How to Build Site with "Fake" Ads?

Is there a Google Tool for the Design Process?

[izizi009]

I am so new to this, but totally obsessed :-) I have some great ideas for content sites. I have hired a designer/coder to build the sites for me because (a) I don't have killer design skills and I want my user experience to be great, (b) I have no idea how to create good html (yes, I can do really, realy basic stuff like add images or create links, but not stuff like getting things to line up well or metatags, etc.) [and I'd love to learn, but time is better spent creating content, which is my forte.]

The designer I have hired has never worked with adsense before. Here are my questions:

(1) Is there a way to let him experiment with the code placement, the look of the ads and all that, with it all being fake ads? I am very worried that he will click on the ad links and jeapordize my acct if it they are real.

(2) And can I create my adsense acct before I have any websites up?

(3) If there is a way to do fake ads (or, even if there isn't I suppose], do I have to give the designer access to my adsense acct while he is designing to play around with the look of the ad boxes in his design, and is there any risk in doing that (ie in giving him access to my adsense acct.) [I don't know the guy, I just hired him off the strengh of his portfolio from Craigslist.]

[dazzlindonna]

I just do a screenshot of an ad (any adsense ad) in the size I want, and use that as a placeholder while designing.

[izizi009]

Great Suggestion! If I have the designer do this, will I still need to give him access to my Acct at the end to drop the code in and tweak borders/colors. Or can I just give him the code by cutting and pasting from google and tweaking it myself? (is it easy enough for a non-designer, non-coder to do?) And do I get my site up first and then join adsense, or join now while we are designing?

[HarryM]

You can go to AdSense "Common Questions", then click "AdSense for Content", then "Ad Formats", then "AdSense Ads Formats" page, and download the example gifs. Just place these where you intend to place the AdSense code.

[HarryM]

do I get my site up first and then join adsense, or join now while we are designing?

Get the site up first. Google will expect to be able to vet it before allowing you to join.

<added later> Once the site is up and approved you can set border colours, etc. It's something that you will have to play around with to discover what suits your site and what works in getting the clicks. </added>

[edited by: HarryM at 4:53 pm (utc) on Aug. 7, 2005]

[CraigMyers]

To get an Adsense account you have to at least have your site partially made I suggest waiting for it to be finnished before applying. Otherwise you may not get approved.

On the adsense Adformats page, you can get JPG images of the adblocks for playing with in the design stage of your site.

[google.com...]

Craig.

[fischermx]

I did exactly that, using the gifs. The only problem is you can't experiment with colors.
Once I changed to the publisher ID to some random numbers and it worked, but I think that may be because it coincided with a valid ID! :( because when I tried to do it again then, it didn't work.

[Sobriquet]

Well, Just one suggestion.
Dont use a designer who does not understand adsense, heatmaps and TOS

This is a wasteful exercise. Dont do that. Most designers are not equiped with experience that needs an eye for adsense. Most of them dont even know how heatmaps works.

What you need is a dynamic data driven system with a admin control to enter topics and articles in rich text.

Instead, you can BUY adsense best placement site design and complete scripts for little price and good results. If you want details for this, pelase sticky me.