AdSense account help

timeframe for response from AdSense help

[sutrostyle]

Does anybody have an experience with time frames of AdSense responses to questions submitted via help from within the account?

We have an account earning between $7,000 and $10,000 per month. We submitted a policy clarification inquiry via account help. After the submission, a page said that we should get a response within 24-48 hours, but it has been over 55 hours with no response.

We turned off ad serving and cannot resume it until we receive a response: losing very real money now.

[Lame_Wolf]

Are you sure you turned off ad serving, and not Google?
This is not the first time this has happened to you is it?

[sutrostyle]

Yes, Lame_Wolf I am sure. We turned off ad serving only on one particular category of pages. Our ad serving has not been disabled by Google, and the account is earning money now, on the same domain.

We prefer to err on the side of caution: we want a policy clarification regarding a policy note that they sent from the no-reply address, before we turn a certain category of pages back on.

[Lame_Wolf]

Our ad serving has not been disabled by Google, and the account is earning money now, on the same domain.

That's good then. I remember seeing one of your other posts where you said "domain disabled, account open, no email. It took two months of attempts to contact Google, via personal contacts and other avenues, etc... ...Eventually it got re-enabled."

We prefer to err on the side of caution: we want a policy clarification regarding a policy note that they sent from the no-reply address, before we turn a certain category of pages back on.

The policy is pretty clear. And the best thing to always do is... if you're not sure, don't do it.

I've heard of stories where people have contact Google for policy clarifications and ended up losing their accounts.

[sutrostyle]

The policy is pretty clear. And the best thing to always do is... if you're not sure, don't do it.

Their policy team has explicitly approved this category of pages three months ago. Recently we got a policy note about two of these pages (there are millions).

My question still stands: does anyone here have experience with their reply time frames for inquiries via the account help? It says 24-48 hours, but we have no reply after about 56.

[Rodney]

does anyone here have experience with their reply time frames for inquiries via the account help? It says 24-48 hours, but we have no reply after about 56.

I've found that it can sometimes take longer than that if they are getting a lot of inquiries. Several days at times.

[netmeg]

Also, it's holiday time. Might make a difference. Google people occasionally take days off too.

[sutrostyle]

72 hours since the help inquiry submission, still no response. We are loosing about $170/day because of our lack of understanding of AdSense's note. I will update when we get a reply.

[StoutFiles]

Why not sign up for another ad program in the meantime? It might not make as much as AdSense, but it will make something.

[sutrostyle]

Why not sign up for another ad program in the meantime

We already have a mix of the best programs we could find there, in place of AdSense: we diversified the earnings long time ago, reading various stories about AdSense.

[jpch]

Their policy team has explicitly approved this category of pages three months ago. Recently we got a policy note about two of these pages (there are millions).

Millions of pages...sounds like you're either really busy generating this content or it's user generated. If it's user generated I'd be surprised if it's just two pages that are being flagged. More likely it's just those two pages that Google is using as an example to show you the violation in their policy note.

[sutrostyle]

They replied after 72 hours. The reply does not contain a clarification of the violation, just reiterates that they cannot reinstate ad serving on those two pages, but the account remains open so we are free to risk it on other pages of this type, without actually knowing what the violation was. The content is user generated.

[ThatsBoBo]

I'd probably remove those two pages.

I never put Adsense on user generated pages.

[martinibuster]

...without actually knowing what the violation was.

Everybody thinks their baby is beautiful, I'm guilty of this too. However Google's AdSense content policies are pretty clear. Maybe you're too close to the content and need someone not associated with the site to tell you how ugly a part of your baby really is. Or maybe you need a simple reality check. No shame in that, everyone needs one from time to time. So, for example, something like someone talking about torrent downloads will likely violate Google's prohibitions against copyright violations as well as for encouraging illegal activities. Here are the prohibitions [support.google.com].

Adult content
Content that advocates against an individual, group, or organization
Copyrighted material
Drug, alcohol, and tobacco-related content
Gambling content
Hacking and cracking content
Sites that offer compensation programs ("pay-to" sites)
Sites that use Google Brand features
Violent content
Weapon-related content

Other illegal content
Publishers are not permitted to place ads on content related to the production of false legal documents, such as fake IDs, passports, social security cards, or immigration papers. In addition, ads may not appear on sites dedicated to the sale or distribution of term papers or other materials that promote fraudulent activity. Sites that drive traffic to or provide instructions about manufacturing counterfeit or replica designer goods are also not permitted in the AdSense program.

Google ads may not be placed on any site that promotes or permits any form of criminal activity.