Social Fridays: Track and measure the performance of your +page

Every Friday, we’re posting Google+ tips to help publishers make the most of all of the features and resources available. Be sure to check back each week for the latest in our educational Social Fridays series!

We know publishers love metrics, and so following on last week's look at Google+ Ripples, today we’ll show you how you can analyze the impact of your Google+ page with Social Reports in Google Analytics.

If you’re already using Analytics to measure traffic to and interaction with your pages, be sure to use Social Reports to analyze your social media efforts. The Social Sources report will show you the social networks that are driving traffic to your site or any specific page, and help you identify which content is popular across various networks. In addition, you can compare the time spent on your site by visitors coming from various networks to see where engagement is the highest.

Also be sure to visit the Social Sharing report to gain an understanding of which of your social media share buttons are being clicked and for which content. Analytics will automatically report the +1 activity you receive from visitors on your site, and other social plug-ins can be easily adapted to report to Analytics.

Give these reports a try to gain a better understanding of how your social efforts are impacting user engagement. Have you made any updates to your content or your +page after viewing these reports? Visit our AdSense +page to share your tips with other readers.

Now that you know how to monitor your success with Google+, tune in next week when we’ll share a publisher case study. Have a great weekend!

Posted by Arlene Lee - Inside AdSense Team

Mobile-friendly sites turn visitors into customers

(Cross posted to the Google Mobile Ads Blog) 

In this world of constant connectivity, consumers expect to find the information that they want, when they want it - especially when they’re on the go. We know that this applies to their web browsing experiences on mobile, so we took a deeper look at users’ expectations and reactions towards their site experiences on mobile. Most interestingly, 61% of people said that they’d quickly move onto another site if they didn’t find what they were looking for right away on a mobile site. The bottom line: Without a mobile-friendly site you’ll be driving users to your competition. In fact, 67% of users are more likely to buy from a mobile-friendly site, so if that site’s not yours, you’ll be missing out in a big way.

Discover these and more findings from, What Users Want Most From Mobile Sites Today, a study from Google (conducted by Sterling Research and SmithGeiger, independent market research firms). The report surveyed 1,088 US adult smartphone Internet users in July 2012.

The problem (and opportunity) is big...
While nearly 75% of users prefer a mobile-friendly site, 96% of consumers say they’ve encountered sites that were clearly not designed for mobile devices. This is both a big problem and a big opportunity for companies seeking to engage with mobile users.

Mobile-friendly sites turn users into customers
The fastest path to mobile customers is through a mobile-friendly site. If your site offers a great mobile experience, users are more likely to make a purchase.

• When they visited a mobile-friendly site, 74% of people say they’re more likely to return to that site in the future
• 67% of mobile users say that when they visit a mobile-friendly site, they’re more likely to buy a site’s product or service

Not having a mobile-friendly site helps your competitors
A great mobile site experience is becoming increasingly important, and users will keep looking for a mobile-friendly site until they find one that works for them. That means your competitors will benefit if your site falls down on the job (and vice versa).

• 61% of users said that if they didn’t find what they were looking for right away on a mobile site, they’d quickly move on to another site
• 79% of people who don’t like what they find on one site will go back and search for another site
• 50% of people said that even if they like a business, they will use them less often if the website isn't mobile-friendly

Non-mobile friendly sites can hurt a company’s reputation
It turns out that you can lose more than the sale with a bad mobile experience. A site that’s not designed for mobile can leave users feeling downright frustrated, and these negative reactions translate directly to the brands themselves.

• 48% of users say they feel frustrated and annoyed when they get to a site that’s not mobile-friendly
• 36% said they felt like they’ve wasted their time by visiting those sites
• 52% of users said that a bad mobile experience made them less likely to engage with a company
• 48% said that if a site didn’t work well on their smartphones, it made them feel like the company didn’t care about their business

Takeaways
While the research confirms what we already suspected -- that mobile users actively seek out and prefer to engage with mobile-friendly sites -- it’s a sobering reminder of just how quickly and deeply users attitudes about companies can be shaped by mobile site experiences. Having a great mobile site is no longer just about making a few more sales. It’s become a critical component of building strong brands, nurturing lasting customer relationships, and making mobile work for you.

To learn more about our study

• Click here and join our free webinar on September 26 at 1 p.m. EST  / 10 a.m. PST
• Get help on building a mobile-friendly site, visit howtogomo.com.

Posted by: Masha Fisch, Google Mobile Ads Marketing

Tips for creating high quality sites part 2

The goal of the Google Display Network is to provide valuable and relevant content for our users and advertisers. We’ve previously provided some tips for creating high quality sites for AdSense. To build on that, we’d like to share some more information about which types of sites and pages are best suited for monetization.

Pages should provide originality and added value
The Google Webmaster Guidelines highlight the importance of providing original content that sets your site apart, but this is only one component of creating a high quality website. Our guidelines also recommend, for example, that you do not use doorway pages and doorway domains, pages with little to no content, or pages optimized for specific keywords or phrases.

Strive for well-organized and information-rich content
Providing original content is only one component of creating a high quality website. The content should also be informative and organized in a manner that is easy for users to navigate.

Here is a short - but not exhaustive - list of things you may want to keep in mind:

• Focus on topics you’re knowledgeable and enthusiastic about.
• Avoid duplicating the same content on several pages or producing overlapping or redundant content.
• Focus on engaging the user (i.e., providing an interactive experience with relevant information based on user interests) rather than generating content in the attempt to trick our bots, for instance with irrelevant high-paying keywords.

The organization and navigational structure of your site are also important, as users should be able to easily navigate through your pages and find the information or service they’re seeking. In addition, there should always be a good balance between the ad implementation and the content of your page. Ads should be an additional resource for users, enriching the value of the page and not be overwhelming or more prominent than the content itself.

Avoid placing ads on non-content-based pages
Sometimes websites that provide valuable content as a whole may have certain sections or pages that are not well-suited for monetization. This includes pages that users visit before potentially exiting a domain, such as a page where users are shown a “thank you” message for their visit or purchase. Another example are 404 error pages where users are informed there is no content to be found at that given URL.

We hope you found this helpful. For more information about creating high quality content, check out Google Webmaster Guidelines, AdSense Program policies and the policy section of the AdSense Help Center.

Our best suggestion is to follow what we at Google still maintain as our core principle: “Focus on the users and all else will follow.”

Posted by Francesco Angeli, AdSense Policy team

Social Fridays: See how your content was shared on Google+

Every Friday, we’re posting Google+ tips to help publishers make the most of all of the features and resources available. Be sure to check back each week for the latest in our educational Social Fridays series!

Since we started 4 weeks ago, we’ve walked you through placing the +1 button on your pages, creating and verifying your Google+ page, and adding the Google+ badge to your site. You’ve completed the main steps for getting set up on Google+ and are posting regularly -- but do you know how your content is spreading? In today’s Social Fridays post, we’ll show you how to find this information using Google+ Ripples.

With Ripples, you can now see how your public content was reshared over time on Google+, and what users were saying about it. To try it out, just find a public post and select ‘View Ripples’ from the drop-down menu in the upper right-hand corner of the post. You’ll see a number of circles that each correspond to a user that has reshared your content, and inside the circle you’ll see the people who have reshared the link from that person (and so on). Circles are roughly sized based on the relative influence of that person -- so the larger a person’s circle is, the more reshares have resulted from their original reshare.

You can also see who has been discussing your content on Google+, even if they didn’t reshare your original post. Circles on the Ripples page that aren’t connected to other circles represent individuals who have independently shared your content. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to play an animated version of the visualization that shows how your link was shared over time. You can also see a line graph that illustrates activity on the post.

With this information, you can identify key influencers or top contributors in your community who are helping to get the word out about your content -- whether or not it was reshared directly from your +page. You might want to reach out to these engaged individuals to ask for their feedback about your content, or even set up a Hangout to talk in more detail with them.

Give Ripples a try today, and see how some of your recent content has been publicly reshared. For more information, watch this video:


 
Want more reports and metrics? Be sure to join us here again next Friday, when we’ll walk you through the reporting tools you can use to track the performance of your +page. Until then, let us know on our AdSense +page if you’ve found any interesting insights via Ripples.

Posted by Arlene Lee - Inside AdSense Team

PubTalk: Katie and Gene Hamilton share how AdSense lets them be creative

AdSense let Phillip Martin become a full time artist and Todd Sarouhan write about and travel to Costa Rica.

Meet Katie and Gene Hamilton, the creators of diyornot.com. AdSense lets them be creative on their website and run their newspaper column from home. Watch this video to hear their AdSense story and keep an eye out for more publisher stories.


Tell us your AdSense story to get featured in future posts. Complete the sentence "Because of Google AdSense..." and send it to pubstories@google.com along with a photograph of what Google AdSense has given you. Be sure to include your publisher ID and main website URL. Please note we won't be able to respond to all submissions. We’re looking forward to reading your responses!

This post is part of the PubTalk series of conversations with Publishers

Posted by Julia Eckstein - Inside AdSense Team

October AdSense in Your City Events in North America

The AdSense in Your City team will be back on the road this October, check out our travel schedule to see if we’ll be coming to a city near you. Our team works with publishers in person to identify new revenue opportunities and best practices for growing with AdSense. Each free event includes presentations on optimization tips, using DoubleClick for Publishers Small Business, and going mobile. Publishers who attend also receive a one-on-one site review with a member of the AdSense team, who will identify the best opportunities for your site.

If you’d like to attend one of our upcoming events, fill out this form and we’ll send out event confirmation details two weeks before your event. Space is limited, so sign up quickly.

Orlando, FL: Tuesday, October 9 Jacksonville, FL: Wednesday, October 10 Phoenix, AZ: Wednesday, October 17

Las Vegas, NV: Thursday, October 18 Montreal, QC: Tuesday, October 23 Richmond, VA: Wednesday, October 24

Posted by Anitra Appa, AdSense in Your City Team

Fall exclusives from Google Affiliate Network

Boost your revenue this fall with Google Affiliate Network. Over 40 promotions from U.S. advertisers will be available exclusively to Google Affiliate Network publishers from September 21st to September 24th. Post an exclusive promotion on your site and earn a performance fee when users click through and make a purchase.

Follow these steps to get started:

1. Apply to join Google Affiliate Network with your AdSense Publisher ID (or sign in if you're already a Google Affiliate Network publisher).
2. Once approved, review the available promotions and click "Apply Link" for each one that you wish to promote.

When can I post these promotions on my site?
All promotions will go live at 12 am Central Time on September 21st, and expire at 11:59 pm Central Time on September 24th. You can find the promotions in your Google Affiliate Network Home tab or by searching for “September Exclusive” in the Links tab.

For additional questions, check out the Help Center or contact us.

Posted by Erica Sievert, Google Affiliate Network team

Join us on Google+ for DoubleClick for Publishers (DFP) Small Business week!

We hosted our first DoubleClick for Publishers (DFP) Small Business Hangout On Air a couple months ago, and we heard you loud and clear - you want more tips and tricks to maximize your AdSense revenue through DFP Small Business. This week we’ll be hosting our first week dedicated to DFP Small Business performance suggestions, so if you’re not already following AdSense on Google+ there’s no better time to add us to your circles.

We'll cover a different topic each day so join in daily for a full introduction to DFP Small Business, or pick and choose the events most interesting to you. Ask any questions in the comments or live and we'll answer them daily at 11am PT (2pm ET) from a Hangout on Air hosted on our AdSense +page. Here's the full lineup:

• Monday September, 17th: Should I be using DFP Small Business?
• Tuesday September, 18th: Dynamic Allocation I: Enabling ad units for AdSense
• Wednesday September, 19th: Dynamic Allocation II: Priority levels
• Thursday September, 20th: Setting and calculating your CPM Rate
• Friday September, 21st: Introduction to targeting

If you’re interested in joining our live Hangout On Air, visit our +page a little before 11am PT and look for the link. Looking forward to hanging out soon!

Posted by Jason Sanio - Inside AdSense team

Social Fridays: Gain visibility by verifying your Google+ page

Every Friday, we’re posting Google+ tips to help publishers make the most of all of the features and resources available. Be sure to check back each week for the latest in our educational Social Fridays series!

Now that you’re regularly posting content to your Google+ page and using features like Hangouts, we’ll move on to the importance of verifying your +page.

What does it mean to verify a +page?

Verifying your +page confirms that the +page actually belongs to you. Once your +page is verified, it’ll appear with a checkmark designed to help our users find what they’re looking for.

Why should I verify my +page?

Not only does verification help users confirm the authenticity of your +page, but it also brings you a major benefit only available to verified +pages. Verified +pages that are popular and engaging may appear on the right side of relevant Google.com search results, for users who are logged in. This is designed to help users find the relevant content they’re looking for, and may increase the visibility of relevant +pages. Please keep in mind that to be eligible, the +page also needs to be active with a meaningful number of followers and regularly-updated content.

How do I verify my +page?

Follow these three steps:

1. Link your +page to your website: Fill out the ‘About’ section of your Google+ page, being sure to enter your site’s top-level URL.
2. Link your website to your +page: Add a Google+ badge or code snippet to your site, which lets us know that the site is associated with your +page. We recommend using the Google+ badge, as it can help you attract additional followers -- for top publishers, adding the Google+ badge helped drive a 38% increase in followers. You can select the size of the +badge for your pages, and with some of the larger sizes, users will be able to add your +page to their circles without leaving your site.
3. Post actively to your +page and gain a meaningful number of followers.
4. Complete our verification request form.

As you complete the verification process, be sure to continue posting regularly to your +page to engage with your users. To help attract followers to your pages we also recommend promoting your +page on other relevant sites or blogs you own, as well as other social destinations. You can also place an author tag on your online materials, which means your authorized photo and name appear next to search results for content you’ve created.

Enjoy your weekend, and we’ll see you back here next Friday when we’ll show you a feature that allows you to track how your content spreads on Google+.

Posted by Arlene Lee - Inside AdSense Team

PubTalk: Todd Sarouhan shares his AdSense story

AdSense gives publishers freedom. It lets publishers like Phillip Martin follow their passions and allows others to enjoy free time, be creative, and earn a living.  Each AdSense publisher has a story.

During our Google+ Hangout, publishers shared the value they find in using Google AdSense.

In this video, meet Todd Sarouhan, the creator of GoVisitCostaRica.com. AdSense lets him write about and travel to Costa Rica, a place he knows and loves.

Check our blog and AdSense +page to meet more AdSense publishers.



Tell us your AdSense story to get featured in future posts. Complete the sentence "Because of Google AdSense..." and send it to pubstories@google.com along with a photograph of what Google AdSense has given you. Be sure to include your publisher ID and main website URL. Please note we won't be able to respond to all submissions. We’re looking forward to reading your responses!

This post is part of the PubTalk series of conversations with Publishers

Posted by Julia Eckstein - Inside AdSense Team

Social Fridays: Use images to deliver a richer experience

TGIF, it’s time for our next Social Fridays post! This weekly series will take you through best practices and tips to help you make the most of Google+ for your site.

As you’ve been posting new content to your +page and perhaps using the Google+ mobile app, you may have noticed that Google+ is quite a visual platform. The Financial Times has found that images and videos have the highest engagement on their +page, and we’ve heard similar comments from other publishers. Today we’ll share a tip on how to make the most of the visual nature of the platform to help increase interaction with your content.

To post a link to an article or page of your site, you may currently be using the ‘Attach link’ option on your +page and pasting in the URL of the article. When you post this way, a small thumbnail of an image from that article will appear next to a text preview, or a relevant icon. You then have the option to post additional comments above the content before you share it.

From time to time, instead of simply attaching the link, try posting the image from the article as the main content on your +page. Then, in the comment field above, enter the description with a shortened link to the full content. This allows users to see a larger version of the image from the article and can draw them in, while the shortened link above the image directs them to the article on your site for the full content.

Here’s a side-by-side comparison of how these two approaches would look while drafting a post for your +page:

Link as attachment 

Image as attachment 

Give this technique a try for some of your posts, and see how it can help you build a richer experience on your +page. Have you found success with posting images, or do you have other tips for +pages to share? Leave a comment on our AdSense +page and discuss your experiences with other publishers.

Tune in again next week, when we’ll discuss verifying your +page. In the meantime, feel free to head over to our AdSense +page to share your thoughts about today’s content with other readers.

Posted by Arlene Lee - Inside AdSense Team

PubTalk: Publishers choose Google AdSense because...

Why do publishers choose Google AdSense? In the past, we’ve heard from businesses like Concertboom and AlloExpat.com about how AdSense helped them grow their businesses and expand their audiences.
In a recent Google+ Hangout with publishers, we asked simplyadditions.com’s Voitek Klimczyk, txantiquemall.com’s David and Jan Moncrief, and diyornot.com’s Katie and Gene Hamilton why they started using AdSense and why they’re still with us. Their response? AdSense makes it easier for these publishers to do what they love.

Watch this video to hear more and keep an eye out for more publisher stories on our blog and AdSense +page.

Did you miss our previous PubTalk posts? See what these and other publishers have to say about ad sizes and placements, adding ad units, and testing colors in our optimization tip videos from the same Hangout.

This post is part of the PubTalk series of conversations with Publishers

Posted by Julia Eckstein - Inside AdSense Team