I have seen quite a few people do this, and I think its ingenious. I've clicked on a few ads on accident and I thought I had the Webmaster vision that filters out the crap (thats what we call them when they're on another site). Now that Google has gotten a few other styles (round corners and different color background for Ads by Google), is it okay if I make my content boxes like the ads? Of course it will say something relevant to the box not Ads by Google in the place? No banning?
I think you answered your own question...you said you clicked on them by accident meaning that the setup borders on or crossed into deception which is not a way to get into Google's good graces.
well, I meant that they were very well blended, I didn't realize they were ads. I liked the content, which is why I clicked. Give me a second and I'll edit with a graphic. Edit:http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/8866/blahis4.gif
All I can say is that I'd run it by Google, they MAY not like the similarity. Afterall, you cannot have other ADS on your site that look like Google Ads, the same MAY hold true for other CONTENT. Better safe than sorry. Please post any response that you get.
You have to be very careful here. I've known of more than one publisher who has been banned because they made their content too similar to the ads. Google's Programme Policies contain the wide ranging restriction on 'deceptive implementation methods' that pretty much covers this. As Adpubster has already said, you've really answered your own question since the only reason for doing this is to increase unintentional clicks, a sure way to get banned. Remember, just because someone else is doing it, it doesn't mean it's OK, or that those sites aren't about to be banned themselves. Jon
Since it makes the difference between having an account and not having an account, I'd still check with Google because the precedent is that it's not okay.