Invalid Clicks Email

CTR hasn't changed since I started in June

[dnbjason]

I got an email from Google today, I don't know how they have came up with this. My CTR is average and has been steady since I have started (in June), I even checked to today and it is still stead. I get hundreds of thousands of page views so, I just don't get it. Is this Google trying to get out of paying me a big check every month, or a competitor is trying to make my life hell or is Google gone paranode. I replied to this email and asked a couple questions, who knows if they respond. The email is below:

It has come to our attention that invalid clicks have been generated on
the ads on your site(s).

As a reminder, any method to generate invalid clicks is strictly prohibited. These prohibited methods include but are not limited to the use of robots, automated clicking tools, or other deceptive software.

Furthermore, publishers may not click on the ads or provide incentives of any kind to encourage or require users to click on the ads as this has the potential to inflate advertiser costs. All clicks must be generated as the result of a user clicking on the ads. If we find your account to be in violation again, action may be taken against your account and payment may be withheld. Please be sure to review and remain in compliance with our Terms and Conditions and program policies.

Sincerely,

The Google Team

[cyberprosper]

I think the emails are sent out automatically, i.e. by computer. When you write back and say "whats' up?" they'll say.. sorry, nothing... carry on. A couple weeks later you'll get another email and you'll go through the whole rigamarole again.

I think google just wants to frighten everybody. For me, waiting for this check is frightening enough.

[JollyK]

Yeah, mostly when people have responded, they've been cool about it.

Of course, you will likely get a cut-n-paste email about their "proprietary fraud detection technology" and "have your webmaster review your logs and notify us of any suspicious activity."

(As if our logs would show clicks on Google ads. hehe!)

So you may need to reply to the reply if you don't feel that they've responded to your concerns. AdWordsAdvisor urges people to reply to the emails that look cut-and-pasted for AdWords issues, and says that real people do read and respond to them, and I imagine AdSense is the same way.

Looks like they've changed the wording, though, from "fraudulent" to "invalid." At least, that email you pasted seems a lot more friendly than the one that I and others have gotten. :-) They seem to be making progress.

I do think that cyberprosper is right and that they are automatically sent, though.

JK

[t34WRJ]

Hey,

I got the a similar email, but instead of a warning my account was disabled (without warning).

Having emailed Google the following has been established:

a) These were not my clicks (approx 35 'invalid' clicks)
b) I have not encouraged any clicking whatsoever.

If Google has the technology to detect 'invalid' clicks, does it not have the technology to filter them?

Despite my emails asking for a less extreme outcome, it seems to be all in vain.

Any opinions/ideas/suggestions would be much appreciated.

Cheers,

James

[whizkiddo]

it is indeed frightening, with such competition in every field it would b very easy to sabotage anyones site u have a grudge against by simply clicking all the ads. wouldnt take u more than 10-15 mins but if you do it say every day for a week ; shudder to think of the consequences.

Its not always the webmasters fault ; google should consider this too in their "proprietary technology"

i have no idea how they should go about it though , since while they want to protect the webmaster , they also want to protexct the advertisers. Maybe simply not charging the advertisers or crediting the webmasters if you think the extra clicks are fradulent would do the trick.