Thanking Google for the listings?

[helleborine]

I've come across a website that display the following bold, large-size message above the horizontal AdSense banner:

Content related links provided by Google
Quality sites... Check 'em out!

Would that be considered a violation of the Terms of Service? Isn't that a big NO-NO?

[Never_again]

Sure is IMHO. Pass the site url to Google for investigation.

[Jenstar]

Doing anything that draws attention to the ads is against the AdSense terms.

[Brett_Tabke]

I see similar stuff like that all the time. Why would that in any way be against the tos of AdSense? You are not asking people to click.

[TonySmith]

Even though that's obviously not legal, I thought there was an exception if you just put "Sponsor" or something simple like that?

[kodaks]

I don't even think putting the text "sponsors" would be legal, it does draw more attention to the ad.

[Marcia]

>>Check 'em out!
>>You are not asking people to click.

No, that is not asking them to click, that is telling them to click. How else could they be checked out if not by clicking?

[europeforvisitors]

Brett Tabke wrote:

Why would that in any way be against the tos of AdSense?

Why? Because the Program Policies specifically state: "Web pages may not include incentives of any kind for users to click on ads. This includes encouraging users to click on the ads or to visit the advertisers' sites as well as labeling the ads with text other than 'sponsored links' or 'advertisements.'"

[TonySmith]

I could swear that was recently amended?

[ownerrim]

A user is more likely to convert for the advertiser if they actively seek out a product or service on their own, i.e. THEY get the idea to click the ad. If they're exhorted to click an ad in any way, it's probably a loss for the advertiser and, in the end, a loss for publishers.

[blue_eagle]

" could swear that was recently amended? "

Nopee, its there for the last 6 months. I even asked google to put featured links above my banners and they said publishers are not allowed to put any label other than sponsors, advertiser.

Please reportt those people as you see.

[sailorjwd]

I have placed a small note at the bottom of my home page explaining why I have Adsense and Amz ads on the page - which states that it provides us with 'off the clock' income to expand examples on the website.

I requested adsense review the text and they said it was ok.

While this does bring some attention to the ads - apparently it is ok.

I put it there because, in the beginning, I thought I might lose some visitors who were put-off by advertisements.

[Noel]

I wonder... Would something like Do not click on the ads be okay to use?

Noel

[Brett_Tabke]

nice sailorjwd. Did they elaborate at all on why that would be ok and not something else?

[sailorjwd]

Brett,

They simply said something to the effect that they didn't have a problem with the statement.

[sailorjwd]

Also,

I thought that someone might tend to click on ads if they liked the website and wanted to encourage us to write more examples... that is why I asked the adsense folks if it was ok or not.

[helleborine]

Any idea where I can report it? My AdWords are displayed on that page that says "Check'em out" and I don't believe I should pay when people clicking away just to "help out" that site.

[PatrickDeese]

You can do it through the "contact us" from the Adsense home page.

[blue_eagle]

I wouldn't feel comfertable in that situation sailor. I am not telling what you are doing is wrong, since they accepted you to place that explanation its ok.

However, there is a strange thing about google. Nobody is consistent with each other in google. One says different thing, other says different. This happened to me few times. For example, I reported two possible invalid click issues to google last week. I got two different answers from google, in the first email (my first report for one of my channels) they said they monitor it and there is nothing wrong. The second email regarding my second report, they said they can' tell me if there is any invalid clicks and how do they monitor.

These are two different answers one says, nothing wrong other says we can'te tell you..

I just wanted to let you know about this. I appreciate google for their support but I am always cautios.

In your situation the person who answered your email might say that its ok, while another person may not approve it and they may cancel your accont right away. you never know!

[beren]

I asked where this can be reported earlier in this thread, but apparently my post disappeared. (I can't believe it was intentionally deleted as it wasn't controversial.)

Anyway, I found the AdSense contact form at

[google.com...]

and will be using it to report these sites.