Big difference between Finalized and Actual earnings for October

first time when happends

[rowtc2]

Until now estimated earnings was validated in Payments with no difference.

For October i see in Payments an amount with -20% lower than Estimated Earnings. Also, in main interface of Adsense Last Month shows the correct amount (not lowered with -20%).

Is a pretty big amount.

Anyone see this?

[Rufal]

Hi,

Yes, I just noticed the same for myself. The estimated earning for Oct where on par with how it has been for the past 20-30 months, but the finalized earnings are way lower. Only 56% of the estimated report.

I don't think I have ever, since 2006, had my finalized earnings so low

[azn romeo 4u]

Yup, I noticed that on my account as well for the first time. Thank god, it was only a $10 difference though. Never had any difference in earnings ever.

But jesus man...20% and 50% that is huge!

Edit. I hope this isn't a trend, because I'm about to see the highest earnings ever for November in my adsense history. Lookings like 260% more compared to last year, and 20% more than last month.

[Rufal]

It is a pretty big slap, especially for December. My difference is in the 4 digits, so it's a lot of money that they are deducting without an explanation.

In the Google Help forum, Reports and Earnings, posts are raining in about the October finalized earnings

[crazybrain]

I have a site that has been active with Adsense for 6 years now and there has never been more than a 1% (always less) between finalized and actual earnings. For October I see a 40% difference between finalized and what was reported during October. Earning wents down after Oct 14th and now I see this - what is the Google Adsense team doing?

[azn romeo 4u]

I sent adsense, 36k clicks in september, and 53k clicks in october. Might have been clicked bombed 14k times for a $10 lost. Who knows. 14k difference only made a 3 digit difference too =/

Something was up in October for me. Does your click total look out of whacked compared to previous months?

[ember]

We usually see an adjustment between estimated and final earnings, but it's always less than 1% and sometimes just a few dollars.

[Rufal]

I just checked the total clicks, they seem very normal compared to previous months.

This is a first for me, usually finalized earnings have been very similar to the reported earnings.

But now the finalized earning are really low, I hope it is a mistake and will be rectified. If it's some other issues (advertiser that did not pay Google) I hope then that the Adsense team at least sends out an announcement.

[koan]

I'm also seeing a significant drop for the first time with finalized earnings, around 25%. It's usually unnoticeable.

[alecisherwood]

Im also seeing a massive drop for the first time.

From UK£1,007.14 to UK£574.97 - Not happy.

How can we find out if there is an error?

Edit: My clicks are also more or less the same, along with page impressions.

I just don't get why my finilised earnings are like 50% less then estimated. In the past it has been like £4 max.

[zarathustra2011]

You got me worried after reading this thread - just checked mine, but less than a $1 difference.
I feel for those who have been hugely affected. Seems weird.

[breeks]

Five bucks less about the same as usual. Google money is going down but affiliate money is growing. It pays not to put all your eggs in one basket, especially when Google is holding the basket.

[netmeg]

Yea, mine's just under five bucks.

[rowtc2]

Must be an error, the difference is too big. If they change calculation, i suppose will do it for next month, not for previous one :)

[Pibs]

Same here, from 800 UKP down to 200 UKP, ie missing 600 pounds with no explanation.

Previously the difference has been less than 5 pounds, not 600. I'm very much hoping this is some system error that will be corrected...

[netmeg]

The fact that it's happening to so many is probably a good thing; the possibility is greater that it's some kind of error. It might not be, so don't get your hopes up yet, but I'd go over to the AdSense Help Forum and if there's not a post over there already, start one, and see how many chime in. At least Google reads that one.

They knocked about a hundred bucks off mine in July, which is the largest amount they've ever taken by far, but it's also the largest earnings month I ever had too, so I figured it was just part of that.

[cziffra]

I'm seeing a difference of about $250 from October's estimated earnings.

I'd go over to the AdSense Help Forum and if there's not a post over there already, start one, and see how many chime in.

There are already dozens of posts there. A lot of people are experiencing this issue.

[Pibs]

I'm still very disturbed - a few dozen doesn't mean much when there's 2 million Adsense publishers.

I'm about to look through WebmasterWorld and see if there's posts like this every month...



P.

[Pibs]

Nope, only 2 other posts, both from 2010, one of which came up for the search but specifically states his problem is NOT with the finalized thing.

You know, as a sales copywriter I often tell clients that one compliant meants there's probably a bunch more people out there that didn't bother to complain or speak up but were also unhappy. This could be such a time.

I really do hope it's a system error, though this really drives home how Google have become impossible to talk to. :(

[azn romeo 4u]

they have no customer service. worst in the world for such a large company.

[Leosghost]

adsense publishers are not "customers" ..

[Rufal]

No, but publishers are suppliers for adsense, we give them control of our inventory and they try to sell as much as they can for the highest price they can.

What do business folk call companies that are defaulting on payments to their suppliers without an explanation?

[Leosghost]

adsense publishers are not suppliers ..they are providing venues for the automatic display of ads to viewers, these ads are paid for by adwords customers and are supplied automatically to these "venues" by Google..

Think they are screwing with you ? ..maybe they are..or not ..but if you are really unhappy with Google and think that they are keeping extra money back for themselves..take the adsense code off your pages..

You don't let them control your inventory..you have no "inventory" ..you merely put up a billboard on a subject ..with content..you let them stick ads in the spaces on it ..and they give you a cut of what they get from the advertisers..think they are cheating you ? ..they are not the only ad network ..you can even sell access to your space and the eyeballs it attracts, you can do this direct with advertisers..( but it is more work..although it pays better ;-) many of us do ..and run adsense too , sometimes on the same pages and sites..

[atladsenser]

From reading the AdSense help forum threads on this issue (and cziffra is right, there are tons of posts there), it seems we're far from alone on this. It's possible there is some issue with Google's systems updating payments and perhaps it may get sorted out in a few days. My finalized earnings are always slightly lower than estimated earnings, but usually by no more than few dollars to $20 or $30 tops. This month, they're off by nearly $100. So I feel your pain too.

[JCKline]

I don't make enough in AdSense to see a significant difference. Mine was only a 32 cent difference. If I was making 3 to four digit numbers daily, I'm sure it'd be more obvious.

[lexipixel]

Looks like Google is having problems with Adsense reporting.

Last Month: [theregister.co.uk...]

For this one, Google "finalized earnings AdSense October" and you'll see it's all over the web. I'd expect it's a payment & reporting bug too.

I suggest everyone download the details of their October earnings from the Adsense reporting console, (click "Overview, last month", then click "Export to Excel CSV"). That will show the correct amounts even if the Estimated v. Actual of the Dec. 1 payment amount is not correct.

BE SURE TO SAVE THAT FILE! It will be your only evidence if they do short you.

If they don't fix within 24-48 hours, we need a concentrated effort to get them to fix ASAP or payment for Dec. 1 may be VERY short, and they may not catch up payments til January.

[netmeg]

Several of the people on the AdSense forum speculated that their differences matched up with non-US and Canada traffic earnings. So you might check that (in the new interface) My traffic is always almost 100% US, so maybe that's why I don't see much variance.

[Pibs]

Nope, 90+% of my traffic is from the UK - I have a 73% drop, not a 90+ drop.

[Rockzer]

Well, I just wanted to know who all are using a GA here on their website?

[lexipixel]

@netmeg --- I've seen enough different factors reported to say I don't think it's a non-US origin-country-traffic related issue. It seems to be a payment calculation error. I've even seen reports of people saying they are seeing 200%-2000% increases in Actual v. Estimated, (and I'm sure the number of people reporting that they may be overpaid are nowhere near the complaints of those afraid they will be underpaid).

I want an answer.

I will be calling Google in the a.m.

Local office phone numbers can be found here:

[google.com...]