Using multiple publishers on page?

Anyone doing this...

[lexipixel]

Question:

I have a News Article CMS and have been thinking of offering people who write articles the opportunity to run a block of Adsense ads on that page.

Now with the multiple ad units features, I am wondering if I can run multiple ad units from multiple publishers, ie-

- Someone writes an article. (a "reporter")
- Someone is the editor for that topic, (an "editor")
- Someone owns the site, (the "publisher")

If each, (the reporter, editor and publisher), are all registered with AdSense, can I run a page with three different ad units in three different places on the page, with three different PUB ID's?

(Note: I would use SSI and pull the ads into their respective positions from three seperate .HTML "stub files" which contain the AdSense script as created by Google so as not to "modify the AdSense code" as per TOS).

The CMS is all set to handle this, I just don't want to misinterpret the TOS.

[asp4bunnies]

I'd seriously doubt Google would allow that. It would make absolutely no economical sense to do so.

Just use channels to monitor individual ads and pay them out for each of "their" channels earnings.

[qllonceagain]

Can GoogleGuy answer this question? As it is an increasing trend to let the hoster, writer to share the profits. I also asked a similar question, as it has been seen on several high profile sites.

[cyberair]

From a TOS point of view, I don't see anything wrong. Why don't you ask G and tell us what they said?

[lexipixel]

..ok, I just asked for the "official word".

Will post reply here.

[lexipixel]

...and here's reply (and the question exactly as I asked it).

Question sent to AdSense:

Can the "three ad units" under new TOS be from different publishers on onepage?

Example: I have writers who have Adsense ID's and I want to share the (possible) ad revenue with them on pages where I provide some of the content and also publish theirs. A simple solution would be to let them
run ads near their copy and I run mine elsewhere on the page.

Is this "legal" under TOS?

Here's the official reply:

Thank you for contacting us. As you know, AdSense publishers may currently place up to three ad units on one web page. Our system will detect the multiple ad units and will display unique ads to each ad unit.

Please note that this system is optimized for pages with highly targeted Google ads - some pages may not show ads in the second or third ad unit. In this case, the additional ad units will show as a transparent box, or will contain any alternate ad or color specified in the ad code, and would not generate revenue. Furthermore, all publishers would be responsible for any violations of our Program Policies found on the page.

Finally, please also be aware that the Google AdSense program policy concerning double-serving (showing two identical ads on a single page) has not changed since the new multiple ad units system was released. There are situations where the ads may be duplicated across multiple ad units - for example, if your ad code is placed in different frames on a page, our system will not be able to serve unique ads to each ad unit. Therefore, please ensure that your ad code is placed within the main frame of your web page.

- Lavina (Adsense Tech)

...it appears the short answer is "YES", you can use multiple publishers ID's and ad units (up to (3) units total per page).

[Galtego]

I see the yes in the "all publishers . . . on the page" . . . implying the possibility of more than one publisher on a single page.

But the second paragraph would make the yes more certain if it had said not "your ad code" (twice) but rather the "ad code of each of the publishers."

Because of that phrase "your ad code," maybe you should follow up with a request for further clarification.

[lexipixel]

I'm taking it as a yes. The second paragraph is more a general warning about "double serving" and placing ads in frames.

Her use of the phrase "all publishers" in the first paragraph is indication enough that she understood the question.

[Visi]

Really tend to think the above is grasping at straws in terms of the response to the question. Think the FAQ covers the question about ownership of the site and publishing of ads.

From FAQ....However, you may only place the AdSense ad code or AdSense for search code on sites that comply with our program policies and that you own or are legally authorized to act on behalf of for the purposes of Google AdSense.

So only one responsible party is allowed per the above FAQ statement.

[lexipixel]

Really tend to think the above is grasping at straws in terms of the response to the question. Think the FAQ covers the question about ownership of the site and publishing of ads.

From FAQ....However, you may only place the AdSense ad code or AdSense for search code on sites that comply with our program policies and that you own or are legally authorized to act on behalf of for the purposes of Google AdSense.

So only one responsible party is allowed per the above FAQ statement.

- visi

If your quote is from < [google.com...] >, I believe You are interpreting and quoting out of context.

"...4. Can I show ads on more than one site?

The HTML code we provide you with is valid for any page in any site on which you want to display Google ads. However, you may only place the AdSense ad code or AdSense for search code on sites that comply with our program policies and that you own or are legally authorized to act on behalf of for the purposes of Google AdSense.

This section addresses a question about multiple sites, and even so, the answer is in the affirmative (with TOS compliance)...

I am still taking the answer I got as a "Yes".

If anyone wants to do it, just tell 'em I said they said you can...<grin>.

But, I guess it's still open for debate until someone official chimes in...

[HitProf]

I think it's perfectly understood and allowed as far as Adsense Tech Lavina is concerned.

However:

Furthermore, all publishers would be responsible for any violations of our Program Policies found on the page.

This is tricky! I read it as: if one of them is fraudulent (or generating invalid clicks), all of them will be held responsible.

[Visi]

Read the TOS together...can place multiple ads...if you are in compliance. Compliance is that you leagally own or responsible. How can multiple groups be responsible? That is why I quoted that portion of the FAQ. Sorry didn't explain it better.

Early in the program there were some issues like the above in interpetation...some were canned responses like the one that you recieved. I personnaly would not read anything into the response you recieved and ask again, specifically on the multiple "owners" of ads question.

[lexipixel]

Compliance is that you leagally own or responsible. How can multiple groups be responsible?

- visi

Let's say Brett decided to allow Jenstar to put a block of Adsense ads on all posts written by "Jenstar", but Brett also wanted to run a leaderboard or trailer/banner ad unit at the bottom of every page on the site.

(2) publisher IDs, (1) page, (1) site....

Brett "legally owns" the site, Jenstar is "responsible" for the content in this forum (as moderator)....

It could be taken a step further in compliance with the TOS;

Let's say this site (WebmasterWorld) allows me to cut/paste my Adsense code into any message I post, allows Jenstar to run a block in the page, and Brett runs one...

1). I "own and am responsible" for my words, (although by the act of posting here I grant license to use according to WebmasterWorld TOS #29);

2). Jenstar is responsible for content / portion of site as moderator.

3). Brett is owner of site.

Three "publishers", three ad blocks, one page.

I beleive this is fully compliant with Adsense TOS and with the response I got from "Lavina" when I asked.

Rather than talk this to death; maybe someone else will ask Google and post their reply here.

(Of course if AdSenseAdvisor would jump in.....)

[cyberair]

Following your example and interpreting the e-mail response from G...

If you post your Adsense code in your posts here, and Jenstar, and Brett also put their Adsense codes, then Jenstar decides to click on her own ads and commit click fraud, would this then get Jenstar, Brett AND you banned from Adsense?

Point being, that by sharing a page with multiple adsense codes, all adsense code owners are at risk of all other adsense code owners' behavior.

[Jenstar]

If you post your Adsense code in your posts here, and Jenstar, and Brett also put their Adsense codes, then Jenstar decides to click on her own ads and commit click fraud, would this then get Jenstar, Brett AND you banned from Adsense?

There is that possibility.

Also, if I were to run this kind of set up on my site, and I decided to allow eight of my friends to all revenue share on my message boards - if Friend A did something on an unrelated site to my message board that got him suspended, AdSense would place a block on all URLs associated with his account.... including mine. So even if I didn't do anything, and the fraud was not on any of my sites, my site could get blocked from running AdSense as well, just because I allowed Friend A to revenue share on my message boards.

[lexipixel]

my original post started with:

"...thinking of offering people who write articles the opportunity to run a block of Adsense ads on that page..."

It would not be an open invitation, (webmaster would have final control of if and how the ad units go into the page).

And I am NOT suggesting WebmasterWorld or other forum type sites start paying users to post message by giving them Adsense space.

But I think it is a good way to compensate "reporters", and others who contribute quality content to a site... (it's even a good way to attract and "pay" good moderators --- I think Jenstar and others might agree with me, at least on that one).

I'm talked out on this thread, (unless I can have 120x240pixels of Adsense space... <grin>).

[PatrickDeese]

I wonder if the mediabot is smart enough to know that the ads are on the pages three times if each uses a different publisher ID.

If not it could definitely result in the same ads showing 3 times.

[cyberair]

In theory I like the concept, but unless you can trust 100% the people that will put their Adsense ID at the same page as yours, it becomes a highly risky proposition.

[robsynnott]

The main issue here would seem to be serving of the same ad multiple times. It seems unlikely that AdSense is set up to handle this configuration, therefore it is probably illegal.
Rob.