How to best format your site for AdSense

Want to boost your AdSense earnings? Check out these 4 tips to get your site into the best shape to make money with AdSense.

When it comes to making money with Google AdSense, your site's layout is everything. You don't want your ads to dominate your content to the point that visitors can't see your content and leave before they are tempted to click on anything. But you don't want to place your ads in a subtle way to where they miss them either. That's why AdSense optimization is important for your website. Here are some top Google AdSense tips for doing so.

1. Create space for a leaderboard banner.

Nothing quite gets the attention of your site's visitors like a large graphic at the top of the page. For most sites that want to optimize their AdSense earnings, that’s a leaderboard banner at about 728 pixels wide by 90 pixels high. For some sites, it could be even larger.

What's great about the leaderboard banner is that it not only catches people's attention, but it's almost like a badge of respect for your site. Publications like Time magazine sometimes use large ads at the top of their site to monetize.

Other publications, like Entrepreneur, sometimes use standard leaderboard banners below their header.

Both will capture your visitor's attention right away while still allowing them to access your content quickly, making them both great options for generating AdSense revenue.

2. Have a sidebar for a rectangular or skyscraper banner.

The next Google AdSense tip is to have a sidebar (or two) allowing you to add additional banners to your website. You can choose from rectangular or skyscraper banners at set sizes, or choose responsive banners that will flow with the size of your visitor's display.

Separate from the benefits of AdSense optimization, your sidebar(s) can be used to display information about how visitors to your site can continue to follow you by email or via social networks. This will ensure that they return and have the opportunity to click on different ads.

3. Find a spot under your main header for link units.

Note that you can't use any trickery to make people think that your AdSense link units are navigation menus in order to get them to click. But link units under the main header of your content for blog and news sites usually blend in quite well, but still stick out enough if you use traditional link coloring, or link coloring that matches your site's theme.

4. Add a horizontal banner in the middle or end of your content.

There are two places you can put horizontal banners once your content has begun to catch your visitor's attention. If there is no reason for them to get to the end of the content (such as a discussion or comment box), then stick it in the middle of the content. It might catch them off guard and get you the click.

If you do have a site that gets a lot of engagement and discussion, plant it at the end. Preferably where the visitor ends up after their comment is posted, since that is the time they are most likely to leave your site anyway. Might as well give them a good place to go next.