Forum Moderators: martinibuster
I have recently been doing some heavy duty work with this and it seems to be starting to pay off.
I own a computer sales and repair business. This gives me the opportunity to touch a LOT of computers.
What I have done is tell everyone about my AdSense for Search Page that I have created. As long as it is agreeable with them, I change their home page to my AdSense for Search page. This puts my search page right in their face when they open their browser. They begin using my search page instead of going directly to Google. I then get some clicks from their search results! It is building slowly, but it IS building!
The nice part about this is that people will always be searching, but not everyone clicks on ads.
Any feedback or thoughts on this or on your experiences?
You can/should at least make the page which you set as the default home page of the browsers of the computers you sell, more like a website and predominantly place the search box there. This way you can also promote new items to your existing customers too. "Upgrade your PC with 1GB memory pack. $xx for this week only!"
That's a winning combination. Hope it helps.
I change their home page to my AdSense for Search page. This puts my search page right in their face when they open their browser.
I've got to think that Google would not be very amused by this. It may not be specifically discussed in the TOS but it certainly conflicts with the general tone of their section on 'Incentives'.
Maybe ASA will take a moment to comment.
I've got to think that Google would not be very amused by this.
Why should there be a problem with changing their homepage, as long as they consent to it? I even take the time to explain this to the user, and have not had one complaint about it yet from any of them.
If what I am doing is in compliance with the TOS then I don't understand why such a sharp response from you.
Any feedback or thoughts on this
Simply my thoughts... I stand to be corrected if I'm off base. Just doesn't feel right!
I don't get the impression that you truly understand how easy it is to find yourself on the outside of this program.
I was just trying to help.
I guess time will tell.
You've been here one day and you've covered a lot of ground, my friend. The more time you spend here the more obvious the prudent path will be.
I have no interest in condeming your approach but after almost a year here as a member, I've learned more than I could ever have imagined and the most important thing I learned is... CAUTION!
If I had a dime for every time the people on this forum helped save me from jeopardizing my account... I'd probably have made more than I do from AdSense.
Like I mentioned in my first post here, it seems like there is really a bunch of good, knowledgeable people here who know how to make the Adsense system work for them.
It is too high a risk for too little money..
Try to stay within the 'Google Law' and in the long term you will do well. It is the desire for quick money, which always leads to problems..
Best of Luck with your efforts.
You're right... the lure of trying to make some quick money is what causes a lot of people to go about things in the wrong way.
I spent some time on my boat today and was thinking about that very same thing! It's the long haul that really counts ;-)
This is clearly a design intended to "encourage" clicking, one step removed from creating and downloading a BHO (browser helper object) or toolbar that launches pages with your code on them.
Bad idea.
Run it past the Adsense team and report back.
My only true interest is to be able to make money with Adsense, and do it correctly.
since you own a computer sales and repair business, i assume that you are not in the business of publishing and editing content as a webmaster.
but the latter business is more or less essential for managing an adsense account and earn some money from it. unless you are a publisher, you have no entitlement to run an adsense account. it's intended for people who honestly work on their content websites, whereas you rather stand on the sales side.
back to the quote, i understand your only true interest to earn a buck with adsense. but you can only achieve that through customer satisfaction, not as end in itself. customer satisfaction in this case means that your only true interest should be delivering quality web content to your audience and no shady practices. so you better get your adsense off a non content starting page.. you're in the banning zone, my friend.
customer satisfaction in this case means delivering quality web content to your audience and no shady practices.
moTi, I'm not sure where you get your ideas from. I have been building web sites for about 10 years now. It's part of what we do as a computer company. The sales and service is just one aspect of it, although lately it is the bigger aspect of it as far as time and finances are concerned.
You have judged me rather quickly, accusing me of wanting to run shabby, empty web sites just for the sake of making a quick buck. That's not my intention at all. In fact, I have looked at hundreds of web sites that people claim to be content-rich, for the purpose of using them as "Adsense" web sites, while they are mostly a hodge-podge bunch of information quickly thrown together to make a quick sale.
One of the web sites that I run personally is a sports-based site that has been on the web for almost 10 years and is one of the most popular and respected of it's type in the Northeast United States. Does that qualify in your book for satisfying customers? And on top of that it is a site that is completely free for the public to use and enjoy. I ask them for nothing. Do I make money from it? Not really, unless you count a few barters here and there, swapping goods for ad banners every year or two. I built it and maintain it because I enjoy doing it and because it provides a service to the web community.
so you better get your adsense off a non content starting page.. you're in the banning zone, my friend.
What do you mean by this? I have several sites that I am in the process of launching that have good content and are also pleasing to look at and easy to navigate. They aren't shabby, shoddy or "shady" as you might call them. Again, how can you pass judgment? I haven't listed any URLs here.
You treat me like my goal of making money from Adsense is a problem or a devious goal. Why don't you tell that to the people who are making six figures each year from Adsense? Are they shady too? Or is it only OK for you to make money from Adsense?
Let's face it, if there wasn't money to be made in Adsense, nobody would bother with it.
I'm beginning to feel like my time here is spent more in defending myself than it is in gaining any insight or knowledge. How about lightening up a little so I can do what I came here for... to ask questions and learn from some people who seem to have a good handle on the Google Adsense program. And, when I am able, I will contribute back to this resource.
Might the clustering of IP addresses and the fact that the same page repeatedly gets called from the same IP addresses or IP block be a fingerprint?This is clearly a design intended to "encourage" clicking, one step removed from creating and downloading a BHO (browser helper object) or toolbar that launches pages with your code on them.
Bad idea.
Webwork, I'm not sure what you mean by this. Can you explain it?
Clustering of what IP Addresses? And what pages getting called from what IP block?
As for any BHO or Toolbars, I am not a software developer.
Your address for your account is in location X.
Your customers live in close proximity to location X.
The majority of your Adsene clicks track to location X, possibly even the same IP block as it is not uncommon for locals to use the same ISP.
This sets off an alarm. The alarm leads to a review. The review leads to the discovery of "your little system". Your little system is determined to be one designed to "encourage" (Adsense TOS) clicks.
Might never come to pass, but why risk it?
IF you have questions (you do, you are asking here OR at least presenting/promoting your system here) you would be wise to get the real and responsible and authoritative answer to your question from one source: the Adsense team.
There is really only one reason I can think of why someone wouldn't ask the Adsense team: They don't want to be told "no". They would rather use the "I'll do it until I'm told not to" approach. Sometimes that works. Sometimes you don't get a warning or a chance to correct - you just get banned. Sometimes evidence of cleverness in profiting is taken as a sign of inherent - deeper - (some negative characteristic).
When in doubt ask. Do not resolve doubts in favor of your self-interest when the self-interest of others is involved. Ask.
My biggest question is, why anyone would consent to having their homepage changed anyway? What justification are you giving them for doing so? Note that if you tell people that your goal is to earn money from their using it, that's definitely against the rules. If you said this sort of thing on your website you'd be kicked out in no time.
How many web sites REQUEST you to bookmark their site as one's homepage?
Millions and the biggest who do it are:
Yahoo!...YPN POWERED
Google...Google POWERED
MSN - This is a default on installation of their software & "whatever" POWERED today
AOL - This is a default on installation of their software & is Google POWERED!
Netscape - Err...Google POWERED!
Right that's 95+% of the search market.
alphatekllc is doing exactly the same as these other companies and, if I have read the post correctly, has actually asked the owner's PERMISSION to do so.
MSN and AOL both install as defaults. Don't try and tell me they're not earning money from the search results provided.
I have repaired loads of friends computers etc and set as default the page they requested however, more often than not, Google. What is the difference?
Quite simply, what's wrong with an alternative home page? Are you saying that only Google are allowed to be a home page?
Are you people jealous you haven't the opportunity to do the same?
Get real, I have thousands of widget customers with my sites as their home page, they visit every day, Google knows this, I know this. It is the reality of advertising per se.
Sure, some will make more than others simply because they are better positioned to do so however do not take an "holier than thou" attitude purely because someone is using their situation to a better advantage for themself.
Are we really that prudish here?
Take this issue down to the most basic question.
right, but the most basic question for me is not if the op is allowed to alter a start page for his customers. anyhow, he anwsered this already in his first post:
As long as it is agreeable with them, I change their home page to my AdSense for Search page.
the most basic question is rather: is he allowed to put on a start page with adsense for search and no content?
the op is (deliberately?) not completely clear about how the start page looks like. maybe he again upsets my assumptions through disclosing fresh information, but if it has no content, then this is a clear: not allowed! for sure, the better you mimic the google homepage, the more users stay at this page as starting point for their web search and the more adsense cash for you.
I run personally is a sports-based site that has been on the web for almost 10 years and is one of the most popular and respected of it's type in the Northeast United States. Does that qualify in your book for satisfying customers?
of course. so if it is really so popular and respected in the northeast united states, i wonder why is it that you aren't able to monetize it through adsense?
no success with content?
I don't usually find myself on the opposite side of an issue from you and when I read this last night with my "wine goggles" on... I couldn't figure it out!
After some restless thoughts about it last night, I think what it comes down to for me is this. Is the asking of PERMISSION a statement that it has VALUE to you in the same sense as "Support these sponsors" or "Click on these ads"?
I'm an IT/network consultant dealing with traditional business organizations and non-profit groups. I work with dozens of their computers on a regular basis as well as dozens more of associates, friends and family.
If I was to follow your sentiment that changing the browser home pages to focus on my primary web site (a multifaceted site with legitimate interest to most people) with the users PERMISSION was within the guidelines, it'd change my AdSense involvement considerably.
I think there is a considerable difference in you having thousands of people that have organically mapped to your web site because it has value to them and someone personally directing the focus of a browser for their personal gain... even (or perhaps especially) after asking permission.
Perhaps I misunderstand.
Is the start page blank with solely a Google search box?
If so it's against the T&Cs as pointed out by moTi.
If it's the regular home page with lots of information then requesting permission to set it to this is no different to someone bookmarking the page.
I'm guessing by this comment:
It is building slowly, but it IS building!
That it is a normal home page otherwise the earnings, by setting-up that many machines, would build rapidly, not slowly, and I would also guess that this would ring alarm bells at Google as to the sudden success.
Chapman
changing the browser home pages to focus on my primary web site
Is it on the same IP address? If not then I really see no reason why not, it's the position, I guess, many of us would like to be in?
Do people here consider that multi-nationals are allowed to do this whereas we are not?
Maybe so, maybe not, maybe we would get banned and they would not, however I cannot perceive any difference between "your" ISP/homepage deriving benefits from AdSense and "you the publisher" cannot.
Perhaps ASA could clarify this?
Think small, live small. That's your choice. You can't simply judge people just because they're not following the same route with you.
The fact that Google hasn't cut such a deal - to set homepages to a search box that yields paid search results only - should suggest the answer to this issue is "No".
This falls under "encouraging" paid clicks.
Tell me, does the person setting up the default homepage tell the customers exactly how his system works? "Your search results will be paid listings only, one's that if you click I will make a fee."
Is the consumer aware that what he/she sees isn't really a "search the web" box? It would be interesting to see exactly how this is implemented and to know exactly what information is given to the consumer.
Full disclosure of one's motives when altering the function of one's PC strikes me as a prerequisite of doing honest business, especially at this level of business-consumer interaction. I could see this possibly running afoul of consumer protection laws or laws of that type.
OTOH, if full disclosure is made is that disclosure tantamount to "Click on these ads"? No? But we're dealing with a business, arguably a dependency relationship: I bought the PC from X, therefore X is the person I rely on to keep my PC running, do warranty work, etc. Does the customer expect better or worse future customer care if they delete the homepage or don't use it?
I have only scratched the surface of the issue, thinking about it for a minute, and already I can smell the rot. Then again, perhaps I have a sensitive nose, so it would be of some benefit to get the offical word.
Maybe Google should cut a deal with Dell and HP that employs the same trick? Seems rather obvious that it would be a real money maker.
How do we know that this is not going to happen with the new Google/Dell alliance I've read about?
"Your search results will be paid listings only, one's that if you click I will make a fee."
If it's the search box only then I agree, if the search box is present on the home page and with other advertisements then I have no problem, it's no different to many of the newspaper home pages.
so it would be of some benefit to get the offical word.
Definitely for no other reason than this thread will have got some people thinking:-)
1. Tell all your friends to set their homepage to your webpage that carries a little RSS news blurb and an Adsense for Search box. Ask your friends to tell their friends to do the same.
2. Tell all your employees to do the same and, whilst they're doing that, tell them to tell their families and relatives to do the same.
3. Tell all your family members to set their default homepage to your Adsense for Search page.
4. Tell all your dormitory mates and classmates to do the same. Tell them you'll be happy to provide the beer from the profits. Just don't tell them to click ads. Noooo . . this is just an innocent little search box. They're just voluntarily setting a default search page.
5. Tell the whole world: "Start your search here! It will be a better world!" (For you know who.)
Who needs Google.com with spendid ideas like this?
Ask the Adsense team, not the membership of a forum. Our opinions won't protect your account.
So simple and so risk free - to seek an official reply - yet it's the path not taken. Why is that?
They might say "no"?
I repeat: Our answers are not official. They will not protect you. If anything, they may be used - in an appropriate case - as proof that a) you knew there was an issue; b) that you had some doubts; c) that you were informed of potential problems; and, that despite all that you chose to keep going.
This is a classic "ask them, not us" situation.
