AdSense: Naming Channels in AdSense

Unless you’re brand new, or have been hiding under a rock, you know that Google’s AdSense program allows you to track your ad unit performance by using channels.  In other words, you can assign specific names to specific ad units, so that you know where on your site they are, and which are getting the best CTR (Click-Through Rates).  Unfortunately a lot of people aren’t very intuitive in their channel naming scheme, and often forget what they’re calling a particular channel, or have so many channels
they don’t know what to do with them.

Welcome to a brief primer on my version of a channel naming scheme…

Where I come from:  I use AdSense… a lot.  I run four blogs, one forum site, a few single-page AdSense pages, and a website specifically designed to make money via AdSense and affiliate links.  I’ve been with AdSense since early 2005, most of that in the blogging arena.  I’ve learned a lot since I started, and have spent a lot of time playing around to get the most out of what AdSense offers.

How I do things:  My naming scheme is very, very simple (yet the explanation is a bit complex, heh)…

I use the following method:

Site designator-Unit Type or Location-Page or unit type(size)

Site Designator: This is a one or two alphanumeric (letter/number) designator that tells me, at a glance, which site the channel is on.  For instance, for <a href=”http://www.topdogdeals.com”>Top Dog Deals</a>, I use “d”.  For MindBlog, I use “mb”.  For MindSpeak, I use “p” (politics).  For my single page sites, I use “sp”.

Unit Type or Location:  This varies depending on the individual usage.  For Top Dog Deals, I use a combo type/location.  In other words, I might have: d-content, or d-side, or d-links.  Since I know I am only using 300×250 medium rectangles for content, 160×600 for sidebars, and 728×15 for links, I don’t need to be more specific.

For MindBlog, I use designators like: mb-links, mb-top, mb-pages, and mb-sidebar, and mb-content.  I know that the pages only appear on WordPress “static” pages, Top, Sidebar and Links are on every page.

For the single pages, I use: sp-desklamp, and sp-chess.  In other words, the secondary designator tells me the specific page the unit is on.

Page or unit type(size): This tells me the specific page the unit resides on, or the specific unit type and size.  For exmaple, for Top Dog Deals, I do: d-content-dogfood.  I know that that unit is for the Top Dog Deals site, it is a 300×250 medium rectangle in the content area, and it is on the dog food page.

For MindBlog, I use mb-content-inline250×250, or mb-links-series, or mb-top-768.  In order these tell me: MindBlog, on content pages, inline with the entry text, 250×250 rectangle.  MindBlog, link unit, in the “series” location on my top bar.  MindBlog, top of each page, 768 banner.

For single page, I simply use location designators: sp-desklamp-bottomleft, sp-chess-side.  Single Page, Desk lamp page, bottom left of page.  Single Page, Chess page, sidebar.

In short, my naming scheme is usually:
Site Designator-type-location&size.

This way, when I go to AdSense to view my reports, I can rapidly select which channels I want to view, and know what they represent.  I can also tell, at a glance, which pages, and units are performing the best.

One more suggestion.  When designing channels for a blog, try to seperate your channels by type of pages, and location.  Since AdSense limits you to 200 channels, you’ll not be able to have a seperate channel for each entry.  That’s a bitch, I know, but you can make due.

For static sites, like my <a href=”http://www.topdogdeals.com”>Top Dog Deals</a>, you’ll notice I have a seperate channel for each and every unit, on each and every page.  This means I have a total of 29 channels for that site, alone.  This way I can spend time seeing which pages and units perform the best, and make adjustments over time.

Spend some time exploring the channel options, and developing your own naming scheme.  You don’t have to use mine, the key is to find  a scheme that makes sense, is easy to remember, and works for you.

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