AdSense TaC's ban you from running any other text ads.

[WyrdoManx]

Huzzah. My hobby site was accepted into AdSense.

The Terms and Conditions make it clear that you're not allowed to run any competiting text adverts. I don't plan to. I've seen dozens of sites that run AdSense with other text link adverts though.

Is this a new addition to the T&Cs for AdSense or are people just ignoring the rule?

Think Google will crack down soon?

Switching out of hobby-site hat and into a more professional looking hat, couldn't competitors make it an easy habit of reporting rivals who run a mixture of text adverts?

I'll include the T&C paragraph below for ease of reference.

Implementation; Ad Placement. You agree to comply with the technical specifications provided by Google to enable proper display of the Ads in connection with Your Site(s), including without limitation by not modifying the JavaScript or other programming provided to You by Google in any way. Ads shall be grouped by Google and displayed with related Google search queries (where applicable) to end users of the Site(s) as ad units (such groups of Ads and related Google search queries collectively referred to as "Ad Units") in standard formats as specified in the FAQ. You may select a format approved by Google for the display of Ad Units in connection with the Site(s), but You acknowledge and agree that Ads: (a) shall only be displayed in connection with the Site(s), each of which is subject to review and approval by Google in its discretion at any time; and (b) shall be subject to the placement guidelines set forth in the FAQ. In addition, You agree that only one (1) Ad Unit shall be displayed on each Site Web page. You also agree not to display any other text-based or content-targeted advertisement(s) on the same Web page in connection with which an Ad Unit or any Ad is displayed.

[techiemon]

This whole thing makes me wonder... I mean google adsense figures out what ads to place on your site by meta tags and page content right? (Or do I have this wrong?) So in some ways it's easy to say that most websites have competing ads in one way or another.

For example, say you run a language school, and you put google adsense on your site, well chee I wonder what ads will come up... International language centers, could this be regarded as competing?

[ncw164x]

>>You also agree not to display any other text-based or content-targeted advertisement(s) on the same Web page in connection with which an Ad Unit or any Ad is displayed.

I must be missing something here because there are lots of sites which have text and graphic's for affiliate links

ncw164x

[Dayo_UK]

From the Adsense Program Policies.

We do not permit AdWords ads to be published on web pages that also contain what could be considered competing ads. This would include all content-targeted ads as well as text-based ads. Text-based ads, for this situation, can be loosely defined as ads that mimic AdWords ads or appear to be associated with AdWords ads on your site. We do allow affiliate or limited-text links

A Bit vague, but I would imagine Google would like to have the option not serve Adsense on pages that are purely Affiliate Links. (Although I have seen these)

[ncw164x]

>>We do allow affiliate or limited-text links

thank you Dayo_UK, the sites which I have seen are not purely affiliate links which explains why they can get away with also showing adsense

ncw164x

[quiet]

I think the main topic relates to sites that are run by people other than yourself (ourselves?) but I want to mention that if you have a question about your own content you may want to ask google to take a look at it.

I've done this on a few pages and they've been very good about actually looking at the specific pages rather than just zipping out a form letter. Where content is questionable I either don't use adsense or I ask. Better safe.... or at least having some kind of written backup. ;)

--q

[alika]

Re the text ads, I've seen ads by Bidclix (?) in run-of-the-network rotation in the ad networks that mimics how Adsense looks like. Same default colors, same exact style except no "Ads by Google." That I think is a no-no.

[WyrdoManx]

I've seen text adds from Mamma along side AdSense too.

[Jenstar]

Word from Google AdSense is that text ads and affiliate ads are okay, they just don't want any ads that mimic the look of AdSense ads to also appear on the same page.