On WebmasterWorld, netmeg did a test with a bunch of blended ads. Other ads, however, weren’t as blended in with the theme of the site. Surprisingly, after viewing analytics, netmeg learned that blending hurts: the non-blended ads performed better than the ones that fit in too well with the site design.

netmeg is not alone. Other people notice that unblending is yielding better click throughs and cost per impressions.

How does this make sense? Here’s a quote from the thread:

So what do you conclude from this? First and foremost, if you’re monetizing consistently, check your statistics to see how you can improve your campaign. Avoid blending a little too much. Above all, test and retest your copy and colors.

Forum discussion continues at WebmasterWorld.