Adding Icons Next to the Google Ads

Is that against the TOS?

[brianng]

I saw a lot of sites that have the Google ads on the right site, and on the left site next to the ads they have some small icons. They make it like the ad links are belong to those icons so people would click on the links. Is that against the TOS?

[jchampliaud]

If you are thinking about doing this I'd ask Google first.
I think it would depend on what type of icons they are. If they have written on them click this ads then that's a no no, of course. If they are benign then it might be okay, but then again I'd ask Google before doing something like that.

[Noel]

I had some next to my Adsense some time ago.. (no text on it.. just small 'icons')
Adsense emaild me and asked me to remove them!

So...I would say.. Do not do it.

[danimal]

if by icons, you mean things like little arrows pointing to the ads, it's probably going to be a resounding no.

you'll probably need some kind of a line break between the ad and the icon, so that people don't get confused into thinking that the icon is part of the ad itself... send that configuration in to adsense support for approval.

[brianng]

They are just icons with random pictures. No text, arrow or anything. Since Noel said that Google asked him to remove those icons next to the ads, I guess they don't like that.

[jomaxx]

Presumably the reason you want to do this is to draw visitors' attention to the ads, and this is the exact reason why Google don't allow it.

It could be misused under some circumstances, even if that's not what you intend, and I'm sure Google want to have simple inviolable rules rather than getting into endless discussions about what exact shapes/sizes/positions are allowable.

Don't allow arrows? How about a triangle pointing to the ads? How about an animated race car driving in the direction of the ads? How about bikini babes? How about fully dressed babes? That sort of thing. It would never end.

[Hobbs]

Damn it jomaxx, I have a bikini babe driving a race car towards a fully dressed babe balancing herself on top or a triangle near an ad, am I in trouble? :o