google screws d-m.com - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

djb · 02-28-2006, 04:12 PM

We got our account with Google AdSense (responsible for the text ad that used to appear at the top of the screen) terminated today due to "invalid clicks." All clicks/revenue made the last couple months will not be paid out and we can no longer participate in the AdSense program. What the hell??

It was only generating a few bucks a month but it at least helped with the hosting fees. Anyone know of any other decent ad companies? I sent in apps for Yahoo, Casale, and Kanoodle but don't really know much about any of them.

orangedays · 02-28-2006, 05:00 PM

This doesn't sound very legal. We don't have any recourse with regards to Google's termination of the account? It seems very arbitrary.

u2sarajevo · 02-28-2006, 05:27 PM

What are "invalid clicks"? They have to define that somewhere.

djb · 02-28-2006, 05:49 PM

Google's TOS basically state they can close any account for whatever reason. "Invalid clicks" is pretty sketchy and they won't reveal where those clicks are coming from. So basically anyone can keep clicking those ads and end up making us violate the TOS without our knowing it.

orangedays · 02-28-2006, 06:02 PM

Yeah, I just read the Google TOS...what crap. This is a good site for learning more about contextual advertising.

Drbio · 02-28-2006, 06:05 PM

F' Google. Another example why their stock is falling.

grbh · 02-28-2006, 07:03 PM

Google programs pay the least anyway. It is probably for the best. I would look for some sort of affiliate program in a basketball related genre. You cnan find affiliate programs that in some cases pay 50% or more commisions. All you have to do is create a text add or banner on the site, and if someone clicks through and makes a purchase you get paid.

I don't know how comfortable you are with gambling sites, but there are plenty of possibilities for affiliate money there as well. A lot pay 30% or more for the life of the account. With as many uniques, it wouldn't take a lot of conversions to pay for your hosting.

Drbio · 03-26-2006, 04:01 PM

I see the Google ads are back. They must have cut a check or somesuch?

orangedays · 03-26-2006, 04:15 PM

Good catch Doc, I was going to mention something as well.

The slugs at Google caved...I guess dm.com was just generating too many hits

WHITE SHADOW!!!

djb · 03-26-2006, 07:09 PM

No they won't be paying for the past couple months due to the "invalid activity" but they at least un-suspended our account after I sent an appeal form.

grbh · 03-26-2006, 10:09 PM

Dj, have you ever conisdered trying to make a few bucks off of this site. Now i am not talking about required meberships, or pop ups, but there are ways this site could pull in a little money to probably moree than cover the cost of hosting. I would start with YPN they pay much better for clicks. Just a thought.

I don't think anyone would be averse to adds similar to the google adds which YPN is. And I know I would not be upset if you actually made a couple of bucks instaed of spent it on hosting. Hell you started this board

u2sarajevo · 04-06-2006, 08:12 AM

This morning, on the main forum page, I keep getting a Google add to SpursReport.com.

Talk about getting screwed.

sike · 04-06-2006, 08:55 AM

dang I feel like I'm back in advanced math class and not able to understand a concept (happened a ton

).....what the heck is an invalid hit? Did they clarify dj?

Drbio · 04-06-2006, 09:56 AM

Essenetially sike it is a hit they do not want to pay for with no apparent reason.

mary · 04-06-2006, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sike

dang I feel like I'm back in advanced math class and not able to understand a concept (happened a ton

).....what the heck is an invalid hit? Did they clarify dj?

There's quite a bit of "fraud" (and I use that term loosely) involved with click-oriented advertising. Sometimes web sites will have someone repeatedly click the ads, just to drive up the revenue generated from them. These are considered to be "invalid" clicks.

Another problem is that rival firms will sometimes have people repeatedly click the ads of their competitors just to drive up their advertising costs. These are also considered invalid clicks.

I highly doubt any of that was going on here, but that's what an "invalid" click is. Its basically any click that does not represent a consumer's genuine interest in the advertisement. I know that sounds shakey, but I think that's how internet advertisers would define it.

Google was recently involved in a major lawsuit involving click-fraud, so I'm sure they've been cancelling a bunch of accounts to try to cover their ass on this. I think they ended up paying out a pretty big settlement, but off-hand I don't remember the details.

vjz · 04-10-2006, 05:37 PM

This is a very good article about Google adsense:

The nonsense about AdSense

A couple of interesting lines from it:

A publisher's site may not have invalid clicks on any ad(s), including but not limited to clicks generated by:

"a publisher on his own web pages; a publisher encouraging others to click on his ads; automated clicking programs or any other deceptive software; a publisher altering any portion of the ad code or changing the layout, behavior, targeting, or delivery of ads for any reason."

Finally:

In the end, I decided not to bother chasing Google any more for the couple of hundred pounds they owed my company...
Instead, I decided to sign PinkNews up to Yahoo!'s pay per click programme, carefully noting the right to speak to a real human being, 24/7, if we were unhappy with the figures they provided.

sike · 04-11-2006, 10:36 AM

thanks for the info, mary and vjz.

no I know...and G.I. Joe taught me that knowing is half the battle.....unfortunately for me they never revealed what the other "half" of the battle was....so Ive been screwed by those jerks at Hasbro into losing every battle because I only have half of the required elements!!!!

Drbio · 04-11-2006, 02:11 PM

Which is why you will never be any more than half a Boy Scout.