Does Google check AdWord ad sites

like they check content sites for AdSense

[annej]

I just blocked an ad that appears to have nothing to do with my topic or any topic. It takes you to a directory of click.linksynergy.com ads. On the AdSense ad it looked like an ad to for major department store giving the idea the ad was actually from that department store.

This has me thinking that Google must not screen the AdWord ads at all or do people somehow get around it? Or is it that Google makes a lot of money on this type ad so they really don't mind.

[jonknee]

It takes them longer. Usually the low-CTR filters will catch off topic ads.

[Jenstar]

All ads are reviewed for suitability for AdSense before they will display on publishers sites.

You might be seeing some of the themed matching for publishers, if it is not ads directly related to the specific page, but within the theme of your overall site.

Affiliate links (such as the department store example) should say "Aff" or "Affiliate" in the ad somewhere. There is nothing that prevents the affiliate from advertising, unless the department store has a problem with it.

And you can always click on the "Ads by Google" to report an ad you feel is inappropriate for whatever reason.

[annej]

I don't know what to call this kind of a site but it doesn't really have any content or product. It basically makes money by selling second party, possibly affiliate, items. They don't really have a theme or topic. Instead of having good content to attract visitors to their sites they are pulling people in through a misleading adsense ad then making their money through links to more ads. I understand from what has been said here that it is legal but it seems to me it would hurt AdSense overall.

[yump]

I think in general its worth checking all the ads that appear when looking at your own site, although its not possible to see them all of course. We've just filtered quite a few for various reasons eg. back button disabled!....domain suspended...and a few others that were just rubbish. Don't be surprised what you'll find - the back button disabled one was no.2 in the Adwords listing every time I did a search for **** on Google. There's also plenty of url's pointing at general directories, when your visitor's are expecting something targeted. Some of them have quite high CPC, but imo not worth annoying your visitors.

[jonknee]

Just block their URL in the Google AdSense control panel.