Inside Adsense Blog is reminding Publishers about accidental clicks on Adsense ads implemented on their blogs. Adsense publishers must ensure that ads are properly placed on their blogs, specifically,
- not too close with Macromedia flash games,
- under pop-ups or download prompts,
- near site navigation controls.
Ads implemented in the said instances get accidentally clicked by blog or site visitors without necessarily purchasing anything from the advertising sites. And since they are recognized as valid clicks by the Adsense robots, then Google is obliged to pay advertisers the necessary click through rates of the corresponding ads.
To avoid getting categorized as invalid clicks, the Adsense blog reminds publishers to avoid placing ads near interactive elements of their sites. Better yet, read the adsense tips and guidelines again to review your Adsense implementation.
Is Google really losing a lot from these fraudulent clicks of Adsense ads? Or are fraudulent clicks from ads located near interactive site elements really produced invalid clicks to a signigicant degree? Oh well, better follow the rules than risk your adsense publishing account. After all, it’s better to gain a small amount in a legitimate way than get rich the wrong way.
See it’s this “oh well, better safe than sorry” or “you wouldn’t want to risk your account” mindset that Google relies on and preys upon. I mean sure this issue by itself might not be something you want to stand up for but when they are constantly pushing you bit by bit, you end up bent over before you know it and will have no idea how you got there.
To be frank, 50% of all google ads land to junk sites or sites that want to make profit through adsense/aff programs. All these are junk links and people are definitely going to move away once they land on these pages. Google is doing a big injustice if it does not count these clicks as valid. Afterall it’s google’s mistake to allow junk sites to advertise.
Allowing junk sites to advertise will also impact legit advertisers in the future. When adsense was introduced, people used to click on adsense ads thinking they would get good results. Now after so many years, most believe that it is better to avoid these ads as they are sure it will lead to junk.
Google – you better start improving quality of these ads for the betterment of advertisers and publishers as well.
Thanks for very interesting article. btw. I really enjoyed reading all of your articles. It’s interesting to read ideas, and observations from someone else’s point of view… makes you think more. Greetings
Of course, this is just common sense, “do not trick your visitors” should not really need to be stated.
Google is probably not losing anything from these ads, they just want to make sure the advertisers get what they pay for.
I just checked my emails and found an email from AdSense blog spot with good example of Good/Bad ads placements. It’s available on the blog.
Thanks for this informations