Forum Moderators: martinibuster
Couple of years ago, I opened an Adsense account on my personal website. I've been experimenting on it and monitoring stats for some time now, last year I got my first $100 check...
It was so exciting to see it work.
Few days ago, I received an email from Google saying my account posed a significant risk to advertisers
I don't understand what happened, my account was reaching another $100:)
Could it be possible that someone was abusing my site and clicking on the adwords over and over....
How can I prove to Google that I didn't break any rule....
Did anyone had the same experience.
Does anyone has a smiliar story.
BTW yesterdat I posted an appeal on Google's website and I am still waiting for a reply...
Have a nice day:)
[edited by: jatar_k at 6:35 pm (utc) on Feb. 2, 2008]
[edit reason] no specifics thanks [/edit]
Meanwhile, I must say that if it's taking several months to reach $100, it's hard to see why Google considers this to be a "significant" risk to advertisers.
What is strange is that it took like 1 year and more to reach $100
I don't understand why this causes a risk....
Google is responsible towards its advertisers and publishers too, at least in theory.
Imagine if a publisher has like $1000 in the account and suddently one day Google decides to cancel account without any justification.
IMHO, this is quite dissapointing.
Any suggestions
Anyway, Google has terminated a few websites for this reason recently. IMO the wording they use is meant to suggest that you didn't explicitly break any rules, just that they don't feel advertisers are getting their money's worth when they buy clicks from your site. And their business is all about the advertisers.
Imagine if a publisher has like $1000 in the account and suddently one day Google decides to cancel account without any justification.
For $1000 it would be worth filing a claim in small claims court. My guess is that Google wouldn't bother to fight it for anyting less than a few thousand dollars. If they fight it, they would have to reveal their methods for terminating the account, and why they decided to keep the money.
Anyway, even without going to court, it's possible that they'll send you whatever funds you had built up prior to the account termination.
Anything on the site or advertised on the site that involves popups, downloads, software or toolbars, or anything that could negatively affect advertiser branding?
I don't understand why would Google not like the niche of my site
It's an online magazine that helps people learn more about computers and the Internet, so many people like it. I still think that Google needs to clarify the "risk" the website might have caused to its advertisers....
Does anyone share this point of view with me.
[edited by: mack at 9:24 pm (utc) on Feb. 3, 2008]
[edit reason] Removed specifics [/edit]
It's an online magazine that helps people learn more about computers and the Internet
That's pretty vague. That could be a description of a site that reviews hacking tools, offers how-to-hack articles, or a warez site.
I still think that Google needs to clarify the "risk" the website might have caused to its advertisers....
On one hand, I suppose Google feels like they already did that by posting the TOS, the Policies and the Webmaster Guielines. OTOH, there are plenty of people who have received the email and say they have no idea what Google is referring to.
OTOH, if Google decides to KEEP your money, then I would have some sympathy for your situation. But there's a limit to that because I don't really know anything about you or your site. Frankly, there's more talk here about how Google needs to crack down more than there is about how Google should be more flexible on quality/compliance issues.
I know the issue is taking up some of your time and I appreciate all the replies. In fact Google did not pay anything...I understand that TOS clarified most of the things. However I've been using Google Adwords for several years now and I never got a complaint in the past or caused a risk. I think Google might have disabled my account from day 1. In fact most of the traffic I get is from Google...
What I am just saying is that what if someone went to my website and clicked on the Adwords over and over...Why I have to pay for that?
What is interesting for me now - in fact the issue isn't about my money - is how Google can tell if someone is sabotaging...
I had a meeting with a client who is an NGO and I suggested Adwords as a way to sustain the website. It would be bad if one day, they receive an e-mail saying "account is disabled due to a risk". How can Google protect against that.
I think this is an interesting topic now that Google has a big chunk of online advertising...Can it be reliable in terms of generating revenue, or someone simply goes for it and hopes not to cause a risk someday.
Thank you.
