks, but to see more of what’s to come you can check out the Google Display Network website, at www.google.com/adwords/displaynetwork/.

The Google Display Network includes their mobile ads, which has recently found itself on the wrong side of Apple. While the marketing and advertising world waits to see what the next move is in Apple vs. Google: The Mobile War, one thing is for sure, it looks like Google’s summer is just getting started!

#1 – Are you using datafeeds? Datafeeds are proven to increase affiliate sales. A merchant datafeed is simple a spreadsheet-like file with data about products. It can include diagrams, specs, descriptions, links to photos, and even prices.

In a data feed, little codes – sometimes called tokens – correspond to each category of information. When you add these tokens to your web templates, the product information is inserted into your web page in the appropriate spot. So with a datafeed, your visitors see all the up-to-date information about a product fresh from the merchant, right on your landing page.

Naturally this makes your life much, much easier. Once you’ve set up a datafeed, you don’t need to update all this information by hand on your web pages. Just upload the current data feed and you’re done. If you have a choice, look for merchants that offer datafeeds. It may even be worth rebuilding your affiliate site – or creating a new one – to take advantage of datafeeds.

#1 – Are you using datafeeds?

#2 – Are you using optimal site layout and ad placements?

#3 – Do you use inline links?

#2 – Are you using optimal site layout and ad placements? While we can’t make sweeping generalization about site design – visitors in different niches will have different expectations – it’s clearly a good idea to put your most relevant, clickable content above the fold and in your visitor’s “sight line,” so they don’t simply skim over your affiliate links.

It’s also wise to avoid using graphics that are too big, distracting, or annoying. Top affiliates caution against page sizes that require your visitor to scroll back and forth, and up and down, to see all of your content. This is a basic usability issue. The more clicking and scrolling your visitor has to do, the harder they have to work to navigate your site – and the less likely you are to keep their attention long enough to put them in a buying mood.

If you show graphics of products, be sure to place descriptive text next to and around them. People tend to think of the graphic as an illustration of the text (think magazines and newspapers). So if the text elaborates on the benefits of the offer – for example, with a detailed review of the product – visitors feel they understand the offer better. And an informed visitor always feels more confident about making a purchase.

#3 – Do you use inline links? Embedding contextual links inside your pre-sales copy is proven to raise conversions. Instead of writing a review with links to the merchant site at the beginning or end, sprinkle a few inline (or in context) links throughout your copy.

If you’ve got a page that isn’t convverting, evaluate your copy with an eye to inserting strategically placed inline links. Ask yourself, where would a contextual link make the most sense to your visitor? Try to incorporate links that use both descriptive anchor text and product or company names.

By placing links in context, your visitor feels that the link is a much closer match for their interests. You establish a strong connection between the information on the page and the product you’re promoting. Clicking seems like the most natural and direct action for your prospect to take. And contextual links also make calls-to-action like “click here,” “buy this product now,” or “order now” seem much more natural – it’s another obvious opportunity to click.

In addition, contextual links “pre-qualify” your visitors. They’ve already been given several opportunities to click from within your copy. If they’ve kept reading to the end, they’ve probably clicked at least once. If they’re engaged enough in your copy to keep reading, you’ve done an excellent job of building the credibility and rapport that makes pre-selling work so well. They’re bound to take a closer look – and make that purchase!

Google would love to see you become an AdSense multimillionaire. Why? That’s easy. The more money you make with your Google AdSense advertisements, the more money Google makes.

So, basically, with their own interest foremost in their mind, Google has designed some really helpful tools to help you optimize your AdSense income.

One of the AdSense optimization tools that Google supplies is what they call the Google “heat map”. The Google heat map shows you in living color the most effective placements of AdSense advertisements on your web pages.

You can see the Google heat map at:              http://www.google.com/support/adsense/bin/static.py?page=tips.html

Now, if your site is primarily a forum site or a blog site please take note:  The most effective placements of AdSense advertisements is different for your blog and forum pages that for your content pages. You can see the heat map for blog and forum pages at:

https://www.google.com/adsense/support/bin/answer.py?answer=43868

More is better but you should not fill your pages up with the highest number of ad units allowed.

What I mean by more is really ‘more often’.

Breaking up long articles or blocks of text into smaller segments and adding a ‘more’ link at the bottom of each section will allow you to add your AdSense advertisements to more pages on your website.

Every time the reader sees the AdSense advertisement is yet another opportunity for you to get a clickthrough.

So optimizing your AdSense advertisements really depends upon two things;

1. Placement and
2. Frequency

When you place your AdSense advertisements in the most optimal position on each page and increase the number of pages on your website, you will be on your way to making the most out of your Adsense advertising dollars – and making more income too!

First of all, although I have heard PLENTY of rumors regarding the Adsense Abitrage BANNING, I am yet to have even one student actually report that they received one of these e-mails.

I bring this up because ShoeMoney says the same thing – he hasn’t heard of anyone actually getting the notice.

Now, do “I” really do Adsense Arbitrage, the answer is yes and no. I only have a couple of Google Adword campaigns that take traffic to a page that has Adsense ads. I end up breaking even on these campaigns (maybe make a few bucks profit). But the best part is that I get a bunch of subscribers out of it, so in the end it is very profitable.

But, see here is the catch – my sites are GOOD sites with relevant content, they just have ads squeezed in them. So, no in the terms that it’s definitely NOT a “business strategy” for me, I think it’s silly to make it a business strategy (relying on the same source for traffic AND your income is not of interest to me).
So, I will agree with ShoeMoney when he says that people don’t really understand Google Arbitrage and what Google is trying to get rid of. Rather than focusing on Arbitrage, I personally believe that Google is just more interested in getting rid of “crap” sites.

“I’m guessing Google themselves is not going to ban themselves… because they buy traffic and then they sell it.”

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“Google is going after sites that are not converting well for their advertisers.” < - These would be "made-for-adsense" type of sites.

Apparently ShoeMoney also thinks it’s more of the same that Google has always been doing.

Here’s what he says:

YouTube – Adsense Arbitrage – Just The Facts!Also, if you’ve received such a notice, please leave a comment here, very interested to hearing from you.

I just read an interesting post that warned AdSense publishers that they will soon have their accounts disabled – as of June 1st to be exact! Even big accounts (those making $10,000 or more) have been notified that in two-weeks, their arbitrage accounts will be disabled.

I really can’t blame Google for taking this step. I was talking to a friend the other day who was doing some research and she just wasn’t getting anywhere because of all the garbage out there!

Thank goodness I’ve never concentrated on setting up “Made for AdSense” sites, mainly because I have a hard enough time managing my 10 Niche Affiliate sites. I’ve never really thought it was interesting enough to have thousands of five to ten page sites dedicated just to making money on AdSense.

That was, however, how a lot of people were making big money – both in marketing the sites and in selling “Made for AdSense” Templates. Now the good ole days are over!

The good news is that Google warned those who will be affected, so the advertisers won’t keep advertising and sending people to pages that can no longer sponsor ads. Current earnings will also be paid to those publishers who have received the “disable” warning.”

You can read Jen’s article yourself, for a more complete story. This is another good reason that you should never put all your eggs in one basket.

Hopefully, those doing arbitrage knew their cash windfall days were limited. I have a feeling it lasted longer than anyone thought it would – and now it’s time is up.