Had to block Google this morning, CMS ads on every page

[Sgt_Kickaxe]

The most prominent ad unit on every page of my site was showing just one ad this morning instead of the usual 3/4 and the ad was for $75 off in Google advertising which is HIGHLY irrelevant to my audience. Is everyone seeing this?

[matrix_jan]

I did it a year ago, and feel much happier. The reason I did so was not much because of irrelevance, but more because I suspected that they don't even pay for clicks... (I think people click on free stuff, but after few days of 80% G ads and low-low clicks I sent G to the rows of emoticons and download ads...)

[lucy24]

Are you positive they're showing it to all site visitors and not just you personally?

[matrix_jan]

If you = me then
I've tried incognito surfing, and if it's not AdSense then it's other G services, like try G search or stuff like that... which is far more worse than free credit :)

[levo]

"Browsing in incognito mode only keeps Google Chrome from storing information about the websites you've visited. The websites you visit may still have records of your visit."

Try using another browser, all cookies history etc. cleared..

[g1smd]

Try using another browser, all cookies history etc. cleared..

.. and do it from a different IP address.

[levo]

you can also opt-out of interest based ads [google.com...]

[matrix_jan]

By incognito I meant anonymous surfing, no cookie, different ip( preferred from another country), different browsers. And Trying different referrers.
Anyway I don't think G is paying for the show...

[zarathustra2011]

I'm trying not to block any ads, however I came across this Google $75 ad three days ago right at the top of my list of ads, and it did irritate me, so I blocked it at once.

[Sgt_Kickaxe]

I have been opted out of interest based and I'm positive people are seeing them too because they are commenting on it. 'What's with the $75 off advertising ads' in part because Google displays ONLY the google ad in the 326x280 unit when otherwise 3-4 ads appear. People are noticing.

Today it's 'Install Google Chrome', but not on my site :-)

Here's what puzzles me though...
- If I tried to make my ad appear on completely irrelevant sites, via adwords, I'd quickly be paying $5.00 a click for the honor. Why doesn't that apply to Google too?

[Play_Bach]

> I have been opted out of interest based and I'm positive people are seeing them too

Unfortunately, that's the way it is. You can only opt YOU out of seeing IBAs, no control over what others see on your site.

[matrix_jan]

Unfortunately, that's the way it is. You can only opt YOU out of seeing IBAs, no control over what others see on your site.

There is an option in AdSense settings called "Interest-based Ads Preference", you can turn it off. But I haven't tried it...

[thatjen]

To block Google, do you just add google.com to your competitive ad filter, or is there a more specific URL to block - so you just block the ads for Adwords, etc.? I have been noticing Adword ads on my sites over the last few days, and they are totally irrelevant to my content.

Also, I haven't blocked image ads in so long that I forget how to find the URL to block. Does anyone know how to find it offhand?

[Play_Bach]

@matrix_jan

Sorry, that's not the way it works. You can only block what IBAs you see (pointless), not other people. Check it out.

[matrix_jan]

@Play_Bach

Am I missing something here? Adsense settings option description says.

"You can choose whether or not you wish to display ads that are based on user interest and demographic categories (for example, 'sports enthusiasts' or 'inferred age: 18-34')."

[Play_Bach]

Yup. It's a common misunderstanding. You can only opt yourself out of seeing IBAs - not other people. Obviously that's what publishers want, but that ain't what's happening, sorry.

However, you cannot opt out of showing ads to users based on their previous interactions with the advertiser, such as visits to an advertiser's website.

[google.com...]

[Sgt_Kickaxe]

Update: I display youtube videos on some of my articles and when a video finishes a big blue 'Get $75 off advertising' adsense unit is appearing OVER THE REPLAY BUTTON. I had to go back and manually adjust the size of all the videos to give the stupid ad enough room to clear the button and I'm really not happy about how in your face this particular ad is.

I want content targeted ads 100% of the time, is that even possible with adsense anymore?

[Play_Bach]

> I want content targeted ads 100% of the time, is that even possible with adsense anymore?

Not that I know of. AdSense ditched that awhile ago in favor of IBAs and whatever else they're doing now.

[Sgt_Kickaxe]

That's what it looks like, I've never really had to put the brakes on Google's choices, until now.

How is it possible that an ad unit is NOT available to placement targeting but Google is able to replace all other ads in a unit with a chrome or adwords ad? Is Google exempt from the 'auction' process ads are supposed to go through to choose the highest paying?

[netmeg]

They claim not. But it's not necessarily placement targeting that is putting it there.

[levo]

Well, they have inside information on how the algorithm works :) For example, if you had a much higher budget set in adwords (10x more than available inventory), you use to get more impressions/clicks, even the campaign wouldn't able to spend it.

So my theory is, if Google's campaign is set to spend a couple hundred $Ks/day, the algorithm might favor it... at least it used to..

[JCKline]

I blocked G 5 days ago, and CTR/eCPM increased dramatically. I have a webmaster related site, and webmasters know all about AdWords and Chrome, so they would never click.