Google Adwords - URL Question

[Meeka]

Hi, I'm new to Adwords and I have a couple of questions regarding Display URL and Destination URL.

1) Can the Display URL be different from the Destination URL. I want to display my URL but have the Destination URL go directly to the merchant's site.

If this can be done, then...

2) Do I have to include the img src portion of the merchant's code in the Destination URL or can I just use www.example.com/click-1234567-7654321.

My ad was disapproved and I don't know what I'm doing wrong...any insight/advice you can provide is appreciated!

Thanks in advance for your help.

[netmeg]

Yes your display url and destination url can be different - as to the image, I suspect that's between you and the merchant. Google isn't going to care.

[Meeka]

Netmeg thanks for your reply...based on the url info I posted...can you tell what I'm doing wrong. The ad was not approved.

Display URL = www.mysite.com
Destination URL = www.example.com/click-1234567-7654321.

This was the notice...
"Your Display URL must accurately reflect the URL of your website; it must be a viable web address that is part of your ad's destination domain and include the domain extension, for example: .com, .net, or .org. If your Destination URL is too long for your ad, please use a shortened version, such as your homepage, that meets the character limit for this field. Please check your spelling and symbols for accuracy, and be sure your Display URL does not contain an extraneous 'http://' or 'https://'."

Thanks again.

[netmeg]

Oh - I didn't realize you were talking about a whole different domain. I guess that's what they were complaining about. When I meant different url, I meant your display url could be www.splunge.com, and your destination url could be www.splunge.com/product.html

[ska_demon]

If you are using the link tacking code from a banner or something you just need to get the <a href part that sends you to the merchant. You do not need the url for the image.

eg

this is a basic aff code for a banner

<a href="http://affaffaff.com/?PID=589&AID=****&CID=25926&MID=5" target="_blank"><img src="http://affaff-image.com/5/imageimage[1].gif" border="0" alt=""></a>

The bit you want is in bold.

The second url is just the location of the image that would have been where the banner is served from.

If you cut that url and paste it into your address bar it should take you to the merchant site. To prove it's tracking you should see a new click in your network stats

Ska

[Meeka]

ska_demon...Thanks for your help. The portion of the code that you highlighted is what I inserted in the Destination URL and the ad is disapproved. I'll try it again. Appreciate your help.

[ska_demon]

It will only get disapproved if the url doesn't go anywhere. Try pasting it into the address bar of your browser and see what happens.

If you get a page not found then the url doesn't work and google will disapprove your ad. I have a number of ads that go direct to the merchant and they are all approved every time.

Ska

[Meeka]

I just pasted it into the address bar and it did go to the merchants site. I submitted it again to Google...hopefully it will be approved.

Many Thanks!

[Meeka]

Ska...the ad was disapproved again. Do you enter the merchants site or your site in the display URL? Thanks.

[ska_demon]

Ahhh!

It must be the site that the url resolves to.

By this I mean you must have the merchants url in the displayed url field.

Ska

[Meeka]

Ska...Thank you very much for helping me out -- I sincerely appreciate it.
Meeka