Low CTR Troubleshooting for Publishers

Introduction

Low click-through rate can signal that placements or formats are not attracting enough user attention. This article focuses on publisher-side checks.

Review Placement Quality

• Ensure ad units are visible without heavy scrolling.
• Avoid placing ads too close to elements users ignore, such as footers with little activity.
• Check that units are not visually blending into the background too much.

[EDITOR: Add screenshot comparing a high-visibility and low-visibility publisher placement]

Compare Units in Reports

1. Open performance reports grouped by ad unit.
2. Sort by CTR to bring weakest units to the top.
3. Compare layouts for top and bottom performers on your sites.

Experiment with Layout Changes

• Move underperforming units closer to content where attention is higher.
• Replace very small units with more standard sizes when possible.
• Monitor changes over several days before drawing conclusions.

Related Articles

• Monitoring Ad Performance in the Publisher Dashboard
• Banner Ad Units for Publishers: Specs and Placement
• Native Ad Units for Publishers: Layout and Content
• A/B Testing Publisher Placements

Updated on: 24/11/2025