I saw this AdSense ad on my sidebar earlier today. It appeared in my prime 200x200px ad spot. The add code for that spot allows either image or text ads. To my surprise, [tag]Google[/tag] served up what appears to be combination text/image ad. The image is reduced in size leaving room at the top for a lengthy hyperlink. Most image ads have had text in them before – but nothing that looked so blatantly like a hyperlink.
The link in the ad does not follow the colors that I selected for the text-only ads. Also, there is a small arrow (middle right) inviting a ‘positive response’ from a viewer. What do you think? Is the ad more interesting that either a pure [tag]AdSense[/tag] text ad or a pure Adsense image ad? Is the little arrow perhaps a bit too inviting?
Update (May 15): Looking back, I now think Google was testing CPA ads on my site. I have seen others since then.