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Got a curious email from Google this morning, subject, “Google AdSense Update: Changes to your ads”, which said:
We’re writing to let you know about a coming change to the appearance of your Google ads. Your ads currently display the default Google color palette, Seaside (formerly known as Mother Earth). In the near future, we plan to update the default palette to Open Air, a new palette containing the same set of colors, but without the blue border. We’ve found that many publishers prefer the cleaner look of this palette and have also seen that a blended color palette performs better for them — attracting user interest while still maintaining the distinction between ads and content with the ‘Ads by Google’ label.
Why do I say curious?
Well, because I definitely do not have any ads that use the default Google color palette, nor colored borders, anywhere, on any of my sites, because I learned long ago that borderless performs better.
Therefore, I am assuming it is just a standard notice to everyone - some of whom MIGHT be using the default Google color palette.
It seems strange to me that Google did not, in this instance, check their phrasing better to say “If your ads currently display the default Google color palette”, rather than asserting that they do.
But no matter. What is important is what this implies about borders.
This is advice that has been repeated over and over in many Adsense guides and tips, I know, but this email, effectively, makes it “official” that removing borders does improve performance.
The email went on to say that, “Please note that this change will only affect your ad units where your ad code does not specify colors.* For all other units, your color selections will be retained.”
My advice is that if you have set your own ad colors that do have borders, then you would do well to change them manually where this automatic “border removal update” will not override them, because it is almost certain that it will have an positive effect on your earnings.
Sponzurz
