Forum Moderators: martinibuster
Do you feel fraud will be the downfall of AdSense?
But I have also heard that adsense, from an advertisers perspective, stinks. Apparently, the clicks rarely convert into any sort of valuable traffic.
I've been seeing many of the same ads on my site since June, so my advertisers must be gluttons for punishment. I'm also seeing new (and bigger-name) advertisers, including several of the monster online travel agencies, bargain airfare sites, and a major airline. Apparently they aren't hearing the same rumors that you're hearing. :-)
So my question is this. How can adsense survive once all the advertisers pull out because it just doesn't make sense for them?
It can't, but they aren't, so the question is academic.
[sorry, that question relates to your earlier post - I came in late on the topic]
I think Adsense is most likely here to stay. It will undergo considerable changes over time - primarily to combat fraud - but it will always be there in some form.
Unfortunately I do worry that the smaller publishers may suffer as a result. It ultimately may mean that Google begins requiring a minimum number of impressions like other advertisers. This of course would eliminate the small operator who just can't resist the click (and unfortunately those who can, and do, operate within the rules).
The lesson to learn of course for those small operators is to make hay while the sun shines - run an honest site, attract traffic, grow your site - and you hopefully will never have to worry.
I think that problems with fraud are at best transient, and will not ultimately affect the outcome.
Unfortunately I do worry that the smaller publishers may suffer as a result. It ultimately may mean that Google begins requiring a minimum number of impressions like other advertisers. This of course would eliminate the small operator who just can't resist the click (and unfortunately those who can, and do, operate within the rules).
It might make sense to have a minimum performance level to remain in the program, but the justification would probably be based more on profitability than tendencies to break the rules. In many businesses dealing with the small players just isn't profitable. But Google's something of a contrarian, little fish can become big fish and exposure equals awarness I think that unless push comes to shove they won't implement minimum revenue/impression requirements.
But Google's something of a contrarian, little fish can become big fish and exposure equals awarness I think that unless push comes to shove they won't implement minimum revenue/impression requirements.
I think you're probably right. A better approach would be to apply stricter quality standards to AdSense candidates, just to eliminate sites that would were created solely as AdSense vehicles. This could be combined with a rule against using AdSense code on multiple domains without Google's okay.
Also, if Google had a waiting period before new sites could be admitted to the AdSense program, that would discourage the "Let's put up a site and rack up some quick AdSense bucks with a clickbot" crowd.
All of the contextual advertising technology and conversion tools in the world will only get you so far. Perception will make or break Adsense.
