Hey DPers, I was just wondering if any of you use this type of border effect on your adsense ads and if this is an accepted technique. Check it out: http://www.modernlifeisrubbish.co.uk/article/the-demographics-of-digg (just rollover the banner and you'll see what I mean) I've never tried this and I wouldn't without Google giving me the green light. I think it's probably against Google's TOS but I could be wrong. What do you guys think?
Hmm.. never seen that before. I cant think of any reason why it would be against the TOS - although I could understand the argument that it was attracting undue attention to the ads.. I'm certainly too chicken to try it.. I have a bad case of GoogleBanAphobia !
undue attention is exactly what I was thinking might be a violation. I wonder if this technique has a positive or negative effect on CTR. On one hand the entire block gets highlighted which may call out to the users 'hey I'm an ad'. On the other hand having the block highlight may just call out 'hey I'm a button. click on me'.
Dunno about the hover, but how did they make those sexy pies??? Really, if anyone knows if it is from some software or other, please let me know! Plus I don't see how it would improve clickthroughs, in fact, it might distract them and break their train of thought just as they were about to click an ad - so I'd say it probably hinders not helps.