Are you using Google Adsense to monetize your blog or website ? Is your Adsense implementation effective enough to bring in more revenue than just pocket-money.

If the answer is no, here are some optimization suggestions for you.

Invite friends to draw a heat map of your site

Invite some friends over coffee and ask them to explore your blog like the navigation bars, categories, search, etc. Sit when them to understand what areas on the site grabs their attention and what remain neglected. Also automatically record their mouse movements in background using a free software called Mouse Map.

Once you collect data from 5-10 people, you will get a better understanding of how visitors interact with your site – the areas that receive maximum focus might be a good place for advertising. [Original Idea by Darren Rowse]

Important: To ensure that your friends do not accidentally click on the Google Ads, replace your ads with static graphics or change the value of google_ad_client. [Details here]

When Content is Variable, Force CPM Ads

The content of your homepage, archives and category pages will vary almost every day and therefore Google may serve ads which are out of context.

Since non-targeted ads have a poor conversion rate, use only “Image Ads” on these page that can are generally CPM in nature and are in available in Image, Flash and Video formats. You may not be making revenue from clicks but the impressions will slowly add up. [Original Idea by Jennifer Slegg]

Remove Adsense from Poorly Performing Pages

Use channels to track the effective earnings from Adsense on your webpage and remove the Adsense code from pages that aren’t performing well.

Similarly, if you own ten different websites, remove Adsense code from sites that aren’t bringing in any revenue. Google uses a concept called Smart Pricing that applies to all sites owned by an Adsense Publisher.

When in Doubt, Ask the Experts

There are some extremely useful web forums like Digital Point and WebMaster World that are inhabited by an army of good souls who are always willing to help you maximize your Adsense earnings.

These forums are also frequented by Adsense support guys.

And Finally..

While most people would suggest that large rectangles perform better than skyscrapers, it really depends on your site layout and niche as well.

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” – this theory doesn’t apply to Adsense – the more you experiment, the better the results. Therefore keep experimenting. And don’t forget to remove those images next to your Adsense Ads, they are a violation now.

[Amit Agarwal is a professional blogger who also writes at Digital Inspiration]