Which Adsense policy have I violated?

wael · #1 (**permalink**) 07-17-2007, 11:57 AM

I have several websites that display Adsense ads. My most profitable is http://www.BestArabicMusic.net

Today I got this message from Google:

While reviewing your account, we noticed that you are currently displaying Google ads in a manner that is not compliant with our policies. For instance, we found violations of AdSense policies on pages such as bestarabicmusic.net.

Publishers may not place Google ads on pages that violate Google’s webmaster quality guidelines (http://www.google.com/support/webma...=35769#quality\). While we've included the following excerpts from these guidelines, we recommend that you take the time to review them in their entirety.

* Make pages for users, not for search engines.
* Don't employ cloaking or sneaky redirects.
* Don't load pages with irrelevant words.
* Don't create multiple pages, subdomains, or domains with substantially duplicate content.
* Don't participate in link schemes designed to increase your site's ranking or PageRank.
* Avoid "doorway" pages created just for search engines, or other "cookie cutter" approaches such as affiliate programs with little or no original content.
* Avoid tricks intended to improve search engine rankings. A good rule of thumb is whether you'd feel comfortable explaining what you've done to a website that competes with you. Another useful test is to ask, "Does this help my users? Would I do this if search engines didn't exist?"
* If your site participates in an affiliate program, make sure that your site adds value. Provide unique and relevant content that gives users a reason to visit your site first.

As a result, we have disabled ad serving to the site.

I am confounded. Which of these policies have I violated? I have no redirects, no keyword stuffing, no doorway pages, no affiliate links... I have (for the most part) original articles that I wrote myself. So what are they talking about?

Thanks in advance for your advice!

ashukairy · #2 (**permalink**) 07-17-2007, 12:16 PM

Adsense is really complex and the rules are endless. So unfortunately, where you don't see or understand why you are violating, under the hundreds of rules that they have you will find a match. It's just a really difficult system to work with. I'm sure you're enjoying the profits tremendously, but sometimes for the headache, it's jut not worth it!

wael · #3 (**permalink**) 07-17-2007, 01:12 PM

Ayat, thanks for your comment, but I live in a small town in a remote location. Building websites and earning Adsense revenue is my primary source of income. I have applied to YPN but have not been accepted yet. I am beginning to explore affiliate marketing, but right now I am heavily dependent on Adsense, and I make a decent living from it. So saying, "forget it, not worth the hassle" is not an option for me.

ashukairy · #4 (**permalink**) 07-17-2007, 01:28 PM

I hear ya wael. I guess the only thing you can possibly do is stick to their regulations and see what exactly it is that went wrong with that specific site. Sorry, I wish I could be of more assistance; but my experience with adsense has been awful.

Tony_V · #5 (**permalink**) 07-17-2007, 03:43 PM

wael,
I can tell you which one you violated.....
YOu are not supposed to have more than 3 instances of google adds on a page at a time, you have 4

hope this helps

JonOSteen · #6 (**permalink**) 07-17-2007, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wael

Building websites and earning Adsense revenue is my primary source of income.

And therein lies your problem. It is painfully obvious that this site was built only to facilitate pay-per-click ads. Google looks unfavorably at these types of web sites.

dexter · #7 (**permalink**) 07-17-2007, 03:46 PM

I think correcting your Adsense problem should be easy.
You can only have 3 ads per page, and you have 4.
Simply remove one of them.

Beatle · #8 (**permalink**) 07-17-2007, 03:52 PM

Write to Google and explain you misunderstood the rules and drop one of the ad boxes. They have always sent me a warning before deleting me, so good for me on that one. But I have found that if you communicate with them it could resolve your problem. It's sure worth a try.

dak888 · #9 (**permalink**) 07-17-2007, 03:56 PM

Perhaps I'm confused but if Google says
"As a result, we have disabled ad serving to the site", why is it still serving ads?

DaK

speed · #10 (**permalink**) 07-17-2007, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dexter

I think correcting your Adsense problem should be easy.
You can only have 3 ads per page, and you have 4.
Simply remove one of them.

It's only 3 ad units plus a link unit which should be fine.

I'd say the site simply breaks the following rule:

Quote:

No Google ad may be placed on pages published specifically for the purpose of showing ads, whether or not the page content is relevant.

If you want to continue using AdSense build the site up to a really useful resource rather than just another made for ad site.

rickvidallon · #11 (**permalink**) 07-17-2007, 04:02 PM

I never knew that.
Does anyone have the Google Adsense URL page pointing out where it states this 3 ad rule?

Rick

bruwmac · #12 (**permalink**) 07-17-2007, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dak888

Perhaps I'm confused but if Google says
"As a result, we have disabled ad serving to the site", why is it still serving ads?

DaK

That was my first thought.

And my second thought was: How can there be 4 adsense blocks working? I may be misremembering, but I thought I had once inadvertently posted too many ad blocks and the surplus simply didn't show up.

In any event, try removing the extra ads and contact Google.

Good luck.

speed · #13 (**permalink**) 07-17-2007, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rickvidallon

Does anyone have the Google Adsense URL page pointing out where it states this 3 ad rule?

http://www.google.com/adsense/policies at the bottom of the page under Ad placement.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bruwmac

And my second thought was: How can there be 4 adsense blocks working? I may be misremembering, but I thought I had once inadvertently posted too many ad blocks and the surplus simply didn't show up.

Ad units and link units ARE different!

My understanding is you can have 3 of each, which IMO is over the top.

puamana · #14 (**permalink**) 07-17-2007, 04:08 PM

Dear Wael,
I just went to your site, Best Arabic Music - Best Arabic Music Home Page and all the adsense are displaying. Is it possible the letter went out in error?
Just a thought...
Sharon

puamana · #15 (**permalink**) 07-17-2007, 04:09 PM

oops.. next time I'll read ALL replies first

dak888 · #16 (**permalink**) 07-17-2007, 04:10 PM

"Google AdSense program policies allow you to place up to three ad units and three link units on any page."

Quote from the AdSense setup page. It's there and the page does not violate it because it's 3 ad units and a text link unit.

DaK

kevinper · #17 (**permalink**) 07-17-2007, 04:15 PM

I would definatley find other sources for your income other that Google ads. One day the higher-ups may see what those below them are doing to their advertisers but it may be too late by then. In what other business can you frustrate your advertisers and stay in business?

They should have spelled out what was wrong for you instead of making you guess. When it comes to advertising on Google, the are consistantly inconsistant. I would love to talk to someone there instead of a "copy and paste" monkey.

ddromme · #18 (**permalink**) 07-17-2007, 04:22 PM

wael,

My guess it is because you are using the Google Searchbox with Adsense on your 404-page.
I used to put Adsense on this page and I too was notified by Google violating their Adsense policies. Not knowing what else I did wrong it only could have been that. So I removed the ads. That was months ago and I never heard of them again. So I suppose that will be the thing at your site.

When in doubt ask Google if that is the case.

Good luck with your site.

Danny

SemAdvance · #19 (**permalink**) 07-17-2007, 04:34 PM

While others are going back and forth on number of ads that usually won't get you dropped from the program. They will write and specify the site in error and the problem.

From the looks of the letter it's less about violating policies and more about Webmaster guidelines.

A quich check of the back page source code reveals this attempt at rankings????

<title>Best Arabic Music - Best Arabic Music Home Page</title>
<meta NAME="Keywords" Content="arabia music, arab music, www arabic music com, arabic music com, arabic music, music in arabic, music arabic songs, arabic music sites, modern arabic music, music arabe, new arabic music, www arab music com, 6arab music, arabic music hits, arabic music online, arabic music songs, arabic songs, latest arabic songs, musique arabe, www 6arab music com, 6 arab music, 6 arab songs, 6 arabic music, 6arab arabic music, 6arab arabic songs, 6arab songs">
<meta NAME="Description" Content="Information about the history Arabic music, Arabic music instruments, legendary Arabic musicians, and trends in modern Arabic music">

Might have keyword stuffed the meta tags a weeeee bit too much for Googles liking.

Peace

JoyUnltd · #20 (**permalink**) 07-17-2007, 04:37 PM

Possibly:
1. Invalid clicks. Do you have competitors that want to put you out of business? Check your logs.
2. You have some .com names listed in your keywords. This could also be construed as "tricking the search engines." Why put other domain names in your keywords? And if these aren't your domains but domain names that belong to competitors, doing invalid clicks may be their revenge on you.
3. Your navigation links are at the footer: highly inconvenient for readers to find. Maybe they'll click an Adsense ad first? Google Adsense may not like this. You're supposed to build a site for readers, not for Adsense.

Please heed the advice above to not depend on one income source. No business can be built on this and you see the result of it. And finally: "Live by Google, die by Google."

chrisJumbo · #21 (**permalink**) 07-17-2007, 04:40 PM

It seems to me, trying to contact Google would be the best. They make revenue as well so they have incentive to help you figure it out.

tomcatuk · #22 (**permalink**) 07-17-2007, 05:07 PM

Google doesn't give a monkeys about meta tags as far as I know - I doubt they even read them anymore. Like everyone else, I get ads served to me on your pages.

The "too many ad units" idea holds water, but Adsense automatically only displays the maximum number you're allowed. That's why you can have an adsense unit per blog post, but if one page displays too many posts they just don't display the extra units all dynamic like.

I think more likely Google had a look at the site and was bored sh**less like I was. Sorry, but it just isn't "content" and the way the page is designed screams MFA.

marcel · #23 (**permalink**) 07-17-2007, 05:08 PM

Wael, ultimately you should read and understand the rules yourself instead of counting on us. This is your money...