hi all, I was thinking if I make a page in a website in such a way with adsense searchbox and ask my friends to use my searchbox as their default search engine than will that violate any of googles term? thanks
how is it stealing when I am not asking them to click on the sponsored links ? Isnt it just like google search page where after searching we get sponsored links at right and only in this case the sponsored links here are at top and bottom ? thanks
I think this would be a very grey area. I don't think it would actually violate the TOS unless you asked them to click on the ads. But the potential for abuse is so great that I'd be willing to bet that G would not be happy. Your best bet is to contact G and ask them.
I misread the post, sorry it's late in the day....my apologies, ****CRAP! I deleted my original entry and only meant to append to it Well I think I am done for the day!****
My advice is don't do it. If your friends do click on lots of ads (even if they don't know you make money from it) You might just get yourself in trouble and booted out of Adsense. Especially if you have hardly any traffic and a high percentage of invalid clicks.
I think you would be asking to get kicked out of Adsense. Google would see a pattern of IP address, or computer profiles, going to your site and clicking the ads. If your friends don't click the ads, there is nothing to gain. If they do click the ads - even though you didn't ask them to (how would google know you did or didn't)- it would have to look like click fraud. It isn't "natural" that people would keep going to the same site to use the adsense search box for their normal searches. That would have to raise a red flag.
Personally, I think it is ok morally and shouldn't break Google's conditions. It's like the Firefox start page. When you install firefox, it asks you if you want to make Firefox start page your homepage. (They use Google adsense search engine.) You can choose yes or no. In your friends case, for example, you can ask if they want to use your page as their homepage. Of course, the person being your friend, you can pressure them a little and make them use your homepage. You should email Google and ask to be sure.
I have a search portal site so I understand your situation well. If I were you, I wouldn't ask anyone to use it as a search site. It's just asking for trouble. You are better off using viral marketing techniques like having a link to your site as your email signature, etc. AmCy
thanks everyone.....I think I will email google and ask abt it... But I have seen some websites like directory or something where you search and get lots of sponsored links on the top. which is way more than usual amount of sponsored links. Does google have any other service for such system ? I will try to post a link to such site once I find it... peace
It's a RISK vs BENEFIT situation. The way to analyze risks is to look at probability of occurance and potential impact if they do occur. In your case the potential impact is that 'G' bans you from adsense (pretty disasterous!). The probability? You decide for yourself. The benifit is that you earn a few extra $$. Unless you have a lot of friends, this will be pretty marginal.