Can Someone Help Me With AdSense Channels?

[lennco]

I just started using AdSense a couple of weeks ago and I think I am using the channels wrong.

I thought when I created an Ad that when choosing the channels for that add was like choosing keywords. I just read something that tells me I might be wrong about that.

Are channels just there to name your ad placement?
Are they just for my benefit and not in anyway like a keyword to determine what Ads are displayed?

If that's the case why do they allow up to 5 channels in one Ad placement?
I have a site on social networking where I named some channels in one ad placement, MySpace and Facebook.

You may see I am pretty confused.

Can anyone explain this to me in layman's terms?
Thanks
Len

 

[enlytend]

Channels are mostly for reporting purposes, so you can see how certain ads are performing. They have nothing to do with setting keywords - Adsense ads are selected based upon the content of the page they are on.

 

[lennco]

Channels are mostly for reporting purposes, so you can see how certain ads are performing. They have nothing to do with setting keywords - Adsense ads are selected based upon the content of the page they are on.

Thanks for the reply.

Can you tell me why then they give you to 5 channels for each Ad placement?

Thats what is confusing me.

 

[mdamin76]

I've never used more than 1 channel for each ad placement, but I guess it have something to do with how advertisers can target their ads to be placed in related channel.

 

[WillCast]

Can you tell me why then they give you to 5 channels for each Ad placement?

Let's say you have two types of ads in your side bar and the same types of ads in your header. Let's call them Large Rectangle and Link's Box.

You set a channel for the large rectangle and one for the link's boxes.

Also, you set a channel for the header and one for the sidebar.

Now, you can check how every type of ads performs and its best position.

Based on that data you might decide to get ride of the large rectangle in the header and the link's unit in the sidebar, for instance.

They are mostly for reporting and decision making.

I hope it helps.

 

[RobinGupta.Com]

Mate ... there are two kind of channels -

# URL Based Channels
# Custom Channels

# URL Based Channels - Used to give details about your particular sites earning. You will be able to see which website is giving you maximum revenue and which one is not.

# Custom Channels - This one will give details about which format is giving you more earning. You can give it a name for your requirment like - wensite name + format of your adsense.

In this way you will get a clear idea about which website and which format is making more revenue for you.

I hope this will help ... if you need any help please ask.

Regards ...

 

[WillCast]

I've seen most people I know use channel only for ads formats.

I don't know why... I found channels very useful to track more than just format's performance...

Anyway, almost all my ads has at least 4 channels:

1 per the site. I.e. LawyerAdvice...
1 per the format. I.e. 468x60 300x250...
1 per the location. I.e. Header, Footer, Sidebar, Body...
1 per the type of unit: Ads or Link. I know it is a bit redundant but they makes my reporting a little bit easier.