Accidentally clicked own ad... Google's reply...

Discussion in 'Guidelines / Compliance' started by itsall3, Mar 22, 2006.

  1. #1
    Hi guys, i clicked one of the ads on my site today... :( i emailed google stright away with this...

    I've just accidentally clicked one of the ads on my site! this is the
    first time i've done it, and know its one of the main rules in the terms.
    - Please can you remove this click instead of blocking my account.

    Sorry for the mistake.

    Regards.


    and i got this back:

    Thank you for your email.

    We appreciate your notifying us of the clicks that have been made on your
    Google ads. Please note that clicking on your own ads for any reason is
    prohibited, as it has the potential to inflate advertiser costs.

    For future reference, to check the destination of ads on your page without
    the risk of invalid clicks, we suggest using the AdSense Preview Tool,
    available here:


    I'm reading about this "AdSense Preview Tool" right now! (i guess i should have known about it.

    Their reply has helped me to not do it again, but do you think they'll ban my account now or have i been given a second chance?

    Cheers.
     
    itsall3, Mar 22, 2006 IP
  2. superpump

    superpump Peon

    Messages:
    1,419
    Likes Received:
    35
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #2
    been there, done that, your fine
     
    superpump, Mar 22, 2006 IP
  3. Mong

    Mong ↓↘→ horsePower

    Messages:
    4,789
    Likes Received:
    734
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    235
    #3
    Hmmm polite reply...
    We have to care while changing tabs in Firefox if there is top right 468*60 adblock. :)
     
    Mong, Mar 22, 2006 IP
  4. brooklyn71

    brooklyn71 Peon

    Messages:
    94
    Likes Received:
    3
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #4
    Hey itsall 3,

    The same thing happened to me last week, and I received the same e-mail reply. I think you're fine since you did report the incident to them, and I'm assuming that it's a one time thing - Right?

    I've had my account for well over a year and this is the first time that this has happened so I'm not too worried.
     
    brooklyn71, Mar 22, 2006 IP
  5. itsall3

    itsall3 Active Member

    Messages:
    505
    Likes Received:
    12
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    58
    #5
    Cheers guys. Im hoping they dont close my account. They did say "For future reference" -- which i hope is a good thing ;)

    That AdSense Preview Tool doesnt hide the ads on your site, it just lets you see the advertisers site without clicking your ads - which is a good thing as some ads on my site look good. - but i need somthing to hide them from me. I dont want this happening again.

    cheers all.
     
    itsall3, Mar 22, 2006 IP
  6. Deano

    Deano Sail away with me.

    Messages:
    890
    Likes Received:
    41
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #6
    If you are really that concerned try using the adblocker in firefox, or running the konquerer browser on Linux.
    That message just looks like a standard reply, i'm sure you'll be fine.
     
    Deano, Mar 22, 2006 IP
  7. courtney

    courtney Peon

    Messages:
    99
    Likes Received:
    7
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #7
    Why is there an Adsense Preview tool when the URL of the ad's site is always visible? Can't we just type the URL into a new window without clicking the ad? Or am I missing something.. Wouldn't be the first time.... :rolleyes:
     
    courtney, Mar 22, 2006 IP
  8. FreeFox

    FreeFox Peon

    Messages:
    71
    Likes Received:
    1
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #8
    You can type domain URL (www something com)in new window with no problems. Affcourse you can't copy real url of Ad, only "onmouse" url in status bar.

    And about clicking on your ads, it was same for me. Mistake click, mail to Google, replay, all fine ;)
     
    FreeFox, Mar 22, 2006 IP
  9. maldives

    maldives Prominent Member

    Messages:
    7,187
    Likes Received:
    902
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    310
    #9
    In my openion you have done just the right thing. Telling google directly will not get you banned infact they really like it. But make sure you don' t repeat the same mistake again. Learn from mistakes ;)
     
    maldives, Mar 22, 2006 IP
  10. MKInfo

    MKInfo DP Guard Dog

    Messages:
    1,481
    Likes Received:
    97
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    140
    #10
    I did the same thing a few weeks back.

    Mine was a pure accident I leant over to answer the phone,put my elbow on my mouse and guess where the pointer was.....yep right on an ad.

    I emailed them too and got the exact same email as you in reply.
    I know it's a bog standard reply sent to everyone but totally irrelevant to my mistake.

    Still..............it's always best to let them know.
     
    MKInfo, Mar 22, 2006 IP
  11. w3bmistress

    w3bmistress Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    145
    Likes Received:
    4
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    108
    #11
    opps. I accidentally did this too yesterday. A script would be good to disable the ads for webmasters. Just in case. lol
     
    w3bmistress, Mar 22, 2006 IP
  12. hc5831

    hc5831 Peon

    Messages:
    35
    Likes Received:
    0
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #12
    When I first joined up on Adsense a year ago I clicked on a few ads (5 or so) on my 1st site I put up to see where the ads went. I didn't know I shouldn't click on them, and I stoped right away.

    I did not e-mail google or anything. I also did not notice getting paid for them. I'm pretty sure they just invalidated my clicks. I did not receive any warning e-mails from google.

    A couple months back I accidently clicked 1 ad on one of my sites. Same as before. I didn't send an e-mail. I didn't get paid for the click. I did not get banned.

    I don't think you have to sweat an accidental misclick on one of your sites. It would be extreme to ban someone for 1 misclick every 3-4 months or so. Accidents happen.

    I'm pretty sure the bans you always hear people talking about are from them trying to commit click fraud on google, not simple accidents. They are likely clicking the ads many times and they say they "accidently clicked one ad".
     
    hc5831, Mar 22, 2006 IP
  13. RWD

    RWD Peon

    Messages:
    120
    Likes Received:
    3
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #13
    I have done it, reported myself and got the same reply and my site is still showing google adverts (when they are online as they seem to be offline alot tonight)
     
    RWD, Mar 22, 2006 IP
  14. Old Welsh Guy

    Old Welsh Guy Notable Member

    Messages:
    2,699
    Likes Received:
    291
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    205
    #14
    I clicked on one of my own ads, and bought tickets from it. I wondered afterwards about that, how sad would it be to get banned after shelling out £90 on rugby tickets from a £0.08 click through :D LOL.
     
    Old Welsh Guy, Mar 22, 2006 IP
  15. amnezia

    amnezia Peon

    Messages:
    990
    Likes Received:
    31
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #15
    i have clicked on my own ads by accident many times, never had any problems. I dont understand how so many people get banned from adsense :confused:
     
    amnezia, Mar 22, 2006 IP
  16. Old Welsh Guy

    Old Welsh Guy Notable Member

    Messages:
    2,699
    Likes Received:
    291
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    205
    #16
    the odd self click isn't going to trigger anything on large site.
     
    Old Welsh Guy, Mar 22, 2006 IP
  17. itsall3

    itsall3 Active Member

    Messages:
    505
    Likes Received:
    12
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    58
    #17
    Well they didnt decide to remove the click from my account, so i guess the advertiser paied for my mistake :(

    p.s -- who left me a bad reputation with the comment: "just don't click them anymore" ??? what the hecks the point of that? lol i thought the idea of this forum was to disuse things?
     
    itsall3, Mar 22, 2006 IP
    devin likes this.
  18. Old Welsh Guy

    Old Welsh Guy Notable Member

    Messages:
    2,699
    Likes Received:
    291
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    205
    #18

    That was a little out of order getting a rep for that :( Still not to worry shit happens. The point is that if your getting 100,000 ad views or more a day, and you click on the odd advert that interests you (as I did with the tickets), then it is unlikely to get you banned, as there are so many other CT's your 1 or 2 is not going to make a difference and get you banned. Google are not dumb, they know that a publisher is not going to be interested in £0.08 for a click when they are getting £££'s per day.
     
    Old Welsh Guy, Mar 22, 2006 IP
  19. devin

    devin Guest

    Messages:
    4,461
    Likes Received:
    449
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #19
    that's a canned response. but as long as you notified them you've done the right thing. they appreciate some honesty and candor. they probably would've nulled that click even without you telling them. :)
     
    devin, Mar 22, 2006 IP
  20. Old Welsh Guy

    Old Welsh Guy Notable Member

    Messages:
    2,699
    Likes Received:
    291
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    205
    #20
    I have run campaigns for people (adwords), and have regularly seen refunds to the account as a result of click fraud detection, without having said a word to google about it. the click fraud detection algo is quite good (unless the fraud is sophisticated, when you have to notify them and they look at it manually.
     
    Old Welsh Guy, Mar 23, 2006 IP