Ask YC: Why does adsense try to find ads relevant to web page content rather than to the user?
Why not ask the user to specify what sorts of ads he/she would like to see while using a site?
You've been asking a lot of fundamental adsense related questions - have you seen wolf-howl.com or digitalpoint.com's forums or seobook.com?
I suspect that most people don't care for ads because they are not really relevant.
In any case, the future of ads is seamless integration with a site so that you have no idea it's an ad at all before you click it.
A large % of the traffic to adsense was accidental clicking, a large amount of effort was expended on tricking users into accidently clicking on those links by making them look like they were same-site links. Of course that became a TOS violation.
On a CPM basis I can see some value in having a brand associated with a flash game, or having websites sponsored by something. I think you're trying to build a faster horse. Sites that turn margins and backgrounds into advertising, which exist, are more likely to gain traction than another "pin the tail on the donkey" "click here to shoot the monkey" flash/js ad.
Of course this would be far better addressed by someone from AdPinion.com as their entire business model appears to rely on giving people the ability to view more relevant ads.
Context ads are good, except when the ads aren't in the context of the site. Just because sex gets mentioned in an article, doesn't mean I want adverts for sex pheramones and when I read something on bargains on HDTVs I do want Bestbuy, FutureShop or eBay adverts popping up as I'm actively looking to buy something.
- you select your pc model then the ram size, then click on the you see a ad that compares the perfect ram on 3 different sites.
- I think most comparison sites are just big ads, and that is ok as long as there is a vaule ad.