Case: removing the top leaderboard entirely

Case: removing the top leaderboard entirely

What it did: A/B test that DELETED the 728x90 top leaderboard — long suspected of low viewability and pushing content down.

— Setup effort: 1/5 (toggle off in variant)
— Outcome: page RPM dipped just 1.8% ($14.20 → $13.95) but LCP improved 0.5s, bounce fell 3%, pages/session +4%
— Session RPM came out +2.5% net — the leaderboard was barely paying for the UX it cost

Pros: proved a 'sacred' unit was a net drag; removing it was a quiet win.
Cons: not universal — on some layouts the leaderboard earns its keep; you must test, not assume.

Lift: ★★★☆☆ — Risk: ★★☆☆☆
Verdict: test killing your top leaderboard — it may earn less than it costs. Best for: layouts where it sits below a big header. Skip if yours shows 70%+ viewability.