AdSense Ok on Dot Org Sites?

[WolfLover]

I have a couple of .org sites that I'm about to launch. They will be non-commercial sites that will be helpful to others. I would like to put AdSense on them to help cover hosting costs, etc.

Is this permissible? Nothing against TOS? Thanks for any help.

[Car_Guy]

Nobody cares. Their ads are on .info and .biz sites too.

[Quadrille]

Broadly, I agree - but it's possible one or two of your readers will choose to be upset, so it might be worth a para on your 'about' page stating your 'defraying costs' policy, just to avoid annoying whingers!

It's a sad world, even for not-for-profiters :)

[DamonHD]

Hi,

I run AdSense on my main not-for-profit .org site: G seems to approve (and keep on sending me money).

Rgds

Damon

[topr8]

there is no problem from google

although how is this true

non-commercial sites

when it is running ads!

[cvas]

My adsense account was approved on an .org site so it did not matter to Google at that time. If rules are changing then it should be somehow explicit in TOS. I would not worry about it.

[DamonHD]

Hi topr8,

Museums and hospitals (in the private and public sector) have cafes and shops.

Just because an operation is not-for-profit doesn't mean it wanders around with a begging bowl waiting for money to fall into its lap while failing to get the toilets cleaned and servers upgraded. Getting some well-targetted and relevant ads (1) may HELP the visitors directly (2) certainly helps the .org site stay solvent.

Running ads does not imply "commercial" in the sense that you seem to be implying. It may imply "savvy" and "good" and "businesslike".

Rgds

Damon

[Webwork]

I think it's a pefect match for two reasons.

1. NPOs, educational organizations, community organizations, industry organizations, educational and "organizing" websites all need revenue to pay their bills. Whilst ads are ads - and most of us have no love for ads - an equally large number of people are none to eager to hit the PayPal button to make a contribution. One could always offer to remove the advertising IF the membership is prepared to fully fund operations out of their own pockets. (Perhaps a "supporting members" section might be added to such a website and made into an "advertisement free zone".)

2. For each of the above organizations the fact that Google, not the website, chooses the adds effectively removes the appearance of endorsement by the organization. All potential advertisers are on equal footing for appearing on the website. Certainly someone can argue for exclusion of offensive ads but beyond proactive blocking there is no active endorsement.

[edited by: Webwork at 6:28 pm (utc) on Aug. 28, 2006]

[WolfLover]

Thanks everyone! For the mentioned .org sites I am about to launch, I am not selling anything, I'm offering information, help, etc. The ads will or should be about the same thing which will mean some charity type ads, etc. will be on my .org sites when I put my AdSense code on it.

I do not feel this will cheapen my sites as they may not make much revenue, however, even though I am a commercial business, I will be spending my time updating and paying for hosting, etc. on a site whose main purpose is not selling anything.

I want to give back to the community and to some issues that are of importance to me. I am an animal lover and though I love all creatures, I have a special fondness for wolves. One of my .orgs will be about the preservation of wolves. I hope to get more information out there.

Just as I've always spayed and neutered all my pets because even though I may have been able to sell some beautiful puppies and kittens and pot belly pigs and made a profit, I will not use them in that manner.

I want to get information out about some important issues including teen lonliness and depression. I want to subsidize these sites with AdSense to help pay for it and I will donate a portion of the proceeds to charities that help these specific issues.

So, again, thank you everyone for the information. I feel that what goes around comes around, and if I can help others and it comes back to me with something good, then so be it. I think everyone should purchase a .org site now and do the same. Make a site dedicated to your specific charity involvements and put AdSense on it.

These will be sites that may actually help others, rather than like the MFA types, that only want to help themselves.

[DamonHD]

Hi WolfLover,

Yes, my sites are all about "giving something back" to the Net: I'm right with you there, and I feel fairly sure that this is exactly the sort of site AS was conceived to support as a win-win-win scenario.

(I'll try and separate in my mind that you will run sites for teens and wolves, even though I'm sure there is a commercial movie in there somewhere... %-P )

Rgds

Damon

PS. One little thought I have for this kind of ad placement is that I work less hard to suppress the Public Service Ads (PSAs) since unless they are dreadful they do at least line up with the public-service nature of the site(s)...

[edited by: DamonHD at 6:43 pm (utc) on Aug. 28, 2006]

[WolfLover]

PS. One little thought I have for this kind of ad placement is that I work less hard to suppress the Public Service Ads (PSAs) since unless they are dreadful they do at least line up with the public-service nature of the site(s)...

Yes, Damon, my thoughts exactly. As I said, these sites are not about my making money. It's about giving back. So I will not be suppressing the PSA's if I do get them. As that will be the focus of my sites anyway.

[eddy22]

Something seems to be brewing about renewal of .org domains :

[webmasterworld.com...]

[JinxBoy]

I had adsense running on a .org domain for over a year with no problems.