Google Adsense Performance Enhancements for Vbulletin

This article is designed to help vbulletin webmasters increase overall ad relevency within their forum by using a variable that many webmasters may or may not be aware of.

The variable I'm speeking of is the Google_page_url variable. The purpose of this variable is for users who are using adsense code on pages that are within frames. For instance, a page that has a static navigation menu with adsense code that is in its own frame will normally display ads that are relevant to the content within that navigation frame, not the content frame that you would expect. This variable, however, helps vbulletin webmasters as well by using the archive.

As many vbulletin webmasters can attest to, vb can clutter your users' screens with too much useless information. There are numerous links pointed every which way. Google's mediapartner spider has a hard time on vb forums at times due to all the text and links on the page. To counter act this and to give the google adsense spider a breath of fresh air (and likely more relevant ads for your users) you can apply the following addition to your adsense code:

google_page_url = "pathtoforums/archive/index.php/t-$threadid.html";

What this is saying is "Google adsense bot, look to the archived version of this thread and display ads relating to that content, but on this page".

Many webmasters may say that this code is violating the Adsense TOS, but my personal opinion is that it is delivering better ads to your visitors that are highly relevant to the content that is displayed on the page. I know of some very well known vbulletin sites that are using this technique that strictly abide by the adsense TOS and have never been accused of violating the TOS.

Good luck to those of you who choose to use this code addition on your vbulletin websites.

Hi Joey - so where would we put that statement...? in which file...?

Thanks

Musicman (I'm not joey :))

You would put that line within your adsense code. You most likely have your adsense code in your showthread template, so insert that line within your adsense block and you should see changes instantly on pages that seem to be showing irrelevant ads (depending on if the mediapartner's bot is on your site currently).

IM Joey - hence my name --

:)

Musicman (I'm not joey :))

You would put that line within your adsense code. You most likely have your adsense code in your showthread template, so insert that line within your adsense block and you should see changes instantly on pages that seem to be showing irrelevant ads (depending on if the mediapartner's bot is on your site currently).

Oops... it was far too early this morning when I posted that.. I must have still been alseep eh;)

Sorry!