Allow GoogleBot to spider pw protected areas?

Want to make sure they optimize my ads

[limitup]

I want to place some AdSense ads on a "members only" site that requires users to login. Is there a definitive IP or IPs that GoogleBot comes from, so I can grant it access without having to login?

[limitup]

On a related note, say I want to put AdSense ads on results pages such as search results pages, etc. These dynamically generated results pages can't be accessed directly without proper query strings, etc. so I had another idea.

Can I have these scripts detect the media bot and basically just output a list of keywords and/or related content so that when regular users view these pages the AdSense ads are hopefully targeted?

I can easily do this technically, but anyone know if it's against the AdSense TOS by any chance?

[Fuzzyfish1000]

I think this is technically known as cloaking; showing the user one thing, and showing the bots another; and I know Google doesn't like it. I'd avoid that technique like the plague to be honest; or I'd guess you'll be getting the 'account de-activation' e-mail fairly quickly.

On a more helpful note, what you could do is make sure that the pages are accessible even if the user isn't logged in, just limited. For instance, if you were running a dating site, and had a page showing search results that could only be accessed by members - keep the page, and just put a paragraph on it saying what sort of content the page would usually hold, and plug the advantages of membership, with a login/registration link. You get to put some keywords on the page, the bots will be able to read it, as will your users. You won't be able to optimise your keywords as much, but you'll get to keep your account!

[jatar_k]

it does say right on the policies page that you must adhere to the webmaster guidelines, which includes

Do not employ cloaking or sneaky redirects.

but I thought there was mention somewhere that you could do that. There are enough sites around that use adsense that a human goes to and has to signup. Newspaper sites come to mind

[Hobbs]

Yes jatar,
I too recall seeing that ads are allowed inside member only sections. And I do not think cloaking applies because there are no 2 versions of the same page, only one version.

[limitup]

Yeah I'm just not sure what rules apply in this case. Obviously cloaking as it relates to Google search results is a no-no, but in this case all I'm trying to do is help Google's media bot better understand what a specific page is about so it can serve more targeted ads. There is no "competitive advantage" or incentive for me to optimize for non-related keywords, etc. so it seems that they should allow this type of thing. All I'm trying to do is help both of us make more money...

[jema]

I do this and don't see an issue.

The rules are there to target abuse of the system, just because some rules are framed simply and therefore look like they might apply to a legitimate thing likes this, does not mean some jobsworth at google is going to be a pillock.

[jatar_k]

actually this particular rule goes against what google has always said

cloaking is bad

but I believe they allow this, so therefore, cloaking is good

you figure it out