Google’s explanation about Ford Explorer ads showing up on numerous sites with no automotive-related content said it’s all about the impressions.
Relax. Quit complaining. Ford Explorer ads on your extremist political blog are a good thing. Google explained on its AdSense blog that site targeting had come into play, giving you a much more valuable ad than the normal context-targeted ads you’re used to seeing.
Google posted a refresher on how site targeting works, in an effort to clear up the misconceptions about those Explorer ads:
Using site targeting, AdWords advertisers can enter their CPM (cost-per-thousand impressions) ad directly into their site’s ad auction. That CPM ad will compete against the CPC (cost-per-click) ads in the auction — and if it wins, it will run in place of the CPC ads that would have otherwise appeared. As an AdSense publisher, you get paid for each impression on that ad, rather than for each click.
Site targeting also means more money for you. Period. If a site-targeted ad (text or image) appears on your site, it means that that ad is paying you more than any CPC ad that would appear in that ad unit.
For users who would prefer not to see those ads appear on their sites again, Google mentioned that the ad’s URL can be added to the competitive filter list. Goodbye ad, yes, but goodbye CPM profits too.
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David Utter is a staff writer for Murdok covering technology and business.
