More than 3 Adsense Units by using DFP

[adsense newbie]

I am using 3 Adsense units on a page. I recently discovered DFP, and found it has a feature to enable Adsense for all ad units, and Adsense ads show up when they are able to beat CPM that you define for your DFP units.

Now, this means that whenever DFP chooses to show Adsense, my web page ends up having more than 3 Adsense units (3 that I already have + more via DFP).

Is this against Adsense TOS? It seems like an obvious question to me, but ironically I am not able to find answer to this.

Please help.

[CMidd]

I'm pretty sure it.

You only supposed to have 3 ad unit, 3 link unit and 2 search box.

I use Openx and it allows the same thing. I even tested 4 ad unit on a page "just as a test". the problem is how middle man ad servers show the ads "sometime in a iframe"

i personally wouldn't show more them 3
1. it's probably against term "contact google first"
2. 3 ads are way more then enough. "if not consider larger ad units.

[adsense newbie]

CMidd: Your answer completely makes sense, and that is my feeling too. But the fact that DFP is also from Google, and it gives this way to show more than 3 Ad units prompted this question. In normal cases when we try to add more than 3 Ad units directly, only the first 3 are shown; but in case of DFP, more than 3 can be displayed. I am just wondering if this is deliberate on Google's part.

[CMidd]

adsense newbie

DFP is totally seperate from Adsense.

DFP is a full fledge adserver. The reason you can see multiple ad is because of how Adserver display ads. also note that DFP can also force ads to be opened in a new windows when using Adsense.

Think about it this way. Google wouldn't go through all the trouble to say "3 ad units" then provide an exception for DFP. If so people would just use DFP to get as many ad units as they want.

Honestly would Google hunt you down and enforce it? probably not.

matter of fact i set up a DFP for a unit where i served ads, and DFP by default had Adsense showing "causing more then 3 ad units" I honestly didn't realize and had to go and disable falling back on adsense "this was running for a while before i noticed".

[netmeg]

DFP is something Google bought, shoved AdSense into in a kind of haphazard manner, and made some changes to. You should never ever *assume* that because DFP allows you do certain things with AdSense, like open in a new window or run more than three ad units, that it's okay with AdSense, or the standard TOS doesn't apply to you. I'm about 85% sure that "but DFP lets me do it!" won't fly as an excuse for a TOS violation.

[nick28]

But the fact that DFP is also from Google, and it gives this way to show more than 3 Ad units prompted this question. In normal cases when we try to add more than 3 Ad units directly, only the first 3 are shown; but in case of DFP, more than 3 can be displayed.

I am using DPF too and have the same question which ASA sould answer here please.

[adsense newbie]

Even I would love to get an authoritative answer from ASA. Google can probably put it to rest for once and for all :)

[adsense newbie]

Just bumping it up, so that ASA can see it when he/she comes back this Monday morning :)

[CMidd]

authoritative answer?
it's there in the TOS.

now I'm no Adsense fan boy, but 3 ad units are the rule.

use as many as you want. use DFP to get 5 units and try open x to get 3 more. Total of 8 ad unit, and enjoy.

but when your account is terminated for TOS violation don't be surprised.

[adsense newbie]

@CMidd: As I said earlier, your answer completely makes sense. I am not flouting any rules here, but I am just surprised by lack of any clarification from Google on this aspect. As you would notice, even ASA did not participate in this thread, even though this is such a legitimate question.

My feeling is that Google is deliberately keeping this as a Gray area. They know people choose DFP for showing other ads, and by enabling Adsense in that, they also want to get a piece of pie (better pie, actually). So, they are ok with more than 3 ad units coming on a page in that situation. But they don't want to acknowledge it openly, as they don't want DFP to be a medium to show Adsense, but they do want Adsense to get a share of pie of DFP.

Anyway, I am still hoping ASA jumps in this thread, and clarify this :)

[Play_Bach]

> but when your account is terminated for TOS violation don't be surprised.

This advice from someone who clicks their own ads. Interesting.

[CMidd]

This advice from someone who clicks their own ads. Interesting.

I clicked on my ad "not ads" LOL

other then that occasions i never click my ads or have any reason to, and i click on it for a justified reason.

Google couldn't legally trace that single $.02 click "out of 10,000s since then" if they wanted to, but they can see 4 ad units on a page pretty easy.

[Rockyou]

This advice from someone who clicks their own ads. Interesting.

cmidd is having childish behaviour, He is not a law breaker otherwise he would not have told it openly.

One click in thousand click hardly matter, Even if he does it willingly, Google system knows it. He will get smart priced. So whats the point?

[adsense newbie]

Still no word from ASA. I think I will stick to my conspiracy theory :)

[BillyS]

I clicked on my ad "not ads" LOL

I'm still not laughing, and here's why...

Many of us are not only Adsense publishers, but we've been Adwords advertisers too. When you've lost hundreds of dollars a week to cheaters, you wouldn't be amused either. So these acts not only compromise the integrity of the system, but they cost us money too.

BTW - it's easier to find out who people are then you might think, so it's best to drop this topic.

[dhaliwal]

I have once got a notice from Adsense team that we are displaying more than 3 units on a single page.

I wasn't aware that it was due to DFP. It is clearly a violation of TOS. I had to remove the settings to fill ad units with Adsense.

Google Adsense team should clearly mention this as it can cause trouble for many publishers.