yes and no. Just as Lucid said, getting rid of the affiliate links on your landing page is a big step forward, but I have seen LOADS of sites also get hit for having a sign-up / opt-in form on the landing page too. Google mention something about it in the link below, the first bullet point - but it's worth mentioning that although they say sign up forms for free stuff, it's often the case that they extend it to sign-up forms in general https://adwords.google.co.uk/support/aw/bin/answer.py?hl=en-uk&answer=66238
I would yes, it because of the stuff you were selling from clickbank which are mostly hyped products. Google do not want to tricks the people who search using their search engine. I've been hearing people banned because of this. Its a lesson for us all.
A question to anyone in the know. If you are banned from Adwords, does this ALSO affect your SEO work/placements (backlinks etc) that you did for any websites? Many thanks. Abi
Nope, your natural results should be unaffected. However, if Google are doing this for user experience then I would think in the next year or so they'll be looking at affiliate businesses on the natural listings too
Agree with JHardy. This will spill over to the organics. Here are some links everyone should know, bookmark and read: Landing Page Quality https://adwords.google.com/support/aw/bin/topic.py?topic=16348&hl=en Landing Page and Site Quality Guidelines This is third link found on above page https://adwords.google.com/support/aw/bin/static.py?page=guidelines.cs&answer=46675&adtype=text Terms and Conditions https://adwords.google.com/select/tsandcsfinder
I also agree that eventually this will in some form or another, spill over to the natural search (perhaps). However, If AFFILIATES are the problem to poor user experience- Adwords or natural search- then where do you think this leaves Google's very own Affiliate Network???? Abi
I got it too. I have no idea why. I wasn't even running any ads. My account has been on pause for at least a month. How do I find out what the hell they are doing? RayJay
Having paused groups or campaigns is irrelevant. You can always restart them. They still are subject to Google's rules. That's why when you know a group is not compliant, delete it instead of just pausing it.
Direct linking is still allowed but if you have ever promoted any kind of offers like Acai, dental whitening etc then you are going to have your account disabled some day.
It is the new FTC guidelines that my account was disabled. I had a disclosure policy on a few websites, but the ones which were live on adwords, did not have. silly me! If you are using adwords at the moment and do not have a disc;losure policy within your site (on EVERY page- at the footer), then do it NOW!!!! And build QUALITY sites (From big G's point of view), this means TONS of pages of USER-ORININTED VALUE.
What makes you say that? What type of product was you promoting, what is your site URL that got you banned?
Hi I was not promoting anything dodgy/spamy looking, especially all this make xxx money in xx days nonsense or weight loss. I was doing 3 major online retailers on CJ, business finance merchant, and recently started 2 merchants from Clickbank (one was a car auction site, and the other woodworking plans). Oh yes, also a big pc/video games retailer. No rebill offers etc. I like to concentrate on somewhat well known merchant names.
For SEO, does anyone RECOMMEND setting-up a Nofollow tag or PHP Redirect for my affiliate links on the landing page? I'm doing SEO (backlinking etc) also, but don't want any future PR for my site or search standing, to be affected with affiliate links on the page. Thanks.
I'll tell you right now the direct linking has nothing to do with you getting banned. Direct linking is actually the best method / strategy that's only if no one else is direct linking. This is just like running your own website through AdWords. What was the e-mail that Google sent you, did they say why you was banned for? Copy the e-mail they sent you on the forum.
Quotes from http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2009/10/endortest.shtm: "Under the revised Guides, advertisements that feature a consumer and convey his or her experience with a product or service as typical when that is not the case will be required to clearly disclose the results that consumers can generally expect." "The revised Guides also add new examples to illustrate the long standing principle that “material connections†(sometimes payments or free products) between advertisers and endorsers – connections that consumers would not expect – must be disclosed." "...a blogger who receives cash or in-kind payment to review a product is considered an endorsement. Thus, bloggers who make an endorsement must disclose the material connections they share with the seller of the product or service." So, basically, you need to clearly tell people how much money on average, how much weight loss on average, etc. they can expect. You can't advertise with exceptional, unrealistic results any more and you must tell people if an endorser is somehow connect to you. If you have an affiliate review site, you must state that you are an affiliate and get money for a sale.
The clickbank offers most likely got you banned. It's worth ZERO time trying to get a banned account going. It won't help. You can spin up a new account using a different e-mail, credit card, address and dedicated IP. Beyond that you won't be able to run.