I've set up an adsense account just moments ago and read though the guides & 
notes. Is there anything not in the manual that I should be aware of for 
benefit or beware?

Out of interest, how much control do you truly have over the styling of the 
ads?
Google show you can choose colours for fonts/borders etc on their system, 
but if you fiddle with the appearance any more by CSS would this be 
*instantly* considered 'Encouraging clicks' via attracting attention?

Cheers,

-dE|_---

On Mon, 4 Aug 2008 21:49:51 +0100, "dE|_"
 wrote:

>I've set up an adsense account just moments ago and read though the guides & 
>notes. Is there anything not in the manual that I should be aware of for 
>benefit or beware?
>
>Out of interest, how much control do you truly have over the styling of the 
>ads?
>Google show you can choose colours for fonts/borders etc on their system, 
>but if you fiddle with the appearance any more by CSS would this be 
>*instantly* considered 'Encouraging clicks' via attracting attention?
>
>Cheers,
>
dE|_

o Make sure you declared that you won't be paying any Tax in the USA.

o There's not a lot you can do about the appearance, apart from getting it
right when you select it, as it all runs from a downloaded .js module
(unless of course you can reverse engineer their configuration
information).

o If you get enough visitors, then sit back and wait for the cheques. I get
between 200 to 500 visitors a day and they produce between $1.13 and $8.28
in the last period.

o Watch your site and check the ads frequently and if you get an
undesirable ad appearing (from a competitor for example) then get those
blocked in your configuration.

o If you've a whole series of pages that make up the site, put the ads on
every page (see the Caravanningnow site). A friend runs the Swanage
Carnival web site, which only has ads on the entry page, and the earnings
are nowhere near as good, although he gets a lot more traffic.

Good luck.

Richard
See http://www.caravanningnow.co.uk where my caravan's for sale.
-- 
...and so, as the relentless juggernaut of time runs over the final
hedgehog of hope, and the last traffic cone of fate is removed from
the student bedsit of destiny... - Humphrey Lyttelton closing comment
in I'm sorry I haven't a clue.

On Mon, 4 Aug 2008 21:49:51 +0100, dE|_ put finger to keyboard and
typed:

>I've set up an adsense account just moments ago and read though the guides & 
>notes. Is there anything not in the manual that I should be aware of for 
>benefit or beware?

As has already been stated, make sure you declare yourself a non-US
resident for tax purposes.

Don't promote the site via anything that looks like it might be spam,
even if it isn't spam. In particular, Google are very twitchy about
sudden large increases in traffic which have no visible (to them)
source, or where the source is an email campaign or any kind of
pay-to-click system. If you haven't already done so, also sign up for
Google Analytics and watch your traffic sources. Anything more than
around 25% of "direct" visits (ie, those without a referrer) is a
potential red flag at Google.

Do experiment with different positions and colours for the ads (an A/B
test is ideal, if you can arrange it). Don't use any of the "black
hat" techniques for encouraging clicks.

As a general rule, too many ads on one page dilutes your earnings. The
first ad to show is usually the most profitable, and they go downwards
from there on. rather than giving people lots of options to click on
an ad, many of whch are low value ads, it's often better to only have
a few ads so that if/when people do click on them you get a better
return from the click.

Don't click on your own ads. Don't let your family, friends,
colleagues and pets click on your ads.

Don't expect to get rich quick.

Don't spend it all at once if you do.

>Out of interest, how much control do you truly have over the styling of the 
>ads?
>Google show you can choose colours for fonts/borders etc on their system, 
>but if you fiddle with the appearance any more by CSS would this be 
>*instantly* considered 'Encouraging clicks' via attracting attention?

No, it will be considered altering the Adsense code. The distinction
is moot, however, as both offences are gounds for immediate
termination of your account. You're not allowed to customise the
appearance of the ads in any way other than by the means provided for
in the system - which is, essentially, just the colours and the
roundedness of the border.

Mark

"Richard Cole" wrote wrote:
>
>>I've set up an adsense account just moments ago and read though the guides 
>>&
>>notes. Is there anything not in the manual that I should be aware of for
>>benefit or beware?
>>
>>Out of interest, how much control do you truly have over the styling of 
>>the
>>ads?
>>Google show you can choose colours for fonts/borders etc on their system,
>>but if you fiddle with the appearance any more by CSS would this be
>>*instantly* considered 'Encouraging clicks' via attracting attention?
>>
>>Cheers,
>>
> dE|_
>
> o Make sure you declared that you won't be paying any Tax in the USA.
>
> o There's not a lot you can do about the appearance, apart from getting it
> right when you select it, as it all runs from a downloaded .js module
> (unless of course you can reverse engineer their configuration
> information).
>
> o If you get enough visitors, then sit back and wait for the cheques. I 
> get
> between 200 to 500 visitors a day and they produce between $1.13 and $8.28
> in the last period.

Are their periods monthly or quarterly?

> o Watch your site and check the ads frequently and if you get an
> undesirable ad appearing (from a competitor for example) then get those
> blocked in your configuration.
>
> o If you've a whole series of pages that make up the site, put the ads on
> every page (see the Caravanningnow site). A friend runs the Swanage
> Carnival web site, which only has ads on the entry page, and the earnings
> are nowhere near as good, although he gets a lot more traffic.

These ads are going on CrackGuitar which is getting around 500 visitors/2000 
pages per month. The plan is to get guitar accessories ads on there. Plus 
I'm adding a page with filmed tutorial of effects pedals, with ads just 
below. Impress with the show then supply a link to the tools.

Can I be that specific about recommended ads for a page or do you just 
supply metadata and let google do that?

-dE|_---

"Mark Goodge"  wrote in message 
news:a97h94ti5bcsc3k0a4ubcl4lekbu133rhv@news.markshouse.net...
> On Mon, 4 Aug 2008 21:49:51 +0100, dE|_ put finger to keyboard and
> typed:
>
<snip>
>
> Don't click on your own ads. Don't let your family, friends,
> colleagues and pets click on your ads.

Just wanted to re-emphasise this point.  I told my family that I earned 
money when they clicked on my ads.  Forgot to tell them NOT to though. 
Lifetime ban.

+mrcakey

"+mrcakey" wrote...
>> On Mon, 4 Aug 2008 21:49:51 +0100, dE|_ put finger to keyboard and
>> typed:
>>
> <snip>
>>
>> Don't click on your own ads. Don't let your family, friends,
>> colleagues and pets click on your ads.
>
> Just wanted to re-emphasise this point.  I told my family that I earned 
> money when they clicked on my ads.  Forgot to tell them NOT to though. 
> Lifetime ban.
>

How does Google spot this anyway? I understand that if the same IP clicked 
100 times in one visit it would stand out, but doesn't your IP address 
change each time you connect?

-dE|_---

"dE|_"  wrote in message 
news:UDjmk.78891$dz3.32967@newsfe20.ams2...
>
> "+mrcakey" wrote...
>>> On Mon, 4 Aug 2008 21:49:51 +0100, dE|_ put finger to keyboard and
>>> typed:
>>>
>> <snip>
>>>
>>> Don't click on your own ads. Don't let your family, friends,
>>> colleagues and pets click on your ads.
>>
>> Just wanted to re-emphasise this point.  I told my family that I earned 
>> money when they clicked on my ads.  Forgot to tell them NOT to though. 
>> Lifetime ban.
>>
>
> How does Google spot this anyway? I understand that if the same IP clicked 
> 100 times in one visit it would stand out, but doesn't your IP address 
> change each time you connect?
>
> -dE|_--- 
>

Someone's already mentioned about them getting suspicious about direct hit 
traffic.  Also, they're quite cookie happy.

Whatever it was, they got me.  I was quite indignant as it was something I 
felt I should have had a warning about and THEN a lifetime ban if I didn't 
sort it.  I can see it from their POV - they're selling a product and they 
need to ensure their advertisers aren't defrauded, but there's no way you 
can prove to them you didn't know what was happening and there's no way they 
can prove to me that they've actually refunded their advertisers either. 
That was the other thing that annoyed me - it was only after I'd received 
enough traffic to warrant a payment that they decided to kick me.  Made me 
suspicious.

+mrcakey

On Wed, 6 Aug 2008 11:48:28 +0100, "dE|_"
 wrote:

>
>"Richard Cole" wrote wrote:
<<SNIP>>
>> o If you get enough visitors, then sit back and wait for the cheques. I 
>> get
>> between 200 to 500 visitors a day and they produce between $1.13 and $8.28
>> in the last period.
>
>Are their periods monthly or quarterly?
They issue a cheque at the beginning of the month after your earnings
exceed $100.

>> o Watch your site and check the ads frequently and if you get an
>> undesirable ad appearing (from a competitor for example) then get those
>> blocked in your configuration.
>>
>> o If you've a whole series of pages that make up the site, put the ads on
>> every page (see the Caravanningnow site). A friend runs the Swanage
>> Carnival web site, which only has ads on the entry page, and the earnings
>> are nowhere near as good, although he gets a lot more traffic.
>
>These ads are going on CrackGuitar which is getting around 500 visitors/2000 
>pages per month. The plan is to get guitar accessories ads on there. Plus 
>I'm adding a page with filmed tutorial of effects pedals, with ads just 
>below. Impress with the show then supply a link to the tools.
>
>Can I be that specific about recommended ads for a page or do you just 
>supply metadata and let google do that?

Yes, but you'll need to look (and search) in the Adsense help. I've never
done specific ads, but it used to be in the configuration and now appears
to have been moved elsewhere.

Richard
See http://www.caravanningnow.co.uk where my caravan's for sale.
-- 
Top 20 Replies by Programmers When Their Programs Don't Work: 7.
"Somebody must have changed my code."

On Wed, 6 Aug 2008 16:42:44 +0100, dE|_ put finger to keyboard and
typed:

>
>"+mrcakey" wrote...
>>> On Mon, 4 Aug 2008 21:49:51 +0100, dE|_ put finger to keyboard and
>>> typed:
>>>
>> <snip>
>>>
>>> Don't click on your own ads. Don't let your family, friends,
>>> colleagues and pets click on your ads.
>>
>> Just wanted to re-emphasise this point.  I told my family that I earned 
>> money when they clicked on my ads.  Forgot to tell them NOT to though. 
>> Lifetime ban.
>>
>
>How does Google spot this anyway? I understand that if the same IP clicked 
>100 times in one visit it would stand out, but doesn't your IP address 
>change each time you connect?

It's tracked with cookies. The system is designed to spot suspicious
patterns, such as a user going to lots of other website but never
clicking an ad, and yet clicking an ad every time they visit a certain
site.

Mark

On Wed, 6 Aug 2008 17:03:32 +0100, +mrcakey put finger to keyboard and
typed:

>Whatever it was, they got me.  I was quite indignant as it was something I 
>felt I should have had a warning about and THEN a lifetime ban if I didn't 
>sort it.  I can see it from their POV - they're selling a product and they 
>need to ensure their advertisers aren't defrauded, but there's no way you 
>can prove to them you didn't know what was happening and there's no way they 
>can prove to me that they've actually refunded their advertisers either. 
>That was the other thing that annoyed me - it was only after I'd received 
>enough traffic to warrant a payment that they decided to kick me.  Made me 
>suspicious.

You're more at risk if you don't get all that many clicks to begin
with. Not only does a few extra clicks stick out like a sore thumb,
but Google has little to lose by closing the account.

Once a site is consistently earning more than the minimum payout level
each month, it's much less at risk of being closed outright for dodgy
clicks. 

Mark

In message <1kfmk.33424$8w4.17032@newsfe30.ams2>, dE|_ 
 writes
>These ads are going on CrackGuitar which is getting around 500 
>visitors/2000 pages per month. The plan is to get guitar accessories 
>ads on there. Plus I'm adding a page with filmed tutorial of effects 
>pedals, with ads just below. Impress with the show then supply a link 
>to the tools.
>
>Can I be that specific about recommended ads for a page or do you just 
>supply metadata and let google do that?

Google is very good at filtering ads for each page subject she looks at
the whole page not metadata.   You will find that some advertisers 
select
your site only.   We also have a very large competitor's ban  list 
because
of that,  we have been with Adsense for over  5 years its not as good as 
it
use to be  we use to get £700.00 + a month but now £250.00 + a month I
put it down to the ad filters on browsers. Google search on your site 
can
bring in some cash  as well

if you select graphics only you will not get as many music  related ads 
but they pay more

you do need to click on the odd ad just to see where it is going


Barrie,














-- 
BH