Is there any rule of thumb for where a websites CTR% should be for ads that are being posted? 

Are there any good references that offer suggestions for improving this? 

Thanks!

Are you an advertiser or a publisher?

For a publisher's view aim at 10% click through at each stage.

For example:
found in 100 searches = 10 page views
10 page views = 1 advert click

I've been involved with sites that get a 20% on their PPC ads. These are mainly repeat-clickers.

If you're running afiiliate ads then you'll need a sale, which is another step - the product conversion rate is rarely as high as 10% and varies depending on both the affilaite's effort and the product's landing page.

[figures based on my work in SEM]

If you're an advertiser, I can't help you, as I specialise in PPC programmes like AdSense (but have mainly used other schemes in the past).

Sorry for the delay in response.  I am a publisher.  I am assuming a page view is the same as an impression.  I'd be curious if any independent studies have been done on this.  Thanks for the feedback.

As a publisher it is going to depend highly on the type of site you have.

I have had sites bring in a CTR of 20%.  Of course, these sites were designed for the ads and not the consumer.  I would say that if you have a CTR of above 10%, you are probably doing a disservice to your visitors - people are clicking on the ads because they are being tricked or they have not found what they thought they would on your site.

Most sites are going to average anywhere up to a 5% CTR (and I think 5% is pretty good).  I think you can edge this up a little over time, but this is a pretty solid average.  Sites such as forums are going to receive a significantly lower CTR because of the type of visitor.

Also, I see that you posted on another forum of mine...thanks.

Yes, page views and impressions are implicitly the same.

Standardised data on this will be hard to find as there are so many variables.

As for improving your CTR:

look at https://www.google.com/support/adsense/ … =tips.html - especially on where to place ads, also look out for the 'heat map'

placement - top left, under your header graphic is always good. So too is the left column.

Go through your referal logs to see what search terms (if any) were used to send a user to that page, then try to match the contnet (and therefore the ads as well) to this search term. - If the ads are relevant to what the user is looking for, then you'll get a higher CTR.

Try not to offer products/services (or link to them) that you are displaying ads for, visitors are more likly to click on links in your 'natural' text over your adverts

Try to make your ads blend in with your site, but don't contradict ToS - ads that stand out like a sore thumb just won't get clicked on, whereas ads/links in the natural flow of text/navigation will get the clicks.

As an aside - you can raise your CPM (cost per thousand) by REMOVING ads that are not placed well (especially true if you run adsense) - this is because the ad supplier will deliver lower paying ads if your CTR is low, or if the advertiser's conversion is low, the bid-price for the ad will drop.

Places not to have PPC ads:
-your home page
-any page on your site that doesn't have a specific topic
-forums (because your CTR will be low)

Hope this helps - will be happy to post more info if you need it (ask the right question and you'll get the right answer!)

This helps -- thanks to you both for the feedback.  The site I manage, itself contains a lot of good information and therefore a visitor may be more inclined to stay on the site then clicking through on an ad.  This might suggest that I take another look at the "business model".

Thanks again.