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I don't know about you, but I'm starting to get very peeved off by the new AdSense. While I love the concept and all, I do NOT like the idea of having untargeted ads. I could easily get a LOT more from other ad networks and agencies than I am getting from AdSense, but I am opting to use AdSense simply because the ads are on target. Is there anyway that we can convince Google to do away with the idea of non on topic ads - and stop trying to be like all the other ad agencies out there. After all, on topic only is what makes AdSense better ;)

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and raised the right frustrations: when a contextual network starts showing creatives that don’t match a page, it’s not just annoying — it can cut income and damage user trust. Two distinct ad-sourcing paths explain the mismatch: contextual ads chosen from the page text, and display/placement buys where an advertiser pays to appear on a site or set of sites regardless of the page keywords. Identifying which is running on your pages is the first step to fixing it.

Start by auditing a representative sample of pages that show irrelevant creatives. Capture the ad destination (copy the ad link or note the landing domain) to see whether it’s a site-targeted campaign or a contextual buy. Create separate placement identifiers or tracking channels for each slot (or at least for the problem pages) so you can measure CTR, RPM and fill rate per placement. Use those metrics to decide: block repeat offenders with your account controls, remove low-performing slots, or convert them to direct-sold sponsorships. When you sell directly, set a minimum CPM and use an expiration or rotation so you’re not forced into low-value network fills.

A/B test changes rather than sweeping edits. Blocking too much inventory will lower fill and may cause the system to serve even less-relevant fallback creatives. If contextual relevance is the priority, favor direct deals or ad partners that explicitly guarantee contextual targeting. If the problem affects many pages or sites, document examples and raise them through the publisher support/forums so the platform can investigate systemic issues. Short-term fixes include replacing trouble slots with static sponsorships, affiliate placements, or smaller, clearly labeled promotional areas you control.

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Member Avatar for pulse

Haven't had the time to look into their new systems in detail but isn't that CPM / Untargeted ads not opt-outable?

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Well, you can choose right now to show text only, image only, or text / image combo in each ad spot. From what I see, the off-topic ads are only images - not sure about CPMs since I still can't use it in my AdWords account. But the point of the matter is that in the past, Google has released changes to AdSense, gotten a lot of negative feedback, and reverted the changes.

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