Would you mind having a look at this placement and see if it goes against TOS. It is my attempt at trying to get as close as I can to what the google ads look like. Thanks in advance John ps it is the ad block in the forum post.
I think is a policy violation as you are clearly trying to bend the rules by tricking your visitors into clicking your AdSense ads. The image serves no other purpose than to deceive your visitors. Sorry, but I'd get rid of it. Concentrate on legitimate methods to help improve your CTR.
You have just spoilt all my work. The actually image above the google does serve a purpose if the visitors click on that they are taken to our mains forum area. I would be interested it what others thought, before I take it down. Must admit, I am just seeing if I can increase my daily average, it has been at the same amount for the past couple of months and no matter what I do, it does not go up.
Images next to Google ads are now almost banned, There was a time when almost every site that had Google ads, they had it with images. Now You will be in real trouble if you don;t take that image out. Which actually is a copy of previous adsense ad, you just changed the title below.
Not a copy as such, all the text has been entered by me. Thats 2 votest to get rid of it, maybe its back to the drawing board for me.
Well thats 3 votes. Look for me it is not worth it, thought I would just try something different. Looks like the image is going, going
Ask yourself this, if you didn't utilize AdSense ads would that image be there? I don't think it would
Ad placement looks fine. However, for your very lower ad, I would remove the borders (set it to white) for even better blending.