How to Position AdSense Ads on a Blog

Google AdSense is the main source of income for several bloggers looking to earn money through blogging. However many earn less from it due to their poorly positioned Ads.
Here are some tips to improve your AdSense earnings by positioning your Ads well on your blog:

Single Post pages

On Single pages, place a Large Rectangle (336×280) just above the content so that your readers will notice them. The large rectangle is the best performing AdSense format as they are wide.
For longer entries, try placing a blended Medium Rectangle (300 x 250) into your post using AdSense Deluxe. I would recommend you use a service like CrazyEgg to find out the most clicked spot on your blog post and place your Ad right next to it.
A Banner (468 x 60) just before your comment box is also a good place to put your Ads as your readers may notice them when they try to comment.

Homepage

In my early days with AdSense, I used to place my Ad right on top (even before the posts) after a short intro. Though this increased my CTR (click through rate), it used to be annoying for my readers.
So I would recommend you place a Large Rectangle (336 x 280) right after the first post. This page shows you how to place your AdSense Ads after the first post on your homepage.

Header

I have placed a Link unit near my Menu as Link units look like menus themselves and will help in increasing my CTR (click through rate). By adding a link unit near your menu, you will get more clicks than you thought was possible.
You could also try a Leaderboard (728 x 90) and see if it works for you.

Sidebar

Ads on sidebars usually don’t perform as well as the Ads near the content as that is where readers focus on. But it is best that you try them on your blog to see if they work for you.
You could try a Wide Skyscraper (160×600) or a vertical Link unit on your sidebar, but remember to place them at the top so that your readers notice them.

Footer

Ads on footer has not worked well for me but it is best that you try them on your blog to see if they work for you. Try using a Leaderboard (728 x 90).
From my experience, I find that Ads above the content performs the best. However, the best way to find the right Ad Position for your blog is to experiment in a trial and error method and track your Ad performance using Channels.
Remember: AdSense allows you to place only 3 Ad units and 1 Link unit on a single page, so keep that in mind when you experiment different Ad placements.

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