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Click happy?

Discussion in 'Guidelines / Compliance' started by yaffer, Mar 22, 2006.

  1. #1
    I was just wondering if anyone has become more apt to click on other sites Adsense ads since becoming a publisher. Maybe it's just me but I'm clicking way more now than before I started running my own ads. Sort of like a person who's worked in a restaurant always making sure they tip well.
     
    yaffer, Mar 22, 2006 IP
  2. TheNetCode

    TheNetCode Peon

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    #2
    This was just talked about, but I only click on what interests me and that I might consider buying. It costs advertisers money when you click on their ads and is not truly fair to them. I guess for me it is more of a moral issue of what is right and wrong.
     
    TheNetCode, Mar 22, 2006 IP
  3. yaffer

    yaffer Active Member

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    #3
    Sorry I didn't see the prior post. I didn't mean to click for clicking sake. I'm aware of the ads now and click on the one that interest me. My time is too valuable to be clicking for no reason. I'm just far more aware of the ads now, before i would tune them out.
     
    yaffer, Mar 22, 2006 IP
  4. shauner

    shauner Well-Known Member

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    #4
    Yeah I am more aware now too. Primarily because I look for clever new ways to place the ads that could potentially increase CTR.
     
    shauner, Mar 22, 2006 IP
  5. devin

    devin Guest

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    #5
    i usually don't click. i type the URL directly. that way i give the advertiser free traffic. :)
     
    devin, Mar 22, 2006 IP
  6. shauner

    shauner Well-Known Member

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    #6
    yeah I like to use this technique too, being an AdWords user myself I like to keep costs down for others... but in a way I am cheating Google because their service is what provided the ad to me.
     
    shauner, Mar 22, 2006 IP
  7. Mystique

    Mystique Well-Known Member

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    #7
    I do the same, when an ad interests me and the link is not shown at first glance, I put my mouse over it to check the URL and type it directly.
     
    Mystique, Mar 22, 2006 IP
  8. pmwall

    pmwall Peon

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    #8
    I click on ads more, to support the sites that I like, but only if the show something of interest to me.
     
    pmwall, Mar 23, 2006 IP
  9. mohdsoft

    mohdsoft Peon

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    #9
    Better not to click on ads you are not interested in because people are paying for that.
     
    mohdsoft, Mar 23, 2006 IP
  10. TheNetCode

    TheNetCode Peon

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    #10
    Consider if you were one of the Advertisers. Would you like to pay inflated costs because others were clicking your ads simply to help support a website. Eventually it makes the system not worth using anymore if you are paying for clicks that are worthless to you and are not converting at all or the rate at which you know they should. Consider also that many of this forums participants are also using adwords or other forms of advetisement systems. So simply best to think in terms of how would you feel being the advertiser. If enough of them decided to pull out all together then you would not have this system to earn revenue from and would have to go back to the old days of selling banners and other ads as your sole source of income. Which can be difficult.
     
    TheNetCode, Mar 23, 2006 IP
  11. adacprogramming

    adacprogramming Well-Known Member

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    #11
    To me this is cheating the guy that put their ad on their website. It's using up real estate and they can expect to get paid if the ad interests some one. Click if you are interested, don't click if your not.

    Personally I don't mind paying the price if someone is really interested, that's why I placed the ad.:)
     
    adacprogramming, Mar 23, 2006 IP
  12. jackburton2006

    jackburton2006 Peon

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    #12
    I have trained myself to be Adsense blind, so even if I notice your Adsense, I wouldn't click on it out of an instinctive reflex to NOT click. :) But on occassion will force myself to click when an ad really seems interesting, or I think it might have something I need. Lately I've been clicking a lot on web host ads, because I've been looking for a new host...
     
    jackburton2006, Mar 23, 2006 IP
  13. coderdan

    coderdan Peon

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    #13
    I only click if it is interesting. I click on link units only by mistake. I do not block the adsense ads because sometimes you get a useful link but I block animated images and flash.
     
    coderdan, Mar 23, 2006 IP
  14. Nystul

    Nystul Well-Known Member

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    #14
    I click when it interest me, or i am curious to see whats behind the ad.

    oh well. I did make a couple of online purchases from my clicks. heh
     
    Nystul, Mar 23, 2006 IP
  15. pmwall

    pmwall Peon

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    #15
    Yes, but I only click if I'm interested and so the click is not worthless for the advertiser. This doesn't happen all the time of course, but I bookmarked one site I found this way and will become a customer next time I need what they are selling. So, one happy advertiser because of a new customer.
     
    pmwall, Mar 24, 2006 IP
  16. eusophix

    eusophix Active Member

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    #16
    If I like the site and content, I tend to click on the ads just as a means of 'gift'.
     
    eusophix, Mar 24, 2006 IP
  17. jdi_knght

    jdi_knght Peon

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    #17
    While I understand that publishers feel for other publishers, and like to see each other do well, keep in mind that those running Adwords campaigns are paying for those clicks.

    You can make it sound like you're 'tipping', but clicking like that is tantamount to taking money off of someone else's table at a restaurant and putting it on yours. Yes, the publisher is getting "rewarded", but it's at someone else's loss, not your own.

    The fact is, while I know it seems harmless, the 'mom and pop' businesses of the internet are the ones who will suffer. Especially if there's competition in their area (and for their keywords), they could be paying a relatively high amount for that click, and if the click isn't really happening because you're genuinely interested in the ad, then they're paying for the opportunity for a sale that's not going to happen.

    As TheNetCode mentioned, these types of things contribute to the detriment of Adwords and similar advertising systems, and could ultimately take part in their long term failure if it ever comes down to it. For those wondering why they end up with increasing numbers of low paying $0.01 and $0.02 clicks, it's partly because some advertisers are getting burned and won't risk paying much for clicks anymore. You're ultimately not helping each other out in the long term by clicking ads to reward each other. Prices per click will simply continue to decrease, as advertisers are not getting their expected ROI.

    I'm not trying to rag on anyone here, and I know most of you have good intentions, but consider the long term consequences of what seems like an innocent and even friendly gesture.

    If you really appreciate someone's site, the best thing you can really do for them is probably spread the word about their site. Post a link to their site from your own site or from a forum. If you want to "tip" them, see if they have a paypal address or "donate" button and send them a buck to say thanks. Clicking on their ads is probably not the greatest way to show your gratitude though.

    All that said, I run Adsense on my sites, and I do run Adwords also, but before anyone jumps to conclusions, it's a "play" Adwords account, so no, my strong thoughts on the subject are not because I've been burned myself or anything like that. I'm simply trying to look at both sides of the coin.
     
    jdi_knght, Mar 24, 2006 IP
    devin likes this.
  18. Nystul

    Nystul Well-Known Member

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    #18
    It is just a cycle, if you are a Adsense user, and hope to make $ from Adsense, it means the Adwords users need to make money. If they dont make money, it wont get the Adsense users any far. Concentrate in yourown site and eventually it will pay off.

    hmm, at least thats what i think.

    Right now, I am thinking of using Adwords too...
     
    Nystul, Mar 24, 2006 IP
  19. TheNetCode

    TheNetCode Peon

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    #19

    Well said.

    You can justify the clicks as you want. The only time we should click on an ad is to visit a site for a product or service that we truly want to learn more about. Everyday we hear more people complaining about the low EPC and the truth is that if you keep an eye on the bids for specific keywords you will notice that they are continually getting lower. This could be a number of factors obviously, but I would have to agree that the confidence of some advertisers is being shaken by the ROI they are receiving. So simply give some thought to the long term gain of the program in terms of your income and others instead of the short term. If you build good traffic then your site will become very profitable on its own.
     
    TheNetCode, Mar 25, 2006 IP
  20. singaporebeauty

    singaporebeauty Active Member

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    #20
    i will type the url instead of clicking. it will lower advertiser's cost.
     
    singaporebeauty, Mar 25, 2006 IP