Forum Moderators: martinibuster
If this program is for the real, honest webmaster, only let real sites in.
Didn't blogger just have an enormous splog problem that had to be shut down? These are the same people running MFAs. They can post a few words on blogger.com, apply for an account and then start building MFAs. I mean, come on G.
Remember how thorough they were in the beginning to get an account? Boy have things changed.
It will hit the fan one day and something will happen that will adress this, such as:1) Either somebody will build a search engine that will not spider pages with Google ads on them.
2) Maybe MSN will release the next version of IE7 and make it block all Google ads...
3) Another major browser will block all Google ads by default.
I think things will change to address the quality of search results, but I don't think the change will involve either 1, 2 or 3 above. Why? Because in addition to not very useful sites displaying AdSense, there are a lot of very useful sites displaying AdSense. A search engine or web searcher will not want to throw the good out with the bad.
There is a golden opportunity for someone to develop a search engine, or even niche directories, that can weed out the bad and keep the good.
Think how many people are participating in link exchanges and/or paying people to write short keyword filled articles just as search engine bait. If someone could develop a means of controlling just those two manipulations, search engine results would change dramatically.
FarmBoy
So you think it was a positive move for the quality of Adsense to make it so easy to open an account that you just need a blogger account? Are you honestly trying to make that case?
My point - there are tons of MFA sites that carry YPN ads - totally spammy, despite the fact that YPN is very picky about whom they let in.
So is Yahoo responsible for the fact that spammers create these sites?
I've written dozens of DMCA complaints for Blogger sites. They all have AdSense and the creators built them to produce what they think will be high-paying ads.
Are you saying these blogger sites stole your content and put it on the blogs along with AdSense ads?
If not, what's the DMCA violation and how do you have standing to make the complaint?
FarmBoy
Google does not promote MFA sites
But it does tolerate it, according to all of you who have filed spam reports only to see the offending MFA sites still up and running.
beren is exactly right: and when the people creating these sites learn that they are not bringing high-paying ads, they then apply a "carpet bombing" strategy and build hundreds of these sites each.
Then it becomes a matter of simple economics that the rate of growth of MFAs exponentiate faster than that of legitimate sites, simply because one has to build more of them for there to be any measureable profit.
Are you suggesting that they wouldn't be using a "carpet bombing" strategy if they were earning a decent profit? You must have more faith in human nature and self-restraint than I do. :-)
EFV, I agree with your last post pretty much. But do you feel that blogger.com is appropriate for the adsense network?
Depends on the site. Some blogs may work well with AdSense (for advertisers as well as bloggers); others won't. I don't see why blogger.com should be any worse than, say, gmail or the DomainPark network, which (like blogger.com) demonstrate the need for smart pricing or something like it, along with more opt-out or opt-in choices for advertisers.
There is a golden opportunity for someone to develop a search engine, or even niche directories, that can weed out the bad and keep the good.
DMOZ?
Are you saying these blogger sites stole your content and put it on the blogs along with AdSense ads?
Yes. It happens all the time.
Are you saying these blogger sites stole your content and put it on the blogs along with AdSense ads?
Yes. It happens all the time.
I don't know whether or not Google gives extra weight to Blogger for organic SERPS (I'm sure they'd never admit it if they did) I only know that in some markets that I monitor pretty darn closely, all of a sudden a lot of these MFA Blogger sites have suddenly shown up in the top ten SERPS for *very* key and competitive search terms. And every few days, a few more show up. And bit by bit, I'm taking my top ten AdWords clients out of the Content networks because of it.
If Google doesn't want to take a look at the issue, it doesn't really matter, because eventually, the advertisers will do the voting - with their feet.
If Google doesn't want to take a look at the issue, it doesn't really matter, because eventually, the advertisers will do the voting - with their feet.
I think we just got the bottom line on this issue.
Honestly, I see no connectin as to how easy it is to open AdSense account and MFA.
SNIP
One person from India compained about AdSense and mentioned that he has joined other networks, including YPN. When I asked how he did it (YPN isn't available to publishers from India), he said he has relatives in US, who wire money to him. Another "honest publisher" bought invitation to YPN (and did not know he could not use it).
See my point?
MFA's and MFY's and MFM's will exist regardless what Google does, unless they really limit the program to a few hundred or thousand partners. Granted.
I have a hopefully not "in vain" hope that we can see eye to eye on one thing and that you'll see my point too.
There's a big difference between trying to maintain a quality product and not being totally successful vs. soliciting from networks where there is a known spam problem to get as many bodies into your program. Quality is bound to suffer.
However, monetary penalties on scraper sites might discourage many from creating MFAs. If G could find a couple hundred of these (should take about two days time), deny their payments and make the denial of payment public, it may send a message to some that the game is over.
I should add that something positive might have happened around June or July, because I have seen my EPC increase since that time (post Bourbon) and not go back down. Of course, that could be smart pricing, but maybe G's got something in the algo that pays scraper sites a penny a click or less.
Just some thoughts...
It's because of the fraud clicks.
I also understand that MFA websites generally do well in the other major search engines, so that's not my main motive to not be on the content work == as I know these MFA sites will generate quality SALES LEADS, as does Google.
Once they ban them from the Google serp's it's yahoo and msn's problem, not theres.
just my 0.2 cents.
An advertiser finally said it outright. MFA's generate quality leads. If they make sure the incoming traffic was relevant, where better to get someone who wants to leave the site and convert than an MFA?
If he's right, then MFA's won't get punished by Smart Pricing, they will get rewarded. And advertisers won't mind it. And MFAs will proliferate because it helps Google's bottom line.
And the spam grows on. And the spam grows on... La da da da dee. La da da da daaa.
No honest publisher can be happy with this situation. Those who can game the system have no incentive to do anything but spam. How sad.
I think the condemning of blogspot is off the notion that there are no legitimate adsense bloggers on blogspot, but whether or not that idea holds true for the majority or not, that same notion could be applied to any blogger at hisorherdomain.wherever
You figure... no links accept ads.. no back button on some... CTR = 50%+?
In order to NOT be smart priced - they had better be converting a LOT. There is NO reason why a MFA would convert as well, or better than any legitimate content site.
I would need cold hard stats countering my claim to believe otherwise.
I find it hard to believe that MFA's convert well on a percentage of clicks basis.
You figure... no links accept ads.. no back button on some... CTR = 50%+?In order to NOT be smart priced - they had better be converting a LOT. There is NO reason why a MFA would convert as well, or better than any legitimate content site.
I would need cold hard stats countering my claim to believe otherwise.
Likewise. MFA's working for advertisers has been debated here in the past, and it's interesting to note that no firm, or even beleivable evidence has ever been forthcoming. I suspect this time will be no different.
I do wonder if the "information" that MFA's convert well for adertisers is coming from publishers what might just happen to have the odd MFA or twelve lurking in the background somewhere......
I have to say that having blocked all MFA's for several months now, my earnings have increased dramatically. If MFA's worked better for advertisers the opposite would have been true,
Hard cash talks - "vapourware" doesn't.
I guess I would tend to agree with
posters that claim to be advertisers that say MFA's convert = publishers that make money with their MFA's
Answer:
IPO.
