Adsense experiment for Bachelor project

Problems with getting the domain validated.

[arthurb]

As part of my Bachelor project I'm looking into the possibility of exploring implicit personalization through Google Adsense.

I've registered a domain and filled it with as neutral content as possible (ATM i have lorem ipsum in english).

The Plan is to:
1. Install Google Adsense on the domain.
2. Pay people to visit it through Mechanical turk and give me information on the ads that are shown.
3. I now have proof for implicit personalization (because ads differ, person to person).

Problem is, I can't get past step 1 and the work is due in 10 days.

What's the normal waiting time for getting a domain OK'd by Adsense?
Do you think I will be able to make it in time?

[edited by: arthurb at 4:28 pm (utc) on May 6, 2013]

[netmeg]

Your entire project is against AdSense TOS, so I think you're SOL.

If I'm an advertiser and my ad runs on your site, what is the likelihood that some Mechanical Turk paid monkey is going to buy my products? NONE.

I'm not running ad campaigns for your benefit.

Find another project. I sure hope AdSense NEVER approves your site or your domain. You don't understand the program at all.

[Leosghost]

All of what Netmeg said :) plus ..I'm guessing ;) that you don't own the copyright to , nor have permission to use the image on your index page..

you seem to have a problem with reading TOS on sites ..both adsense and here..

[webmasterworld.com...] here #13 Please do not drop promotional urls, signature files, nor specifics that would lead people to your site

[edited by: Leosghost at 4:11 pm (utc) on May 6, 2013]

[explorador]

Welcome, but you need to research a lot more about Adsense to see why your project can't be put to the test. Won't work, take a look at the TOS of Adsense and what many have posted in this forum.

[arthurb]

Hi Netmeg,
Thank you for your answer.
I understand your POV. The purpose it not making money, or actually anything except collecting data of how different people are presented with different Ads based on their location/google account etc.

There is no commercial purpose, I'm just using the machine of Google Adsense to access their use of Implicit personalization. It's a school project.

Leosghost, you are right! I'm changing it to something that I own.

*edit
Leosghost, did you mean #13 regarding me posting the domain? I thought it was relevant to the post.

[edited by: arthurb at 4:20 pm (utc) on May 6, 2013]

[arthurb]

Explorador,
Thank you! So you don't think there is a way to make this kind of homepage without actually violating Adsense TOS? If I don't use mechanical turk, would a homepage like this actually work?

[Leosghost]

Lookup CPM..cost per mille..it means that advertisers pay for the number of times that their ad is displayed ..whether clicked upon or not..

Your site would be costing them money..just so that you could have a school project!

Your idea of relevancy to the post, is not something that makes a difference here re #13..

You might want to think harder about doing things that could result in non acceptance or even a ban from adsense..in case you'd ever want to use it as it was intended, in the future..

[arthurb]

Leosghost,

I understand. I guess that would be unethical. If I don't use mechanical turk or any other tool for getting visitors. Would it actually be possible to create a website like this? (maybe my professor would accept that)

Removed domain regarding #13

[netmeg]

Not with AdSense. No way no how.

Make your own fake ads and judge response to that.

(You won't get approved for AdSense with ipsum lorum - you have to have plenty of good, unique, content on your site and even THEN it can take months)

[arthurb]

I would love to be able to do that, but I don't have access to a Database the size of Google, and therefore can't personalize ads to individuals. Therefore the need of Google Adsense.

[topr8]

>>3. I now have proof for implicit personalization (because ads differ, person to person).

i don't really understand the point of your project! google have stated that they do serve personalised ads .. are you just trying to prove that they tell the truth in this matter?

... you only have to visit a site that serves adsense to see this very clearly. it's already a well established fact, various politicians have already put their foot in it regarding this matter when they have made complaints about the ads showing on websites...

[finance.yahoo.com...]

[Leosghost]

IMO..the fact that you would require people to give you information ( via screen captures or otherwise ) regarding the ads that they saw..would very probably fall under Google's "do not draw attention to the ads" rules..and thus result in a ban..

They have never said that the drawing attention to was restricted to on the site itself..so as to prevent someone setting a site up, and then taking out a newspaper ad inviting people to pay to visit and then click..

Although there are many "human click bots" available for hire in India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Vietnam and China etc..that work on precisely that principle..the sites that they are feeding are of the "burn and churn" type..

[topr8]

... if you really want to do this project, i'd suggest you seek out a couple of appropriate sites that do serve adsense.

you then get your volunteers (i've no idea what mechanical turk is, i've never heard of it) one way or another, ask them to visit the sites that you have already researched and report their findings re the ads served to you.

[arthurb]

topr8, you are totally right. The problem would be that these websites all influence the content of the ads. I want to produce a website that creates a mirror-image in Advertisement of the user.
"pure implicit personalized content", whatever that might be.

[Leosghost]

The problem would be that these websites all influence the content of the ads.

Nowhere near as much ( some sites do to a greater degree than others ) as the website owners would wish..although this was not always the case..

[arthurb]

Hmm, so I could perform the experiment on any Website with Google Ads not too niched?

Really appreciate all the input btw!

[netmeg]

Not all ads are personalized, and not all ads are contextual. Plus there is re-targeting, which is a different kind of personalization altogether.

But it's all moot; AdSense is not meant for your college experiments.

[edited by: netmeg at 5:18 pm (utc) on May 6, 2013]

[Leosghost]

IME Geo targeting is probably the strongest factor in the "back end" decisions made by the adsense process or the advertisers in what is shown..If a page is very definitely about a subject, and the advertiser has targeted the country that you are viewing from..you will probably see relevant ads to that page's content..

If not..then the ads you see will be highly personalised to you ( via Google reading your cookies* )..and / or your Geo location..and your IP..

* These will be "set" by your browsing history ..not only of sites..but also of ads served to you on sites..and your reactions to them..also your search history..

And as Netmeg said there is "retargeting"..too..

[edited by: Leosghost at 5:20 pm (utc) on May 6, 2013]

[netmeg]

Hmm, so I could perform the experiment on any Website with Google Ads not too niched?

That would fall under calling attention to the ads, and would likely get THAT publisher kicked out. Nice.

[arthurb]

Leosghost,
What kind of Website do you think would give me the least amount of contextual influence on the ads? Big News-websites like NYtimes or something else?

Netmeg,
I agree that Google Adsense isn't meant to be used for my college experiments, that doesn't mean that it should not be. Google Adsense is one of very few options to field-test mass personalization.
Regarding kicking out publishers or financial gains/losses, I don't think twenty non-clicking visitors from third world countries will have an impact on any of those. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[Leosghost]

IME the BBC ( the BBC dot CO dot UK site )...no matter what the articles..it GEO targets me ( I'm in France ) with "expatriate investment" ads via adsense..

Visitors from within the UK get no ads of any kind..the rest of us get ads ( direct advertisers or adsense )..on every "article/news item" page..

[arthurb]

I'm afraid don't get any ads on BBC at all. This is very interesting. Why would that happen?

How are the ads on NYtimes (if at all) responding to you?

[topr8]

>>I'm afraid don't get any ads on BBC at all. This is very interesting. Why would that happen?

they don't serve ads to UK ip addresses, because uk residents pay a license fee for the service. so if you don't see ads are you in the uk?

[nomis5]

Why not test out personalisation this way.

First go to a dating site, a mobility wheelchair site and / or a ford car site.

Then browse the web as normal and surprise, surprise you will find that the ads on almost every site will have something to do with dating, wheelchairs and / or Ford cars. If an ad is possible that combines all three together then you will see it.

Get some of your mates to do the same and you will find that they get the same results. That should prove personalisation enough for your project.

Just to judge how sick the personalisation can get, you will find over time that the wheelchair ads start to stop and will be replaced by funeral ads - it happened to me!

[arthurb]

Topr8, I'm in Sweden!

Nomi5, I will look into that, thank you!