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Don't Place Images Next to Google Ads  (View post)

Martin Porcheron [PersonRank 10]

Monday, December 18, 2006
17 years ago6,209 views

I've actually had Google put images next to ads on my adsense blocks (as in the image was attached to the text.

Philipp Lenssen [PersonRank 10]

17 years ago #

You are right... here's a screenshot from Digital Inspiration:

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3709/485/1600/Google%20Ads.jpg

http://labnol.blogspot.com/2006/06/google-adsense-mixes-images-with-text.html

Do as we say, don't do as we do? But I guess Google could always get away by saying their image choice was based on smart text analysis, not coincidence, thus only offering the user a promise they can hold. Then again, a webmaster can also look at the typical AdSense text popping up on their site, and adjust images accordingly...

Ionut Alex. Chitu [PersonRank 10]

17 years ago #

Philipp, Blogger doesn't like hotlinking photos. At all.

Philipp Lenssen [PersonRank 10]

17 years ago #

Weird, it works here. Maybe that's because I already saw the image before...

Colin Colehour [PersonRank 10]

17 years ago #

More examples of Google Posting images next to ads:

http://www.google.com/search?q=hanukkah

http://www.google.com/search?q=xmas

Philipp Lenssen [PersonRank 10]

17 years ago #

I don't get those images in Germany, though, even when I add the "gl=us" parameter...

http://www.google.com/search?q=hanukkah&gl=us

Ionut Alex. Chitu [PersonRank 10]

17 years ago #

Try:
http://w1.hidemyass.com/cgi-bin/nph-privax.cgi/000010A/http/www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=xmas&btnG=Google+Search

Philipp Lenssen [PersonRank 10]

17 years ago #

Cool that worked...

Michel [PersonRank 0]

17 years ago #

They also made some tests adding images next to their own ads :
http://blogoscoped.com/forum/60750.html

Were they a good experience for users or advertisers?

Prashanth [PersonRank 2]

17 years ago #

I always thought Google Adsense is contextual based (relevant to keywords). Looks like they are asking to do the opposite now. Images must not suggest or match Google Ads. (Who knows what ads will be shown)?

The only thing right now publishers can do is remove images or risk being banned.

Philipp Lenssen [PersonRank 10]

17 years ago #

Prashanth, what do you mean by "Google asking the opposite"?

Prashanth [PersonRank 2]

17 years ago #

//We ask that publishers not line up images and ads in a way that suggests a relationship between the images and the ads

Philipp,
The sentence implies in a way that publishers should not place images relevant to ads (no relation ship must exist)

I think its tricking people by placing images next to ads....but everything is a trick. Link ads disguised as menu's confuse many people. Publishers place ads where the visitos tend to click more (menu's, summary right column) Publishers do try their best to do the customization to increase the revenue.

Philipp Lenssen [PersonRank 10]

17 years ago #

> The sentence implies in a way that publishers
> should not place images relevant to ads (no relation
> ship must exist)

I think they're not referring to the content of the images, which may or may not be fitting with the text ads, but the overall layout of how you position these images... e.g. a "relationship" exists when there's 4 text blocks inside an AdSense rectangle, and there's 4 image blocks by the webmaster next to it...

Robyn Tippins [PersonRank 1]

17 years ago #

Yeah, the context is per the entire page and per text based relevance.That's why they showed two examples, citing each as TOS violations.

Images next to ads aren't always bad, just when they are causing users to click accidentally. I use images next to adsense on two of my sites to draw attention to the ads, but they are still very clearly ads.

Jen [PersonRank 1]

17 years ago #

I thought it was all right to publish images alongside AdSense ads as long as there is a line separating the image from the text ads. Or at least this is what the author of the AdSense beautifier plugin for WordPress tells us. Says he was advised by Google that images are okay if there is separation. I would say it's not exactly to cause users to click accidentally, but at least to attract users' attention towards ads that they may consider to be relevant. Otherwise, most of my readers are adsense-blind.

Jen

[Signature URL removed – Tony]

Teodor Filimon [PersonRank 3]

17 years ago #

Did they do it in that last pic from the post? The sequence of images starts on the left of 'Sponsored links' and isn't aligned with the actual ads. Also, the images are the same and the old border is gone which gives me the impression that this is a themed border, nothing more.

Teo.

Lovedeep Wadhwa [PersonRank 1]

17 years ago #

I was using the technique on my blog. Please see the post http://www.freakitude.com/2006/12/19/dont-place-images-next-to-adsense-ads/ .
I am a bit confused about whats accepted and whats not. Any guidance will be highly appreciated.

justin [PersonRank 0]

17 years ago #

what about adverts that are images themselves?

isnt everything in advertising a "trick" anyway?

David Hetfield [PersonRank 10]

17 years ago #

check out this picture again:
http://blogoscoped.com/files/google-xmas-adsense-trees.png

you see " definition " link above? (next to " Christmas ")
is this new?

Razvan Antonescu [PersonRank 2]

17 years ago #

I used that trick on one of my websites and the images were carefully choosen to match top queries made to acces it. When I saw last night that post I removed them all and start worrying about a decrease on CTR. To my surprise it increased :))

I wonder how it will be after a week though

Philipp Lenssen [PersonRank 10]

17 years ago #

> you see " definition " link above? (next to " Christmas ")
> is this new?

No David the "definition" link is old, it always takes you to Answers.com (previously: Dictionary.com) if Google can find the word in the dictionary.

Jen:
> I thought it was all right to publish images alongside
> AdSense ads as long as there is a line separating the
> image from the text ads.

Google in their post give this a clear "no, still not OK":

<<What if I place a space or a line between my images and my ads? Would that work?

No. If the ads and the images appear to be associated, inserting a small space or a line between the images and ads will not make the implementation compliant.>>

Then again it's no a clear-cut case whether or not an image "appears to be associated."

pip [PersonRank 8]

17 years ago #

i understand google like i'm still allowed to place – let's say – 4 simple stars next to the ads. no one could mix up default windows icons or stars, hearts, whatever...

google again isn't clear about that.

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