My Filter List is Growing

[icedowl]

I am aware that the competitive ad filter list should be kept as short as possible for the best results (CTR, earnings, etc.). For the most part I agree with this approach.

Lately I have been using the AdSense Preview tool to look at some of the newer advertisers that have started to appear. I am appalled at what I've been finding. Pure made-for-adsense sites! One site had one sentence that was surrounded by AdSense ad blocks. Nothing else on the page. Just a few minutes ago I found 3 sites that were nothing but "sponsored links" lists (like those seen from an AdLinks link) with a list of other things that you might want to look at (navigation?) which in all probability led to more pages of the same type.

I had been under the impression that an advertiser's ads had to be reviewed before their ads were shown to the content network. If that is true, then how on earth did these ads/sites get approved? Is there a slacker in the plex?

[jomaxx]

Just filter any such site, and if they're clearly in violation of the TOS then report them to Google as well. They're using lowball bids to try to steal your high-paying clicks. They discredit your site and are an embarrassment to the entire AdSense program.

BTW, ASA mentioned a specific way to report violations of the TOS a while back. Can anyone remind me what it is? I have a hunch that generic "Ads by Google" feedback goes to the AdWords side rather than the AdSense side, and that AdSense TOS violations may not be getting followed up on.

[worldwid]

Our opinion and googles opinion on what is made for adsense and what is enough content is different, you can apply to google with a blank directory (just categories, not even one link on it yet) and that is enough content for them to let you join. I would just filter them out =)

[icedowl]

Yes, they're definitely filtered. I also hope they won't last long anywhere they might appear.

This is just a heads-up to keep a close eye on the ads that might appear on your site(s). It isn't just a box of chocolates.

[ken_b]

I've added a few sites to my filter list in the last couple of weeks.

What amazes me is how much some of these ads apparently pay. The sites I've been blocking seem to pay about twice what relevant ads pay, but they get about 1/3 the clicks.

I just keep blocking sites until the relevant ads appear again. I'd rather get 3 clicks at a dollar (for easy comparison) than 1 click at 2 dollars.

[creepychris]

I am having problems lately too. A lot of the same spam that ends up in your mail box is now ending up on my sites. In particular, I am getting online mortgage quote ads for an education site completely unrelated to real estate or loans. They are bidding on the right keywords for my site, (for example: children's worksheets) but their landing pages have nothing to do with the keywords they are bidding on (online mortgage quotes). I am trying to filter the ads but right now I seem to be playing thwack the gopher. I am very disappointed as these ads destroy the credibility of my site. How are these ads getting through?

[incrediBILL]

One site had one sentence that was surrounded by AdSense ad blocks. Nothing else on the page

I found a cluster of sites like that, reported it to Google weeks ago, they're still up.

At this point I've given up worrying about who's advertising with Google [short of porn sites] as my bank account is blind. If someone is willing to pay good coin just to risk it on arbitrage then I have no problem collecting those coins.

It plainly says "Ads by Goooooogle" next to the ads so it reflects poorly on Google more than it does on me. If Google continues to allow such sites and ads people will stop clicking on AdSense and it will say "Ads by YPN!"

[david_uk]

you can apply to google with a blank directory (just categories, not even one link on it yet) and that is enough content for them to let you join.

Wow. If this is true, then Google really is going down the pan! No wonder they have so many sites that don't comply, and they can't weed them all out.

What is the point of bothering to write content pages? I've reported a couple of sites that are blatantly way outside the TOS and Google have taken absolutely no action against the sites. Why did they bother to ask us to report sites if they aren't going to do anything about them we we do?

ASA, can you confirm or deny if this is the case please?