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We tested 6 ad layouts. Here's what moved RPM
· Monetization
We tested six layouts across fifty thousand sessions on a finance site with a thirty-eight dollar RPM baseline.
The test setup
Each variant ran for three weeks on the same content. We tracked RPM, bounce rate, pages per session and return visitors.
Layout A: conservative
Configuration:
- One leaderboard below header
- One sidebar unit (300x250)
- One in content unit every six hundred words
- No sticky footer
| RPM | $38.20 |
|---|---|
| Bounce rate | 42% |
| Pages per session | 2.8 |
The control. Readers liked it, but it earned the least.
Layout B: aggressive above the fold
Configuration:
- Two ads above the fold (leaderboard plus 300x250)
- Two sidebar units
- One in content unit every six hundred words
- Sticky footer
| RPM | $41.30 (+8%) |
|---|---|
| Bounce rate | 58% (+38%) |
| Pages per session | 2.1 (-25%) |
RPM rose, but engagement dropped hard. Not worth it.
Layout C: dense in content
Configuration:
- One leaderboard below header
- One sidebar unit (300x250)
- One in content unit every three hundred fifty words
- No sticky footer
| RPM | $45.10 (+18%) |
|---|---|
| Bounce rate | 44% (+5%) |
| Pages per session | 2.7 (-4%) |
Lost 0.1 pages per session, gained nearly seven dollars RPM.
Layout D: sticky sidebar
Configuration:
- One leaderboard below header
- Two sticky sidebar units (300x250 and 300x600)
- One in content unit every six hundred words
- No sticky footer
| RPM | $46.70 (+22%) |
|---|---|
| Bounce rate | 43% (+2%) |
| Pages per session | 2.8 (same) |
Sidebar units don’t interrupt reading, so they suit desktop-heavy sites.
The takeaway
Dense in-content ads plus a sticky sidebar won: roughly fifty-two dollar RPM, more than thirty percent above baseline.
Your numbers will differ. Test before you trust any placement advice.