Asking people to click NON-AS ads?

Can I ask them to visit our other advertisors?

[uhwebs]

I have a site that I sell ad space directly, and have cj/linkshare ads on my site in addition to Adsense. I do NOT get paid per click, ony per sale.

Can I put on my site, "Visit our sponsors" or some such thing in reference to the non-adsense ads?

For example, I have a page that lists all our advertisors (the NON-adsense ones). Is it safe to say "Help keep our site running; When you need to buy Widgets, but them through the following advertisors"? or "When you buy widgets through our advertisors, you help keep us running".

It doesn't ask people to click, but basically says next time they need a widget, get their widget through our advertisors...
Would this be against the Adsense TOS at all?

[cellularnews]

Can you do it - depends on the T&C's of the affiliate marketer.

Should you do it?

Well, I am inclined to say not.

If you put a "help support this site" type call to action next to a CPA banner, then people will click out of a desire to help the website and not because they want the product. They will be thinking that you are being paid per click and wont actually complete the transaction.

Hence, you lose traffic to an affiliate for nothing.

[jomaxx]

As long as you are only talking about a specific sponsor I think you'll be okay. I don't see any risk in pre-selling Amazon.com, for example, by talking about their attractive features. Lowering the barriers to doing business with a merchant is one of the most important things an affiliate can do, IMO.

Personally I would lose the "help keep our site running" type of text (doesn't have any positive effect and sounds like begging) and would steer away from talking about "our sponsors" in a general way (given that Google is clearly a sponsor as well).

[Paris]

I certainly wouldn't do it on any page featuring Google AdSense ads.

Even if the ads appear to be separated, it's the same "click on the ads" mindset that may get you booted because a visitor isn't going to make the distinction between the ads you are encouraging him to check out and the ones you're not.

The CJ and Amazon ads wouldn't work with any kind of "please click on them" because they need the predisposition to buy so all the click may do is lure them away from your site for nothing.

If Google is a significant chunk of your site's revenue I wouldn't even chance it.

[uhwebs]

No-- I'm not asking to click.
I would say, "Next time you need to buy a Widget book, please do it through the following Amazon link:"

Or "Next time you need to buy Widget items, do it through our website to help us out! I doesn't cost more and it helps the website"

I'm thinking it may not be worth it either... But I do have 'loyal visitors' who buy books, for example, and would do it through the site just to help out....