Ads disabled on one site - Account not banned

Well, it finally happened to me... and the timing is rough!

[YesMom]

Evidently I had my main income producing site reviewed and an email was sent to me regarding fixing some of my layout (I was still using generic images close to ads -- procrastinated about fixing it and now I'm sorry!). Unfortunately I had my account email forwarding to another and it must have gone to a spam folder -- or I just overlooked it. I did find it in my original mail program once I noticed ads weren't showing.

#1 -- I think it would be SO easy for Google to put a notice on your AdSense account so you see it when you login. *sigh* -- they do this for AdWords customers -- like when your billing info needs updating, etc.
I would have seen a notice like that in plenty of time!

#2 -- Giving only 3 days to fix a problem is a very tight time constraint. But I suppose it is a grace period, anyway. However, sometimes a publisher might not realize something that was "acceptable" is now a Terms and Conditions violation. (Not in my case, however -- I was just too lazy to fix it when I heard publishers were being called on the carpet for it!)

Well, lesson learned.

Of course this indignity HAD to occur in the only month of the year where I always do exceptionally well with the program -- up to $3,500 income vs. $750 to $1,500.

My other (smaller) sites were not affected, but I made the changes on those as well. I separated the 728x90 leaderboard with a clear border w/ rounded corners. I'm hoping that is still enough to fix it! My site was one that had 4 images above the leaderboard -- which often had only 2 or 3 ads so it didn't always 'line up' anyway.

I'm not running any other ads in the meantime -- I sure don't want Google reviewing my site and finding Yahoo ads right now. But minute-by-minute I'm watching my income eke away!

How long -- on average -- does it take for an account in otherwise good standing to have a site restored?

I did the contact form to let Google know I hadn't seen their email and the changes have been made to conform to their policies now.

Thanks for the help/advice/moral support!

I just felt I needed to share my trauma... LOL

[Habtom]

Thanks for the help/advice/moral support!

I will go with the moral support. If you have already fixed and reported it, that is the best thing you can do, I wish you all the best.

I heard publishers were being called on the carpet for it!

And thanks for that expression, I haven't heard it in years.

I think I haven't been called to any carpet recently :)

[edited by: Habtom at 2:00 pm (utc) on Aug. 16, 2007]

[Hobbs]

put a notice on your AdSense account so you see it when you login

Yes a very good idea, Google, make it so!

Giving only 3 days to fix a problem is a very tight time constraint

Again agree, 3 days from an acknowledged login and reading the message in the AdSense reports page is more like it, plus, some publishers (normal human beings too) go on vacations, leave behind all gadgets for weeks.

Good luck YesMom, knowing and admitting what went wrong is 90% of the solution, let us know when it gets resolved.

[WiseWebDude]

Just make sure you tell them what happened with your e-mail and such. They should fix you right back up, I had the same thing happen on one of my sites...I goofed. I fixed it and Google fixed their end.

[YesMom]

WiseWebDude --

Thank you so much for the info and encouragement -- can you tell me how much time it took from the point you emailed Google to being up and running again?

Thanks!

YM

[Khensu]

Same thing happened to me in May, I was down 3 days and lost $2K. But they were right, I had a bank of links at the bottom of the page that said "Other Free Sites" which was too close to the adblock above it and confusing people. Ofcourse they shut me down at 1 am while I was sleeping and by time the emails travled back and forth it ate 3 days (in a total cold sweat).

But my CTR went up after and made I more $$$ by changing it so it was a good thing after all.

[edited by: Khensu at 2:03 pm (utc) on Aug. 17, 2007]

[WiseWebDude]

YesMom,

It was one day...

Sorry it took so long for me to answer.

[YesMom]

Thanks, WiseWebDude! I received (nearly within the 24 hours) a VERY nice personal email from someone at Google. He politely asked me to remove the images completely though. It didn't seem to matter that I had 'fixed' most pages by putting a clear border around the ads. I simple couldn't have the images looking like they lined up with the ads -- period. I was surprised, since after putting on the border the strip of ads did not in any way look related to the images.

Anyhow -- I have now fully complied and I'm waiting for a response or the ads to appear again. Of course I'm compulsively reloading the page... haha. ;-)

Thanks for the comraderie in my suffering!

YM

[YesMom]

Khensu --

That is SO exciting that your CTR went up. I was thinking before this that my site had grown kind of stagnant and needed a 'shake up' anyway.

I haven't done a complete redesign, but this has gotten my creative juices flowing again. Since I HAD to change things, might as well make it better, eh? :-)

Thanks for your input! I only lost about $300 so far -- not quite so bad as you. Thankfully I was running a new referral ad early in the month that more than made up for it.

YM

[WiseWebDude]

YesMom, no problem! They will reinstate you if they told you that, just a matter of time, shouldn't be long. Glad to hear all went well!

:)

[cocacolafun]

I like the fact that they are actually working with the publisher to fix the problem.

[YesMom]

I do too, cocacolafun -- although I'm a bit nervous again because I replied when I fixed the problem and haven't heard back yet. It has only been 4 business days, but... but...

I'm trying hard not to think about the time passing and revenue slipping away on my normally BEST month of the year. *sigh*

[YesMom]

Woooohoooo!

Only moments after my last post (is Google peeking in here?) I got the coveted email.

They are re-enabling my ads and I should see them reappear within 48 hours at most!

Thanks to everyone who stood with me in my agonizing wait... where every minute that passed seemed like an hour.

I can breathe again. :-)

YM
-- who is going to be a careful, good little publisher from now on -- glory to God! -- and I don't mean the gods of Goog. HAHA)

[Khensu]

Yep, felt like I was on the bench at the gym and somebody put a 100 pound plate on my chest.

Trust me you will NEVER want have that feeling again. Flushes anything but pure white ideas out of your head.

If you are a worthwile publisher Google is making money off of you and it is in their best interest to help you fix the problem.

Live long and prosper, YesMom.

[edited by: Khensu at 10:18 pm (utc) on Aug. 22, 2007]