I never thought I'd be posting this

Banned and I don't know why

[foxtrot3]

Banned and I don't know why..

From the email....

A publisher's site may not have invalid clicks on any ad(s), including
but not limited to clicks generated by:

- a publisher on his own web pages
- a publisher encouraging others to click on his ads
- automated clicking programs or any other deceptive software
- a publisher altering any portion of the ad code or changing the
layout, behavior, targeting, or delivery of ads for any reason.

I've done NONE of the above.

The only thing I can think of is I did change the color of the ad layout to blend in with the color of my site, but I know that MANY others have done the same, and I did that three months ago.

Please comment!

[ken_b]

I did change the color of the ad

Did you use the tools on the Adsense site to make that change?

[foxtrot3]

Sigh - Is that it? I used the tools but couldn't get the color exactly right, so I inserted the color I wanted into the code.

So I guess that's it. Good grief!

[NoLimits]

Are you really required to use the color codes provided? It allows you to type your own into the text box. Wouldn't they deactivate the text box if they didn't want people entering their own values?

I'd like to hear an official ruling on that.

[larryhatch]

Good post! I bet there are a lot of people who never suspected this might become an issue.
Definite clarification from Adsense-guy needed here. -Larry

[roycerus]

I don't think it's just that - it can't be something that simple. Either the code you inserted somehow got modified or possibly you added something you didn't notice. Can you please sticky me your url so I can have a closer look.

Also, they mention that it's a case of click-fraud. Usually I don't think Google will ban publishers without giving them a warning about something.

I wish Google would create a blog or something where they can post anonymously [without mentioning any website or publisher] why they were banned - this will make it easier for publishers to follow guidelines and possibly prevent mishaps.

[foxtrot3]

roycerus - I stickyed you the url.

Also, I went back to my color pallette thing, and I DID use the tools to change the colors.

So maybe the colors aren't the issue. I have no clue.

[Powdork]

Changing the colors is a non-issue. It is almost always about invalid clicks. Just because you didn't make them doesn't mean they didn't happen. There are many ways invalid clicks can occur without you're knowing it. The answer often lies within your logs.

[roycerus]

Nope - nothing seems to be wrong with the code. Although your channel selection has been left blank but I don't think that is the issue either. The website is almost a one-page website [with some pop-up affiliate links].

So it could be related to :

* Someone from your local IP clicking on the ads repeatedly - making Google think you are clicking your ads.

* I notice that there's nowhere else to go other than a couple of navigation links [which are pop-ups]. This probably gives the user very little option. Could be an issue. Did you have adsense on those pop-up pages?

* A one page website often is a problem for adsense as there will be many "invalid" clicks because users don't have anywhere else to go.

Your website is still showing ads - Does Google show ads even after deactivating an account?

[foxtrot3]

It is basically a one page site. There's a second page, but it has no adsense ads. There's one link to an affiliate site, and one link to a "help the hurricane victims" site.

That's it.

My computer is not on a network. I work at home. I'm the only one who uses it.

[martinibuster]

Might be related to your traffic sources.

[incrediBILL]

Ever notice it's only members of this forum that get banned?

Real spooky.

[mhhfive]

"That's it.

My computer is not on a network. I work at home. I'm the only one who uses it."

whaaaa..? so who's clicking on your ads?!

[JohnDoealias]

Sorry to hear that.

But you know what?
Maybe you did nothing against Google adsense TOS. Maybe Google kicked you out because your ad clicks don't make Adwords clients happy in any reason.

How convienience!
The only thing Google saying is your site has invalid clicks which you never had and they never provide detailed evidences.

After number of incidents, I started to believe Google is kicking Adsense publishers with low purchasing rates - which is acceptable but what pisses me off is they just say invalid clicks which never performed.

Forgive my English

[ann]

If you are married, could it have been your wife or children clicking on the ads out of real interst perhaps, not realizing how much it could hurt.

Just a thought, Ann

[Powdork]

Or if you were, perhaps out of spite?

[Tropical Island]

From the history of the "I got banned" threads here I would be willing to bet that it has nothing to do with the background colour.

[Sanenet]

The website is almost a one-page website [with some pop-up affiliate links].

Why are we still bothering to look for a reason why he got banned?

[zing]

After number of incidents, I started to believe Google is kicking Adsense publishers with low purchasing rates - which is acceptable but what pisses me off is they just say invalid clicks which never performed.

You took the words from my tongue! It's a bit unfair.

[blue_eagle]

What type of web site was it? which niche or category?

[europeforvisitors]

Ever notice it's only members of this forum that get banned?

Real spooky.

LOL. Also, nearly all of the banned publishers are "new users" at Webmaster World, which means they're being banned retroactively!

[Jon_King]

I don't believe it's the color change.

It's an editable field with preview in the Pallet setup. You'd only use the picker tool for color if they didn't want you to match color schemes.

Besides, G talks about matching color schemes in the conversion tips section of help.

[hunderdown]

We know that Google does not systematically dump publishers with invalid clicks from outside sources, because I've seen a number of case where people have reported detecting invalid clicks, and Google simply filtered them out with no further consequences.

I wonder if they allow a certain percentage of invalid clicks. A site with more than that might be dropped simply because it's not generating enough valid ones.... So one-page sites or sites with low traffic might be more vulnerable to click-happy visitors, because it wouldn't take as much action for the threshold to be crossed. Just speculation.

[edited by: hunderdown at 4:08 pm (utc) on Oct. 4, 2005]

[Rodney]

Besides, G talks about matching color schemes in the conversion tips section of help.

I always wonder if there is a difference (in Google's eyes) between editing the hex codes in the Google Adsense color-picker interface, so you still copy and paste the code from the Google site and editing the hex code in a text edtior where you would be technically manually editing the adsense code directly (which is against the TOS).

[LeoXIV]

what is the Geo-spread of your audience? (N.America /EU/Asia/...)

[foxtrot3]

Thanks to everyone for your input. I responded to the email asking them to be more specific about the reason, but as yet have heard nothing.

[ronin]

Also, nearly all of the banned publishers are "new users" at Webmaster World

I noticed that.

It lends credence to my theory that during a boring afternoon at the Googleplex, a few employees get together, set up a WW account and fire up another "I got banned!" thread to stir fear and dread into the minds of the worldwide independent publishing community.

[Garfieldt]

It lends credence to my theory that during a boring afternoon at the Googleplex, a few employees get together, set up a WW account and fire up another "I got banned!" thread to stir fear and dread into the minds of the worldwide independent publishing community.

You really think they would be so cruel?

[hunderdown]

I can think of a more plausible explanation for the preponderance of new users starting "I got banned" threads. In the cases over the past year where it became clear WHY someone was banned (and it didn't always), the reasons why someone was banned were all things that a regular visitor to WebmasterWorld would have known to avoid. Once they got banned, they went looking for help they hadn't realized they needed before, and their search brought them here....

[frox]

good point, hunderdown!