"Alternative to keyword"

would this be okay?

[Powdork]

I ran across a site running adsense today that uses an interesting method. I think, however, it would be against the tos, however. They have put adsense within a table to make it look like the regular adsense border. The ads still show the 'Ads by Google' at bottom right, but at the top left (inside the false border) they have added the header which says
Keywords not your bag?
since the ads being shown are about widgets in the area, while the keyword is an alternative to widgets.

[annej]

Are you talking about something along these lines?
[webmasterworld.com...]

See jenstar's response part way through the thread.

Putting a key word in close proximity to the ads has helps me get better targeting on occasion. It's more of a gentle nudge. You have to have the keyword topic a major part of the content as well. It mostly helps when Google has mistargeted, like hypodermic needle ads on a page about sewing needles or such.

[Powdork]

No, I'm wondering if what this site is doing is against TOS becuase it appears to be an attempt to get you to click on the ads. Additionally, if the keywords triggered a change in the ads shown, it would specifically NOT be working. They are relying on the fact that Adsense is showing ads only about widgets even though they put blodgets right next to the ads.

[annej]

I see. I though "Keywords not your bag?" was an attempt to change the keyword.

It sounds like one of those things that might not exactly be again the TOS as they don't outright say click on this ad but they may be pushing it.

[richmondsteve]

It's really a matter of whether Google determines at their discretion that it incites clicks. In my opinion it does. The publisher apparently knows the page is about gidgets and that the ads on that page are about widgets and the call to action statement "Keywords not your bag?" above the ad unit is trying to incite clicks - at least in my opinion.

It seems like it's just a clever way of saying "Didn't find what you were looking for on this page? Well, why not consider clicking one of these ads? You might find something useful." or "So, you've looked at the products on our page. Not really interested in them? Check out these ads for an alternative you might be interested in."

[Powdork]

Didn't find what you were looking for on this page? Well, why not consider clicking one of these ads?

Exactly. I'm not sure if the publisher is doing it for these reason, or just because they don't know any better and are disappointed in the untargeted ads on this page. It doesn't appear anywhere else I can find on this large site.