Is it OK to ask people to click on ads?

[Honan]

Actually I have been wondering one thing. When you do development on sites with adsense and accidentally click on the ad, what do you do?

Also sometimes development will result in increase of impressions (no clicks, of course). Will google ban account for that reason?

KW

Nothing and No
From http://www.google.com/adsense/suppor...472&topic=8426

I accidentally clicked on my own ads. Will this cause a problem for my account?

Although publishers are not permitted to click on their own ads for any reason, we do understand that accidental clicks may occur. We therefore don't require that you contact us every time you click on your ads. Rest assured that your account is being properly credited for all clicks and impressions we consider to be valid.

......

Can I view my own site without generating invalid impressions?

Yes, you're welcome to view your own pages without generating invalid impressions. However, please keep in mind that clicking on your own ads is strictly prohibited by our program policies (http://www.google.com/adsense/policies). As you may know, we constantly monitor all clicks and impressions on Google ads for any invalid activity that may artificially drive up an advertiser's costs or a publisher's earnings.

[stewie]

C-clicking
L-loving it
I-internet gold
C-cash
K-Kaught, Kaput, Krap, Kiddin', Kome On, Kancelled???,
S-shit!!!

[Varchar]

Thanks Joe!! That clears up my doubt.

[impactadmin]

Yes clicking on your ads can result in a ban or asking visitors to click on your ads.

It happens to all of us when putting up a new site we click on the ads by accident a couple times which I dont think raises any flags but they will eventually find out if you are asking people to click on ads or someone will report you.

[EstiBot.com]

What ever you do, ..... do not click on your own ads, especially from the same computer or location that you check your AdSense stats. No matter how interested you might be in the ad.

Actually, I believe logging on to your Adsense account may actually protect you from being sanctioned from the (accidental) clicks you may may do when e.g. developing your site in a live environment.

Google is worried about invalid clicks and fraudulent clicks that cause advertiser costs to go up without resulting in sales. If you're logged in to your Google account, it's obvious that it's you who is clicking and therefore your clicks pose no such risk because they can be easily dismissed, and the advertiser is not charged.

I am not 100% sure of this, so please do correct me if I'm wrong.

Actually I have been wondering one thing. When you do development on sites with adsense and accidentally click on the ad, what do you do?

Also sometimes development will result in increase of impressions (no clicks, of course). Will google ban account for that reason?

KW

Someone already quoted the Google TOS above. I have been developing Adsense-containing sites since 2004, and have accidentally clicked ads on my own sites numerous times. This has never resulted in any problems. I've also created tens of thousands of impressions of my sites containing ads, and no problem there either.

I always try to make sure I'm logged in to my Adsense account when I'm developing, so Google will always know that the IP address in question is mine.

Anyway that's my theory, and I've never had problems.

I don't advise creating impressions or clicking on your own ads, just saying that accidental clicks are probably not going to get you banned.

However, I always very strongly advise my friends, family and associates against ever clicking on any of the ads on my sites. I think Google specifically (and very effectively) look for patterns and connections to try to detect fraud, so personally I think that it's a good idea to take steps to make sure that all clicks result from people you have no association with.

If you ask people to click on your ads, my prediction is that you'll get forever banned from Adsense in short order. As well you should.

[tldrental]

Guys,
I have received a email letter from Google about this in the past. I was training a new guy who was pretty green behind the ears.

He was clicking 1 ad per site to test that they worked like an idiot. This went on for about a week +/- when I received an email warning from Google.

I will try to find it for all of you. If my memory serves me right they did mention something about never, never click on your own ads, even in a dev environment.

I almost think they did tell me how to manage the dev environment as well.

I will do my best to dig it up. I am sure all of you will find it useful, hopefully I didn't delete it.

#######
I found it....

Hello Richard Giammarinaro Jr,

It has come to our attention that invalid clicks have been generated on
your Google ads, posing a financial risk to our AdWords advertisers.
Please note that any activity that may artificially inflate an
advertiser's costs or a publisher's earnings is strictly prohibited by
our program policies.

We understand that you may want more information about the activity we
detected. However, because we have a need to protect our proprietary
detection systems, we're unable to provide our publishers with any
details about their account activity, including any web pages or users
that may have been involved. Thank you for your understanding.

We recommend reviewing these references to learn more about invalid
click activity and other activities that could endanger your account
standing:

https://www.google.com/adsense/policies?hl=en_US
https://www.google.com/adsense/local...&ce=1&hl=en_US
http://www.google.com/adsense/suppor...=8426&hl=en_US

Please note that because we credit advertisers for any invalid activity
we detect, we may adjust your account earnings for any days during
which invalid clicks occurred.

If you were clicking your ads out of interest or to see who was
advertising on your site, please note that clicking on your own ads for
any reason is strictly prohibited by our program policies. Instead, we
suggest using the AdSense preview tool as an alternative. This tool
will allow you to check the destination of ads on your page without the
risk of generating invalid clicks. For more information, please visit
our Help Center at https://www.google.com/adsense/previewtool?hl=en_US.

Lastly, please note that if we continue to detect invalid clicks on
your Google ads, we may take further action on your account in order to
protect our advertisers' interests. Thank you for your understanding.

Sincerely,

The Google AdSense Team

I hope this helps you guys or answers your questions!

[David G]

I wasn't 100% sure.....

With all due resect I find it quite amazing to see you are a Mod here but was not sure

[nethead]

that is the biggest no no with adsense.. .you will get banned.

[ZeRohiLL]

drummin to the beat of no no no

[Hurley4540]

Ok, we all know this is against the rules now.

This should be locked .

[IBN]

Ok, we all know this is against the rules now.

This should be locked .

NO!

[Hurley4540]

What is the point of leaving it open then? lol

[DNP]

I do not think so... for me they just do not counting the clicks under my IPs = $0.00

Actually I have been wondering one thing. When you do development on sites with adsense and accidentally click on the ad, what do you do?

Also sometimes development will result in increase of impressions (no clicks, of course). Will google ban account for that reason?

KW

[dcristo]

A forum moderator is asking this question. OMG.

[robmac]

"asking" friends no......

[ezimedia]

HI

I would say don't do it.. Google knows when you are trying to cheat them.

Tom

[Gerry]

Sure.

Post the site and we'll do a DOS on the highest payor.

Then we can go to the next and deplete his budget.

And so on and so on.

Pretty soon, each click will be zero.

Seriously, no.

And post such a question? Whoa, NO!

[f1fanaticgt3]

Hmmm... Okay. So how in the hell is a parking service or Google AdSense for that matter going to honestly PROVE whether or not you told your friend in the library (for example) to go online to your site and click a banner or link? Are we all being tracked and spied on? This is retarded. Sure if you click on your own ads/links it will obviously show up as a red flag. I really don't understand how asking someone, whether you know them or not, to click a link every now and then is some god aweful thing. It will just look like a typical visit to your parked page or a normal visitor to your site. Explain to me how it would not look typical because unless its really obvious that somethings flakey I don't get it.

Again tell me how anyone is going to PROVE this? 1 or 2 clicks from someone you asked to click? As long as they aren't on your computer I dunno why everyone is flipping out. Again how the hell are they going to know you told someone to click your link on an entirely different computer with different IP addresses?

Note: Please for the sake of argument lets look beyond the "ethical" dillema of this scenario. I'm well aware the TOS say that you SHOULD NOT or CANNOT do this. Based on my argument I don't understand how anyone would know. Thanks

[EstiBot.com]

Hmmm... Okay. So how in the hell is a parking service or Google AdSense for that matter going to honestly PROVE whether or not you told your friend in the library (for example) to go online to your site and click a banner or link?

That's the thing. They don't have to prove it. All Google needs is a whiff and they will unilaterally terminate your Adsense account.

I really don't understand how asking someone, whether you know them or not, to click a link every now and then is some god aweful thing.

It is exactly that, because it takes money straight out of my pocket. It reduces the revenue of every (honest) Adsense publisher. The more fraudulent clicks, the smaller the advertiser ROI, and the less they will be willing to pay per click, and, thus, the less we make money.

So, in effect, unscrupulous Adsense publishers, blackhat SEO's included, are enemies of regular Adsense publishers. Not to mention Adwords advertisers - their money is being stolen directly.

[Justin Hulsey]

You always want to stay under the radar with google. Nothing to draw attention to you.