Welcome to the new AdSense-free Playground Confidential. Isn’t it so nice and … white? I wish I could write that I have decided to blog for the sheer joy of it and that I am no longer seeking advertising revenue to support my hobby. But that is not the case.
Google AdSense has decided that my blog “has posed a significant risk to our AdWords advertisers.” They’ve shut me down, in other words, for violating their Terms and Agreements. I was pretty taken aback — to say the least — when I first received the email. I mean, this is a one-woman show here. I actually write my own content and rely on a growing base of loyal readers for my traffic. There’s nothing but make-money-off-Google-ads schemes every which way you look. There are scads of sites that are filled with RSS feeds and stolen or cobbled together content designed to maximize search engine optimization and confuse readers into clicking on ads. And they cut me off. Me!
I think I know why. I have never, ever clicked on my own ad or prompted my readers to do so. But a couple of people who know me personally, who know that Google AdSense operates on some sort of pay-per-click basis, have been in the habit of clicking through the ads when they are reading my site anyway. That is all I can think of. Really, really small potatoes. Oh good, I thought, there’s an appeals form. I’ll just fill this out and explain how I’ve discovered that a couple of people who I know have been clicking on ads, unbeknownst to me, not realizing that it’s not allowed. I’ll explain this and promise that it won’t happen again and all will be good, right?
Wrong. I receive another email stating that, “after thoroughly reviewing your account data and taking your feedback into consideration, we’ve re-confirmed that your account poses a significant risk to our advertisers.” I’m sorry, but WTF?! I haven’t programmed robots to roam the city and click on ads from various IP addresses. I haven’t commissioned all kinds of people to click on ads or subscribed to any Google-revenue software. A couple of real people, of their own accord, have clicked on ads and, hey, I’ll do my due dilligence and spread the word among my personal acquaintances so that doesn’t happen again. I’m sorry that after two years, just when I was about to receive my first payment from AdSense, that you suddenly noticed that my readers have been defrauding your advertisers out of tens of dollars. It won’t happen again.
I filled out another appeal basically saying as much, but I’m pretty sure it won’t do anything. And that’s okay. Technically, I could open another account in my husband’s name or some other family member’s, but I don’t want to. This is my enterprise and I want everything to be in my name. (Especially come tax time.) Instead, I’m hell bent on turning this into the best thing that ever happened to me. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of being betrayed and stepped on to get me going. It’s just the way I roll.
So, Plan B. Google AdSense (I still rely on every other freaking service way too much) is now my archnemesis and I will show them by earning lots of money that they won’t get a piece of. (And I’ll keep uploading big video files to YouTube to help them hemmorage even more money.) I have been slacking a little on the blogging these past couple of week because of the full-time care of two children plus housework plus another side gig that I have but no more excuses. I will be ramping up the posts and finally rolling out my Every Playground In Toronto Reviewed project. I will be updating my blogroll and optimizing my search engine-ation (or whatever) and I will be selling my own ads.
I really didn’t want to be an ad salesperson on top of everything else, but I’ll give it a go. I’ll post rates and contact info on my Advertise and Support page. I can cobble together a decent looking ad with a few cheaty moves (see Your Ad Here and Mom Central ads) and I can make a mean sales pitch if I have to. Spread the word to anyone who might be interested: Playground Confidential is selling some CHEAP ad space.
So, no, I’m sorry but I’m busy this weekend. But I’m happy to send the kids!
9 replies on “Advertise to Urban Canadian Moms”
Maybe I’m thick but I don’t even understand this. Isn’t it good that a couple of people would actually click on the ads? Do you know how infrequently I actually click on a blog ad? Um, like never?!?!
I think the problem would be if the same, like two, people routinely click on more than one ad. That skews the effectiveness of the ad because they are only trying to support me and not really interested in the advertisement. Or maybe I’m wrong. But Google wouldn’t actually tell you what happened, would they? Nope.
Geeze, I’m sorry Rebecca. I actually thought the ads were there to promote stuff that mum’s are interested in. In actuality I’ve been clicking on quite a few ads that are in the side bars because they caught my attention and I wanted to learn more info on the product. I’ve also bookmarked the sites for future reference (read: when i have more money) because I actually liked what they had to sell or share.
I’d hate to think that because of my happy clicker finger, they are shutting you down.
I can’t imagine it’s you, Mandy. No worries.
I think it’s a pretty good example of how doing business with a mega-corporation where you are literally just a number is never a good idea.
Heaven forbid my readership actually responds to the ads!
I’ll make more money without them. They were a crutch.
Your blog is clearly too edgy for Google Ad to be associated with– all that talk about diaper-changing and breast-feeding and whatnot.
Seriously though, screw those bastards. I’ve already spoken with a couple people who want ad space. Get the ad-selling ball a-rollin’
Wow. How weird. I don’t know much about blogs and advertising, but it seems to me like google just uses this excuse to weed out blogs they don’t want to support anymore. Maybe that’s how they rationalize their costs… if you don’t instantly become a superstar blogger, they cut you off. Very crappy.
Wow. I’ve never really thought that Google AdSense was all that great but this just takes the cake. The cynic in me things it’s AWFULLY convenient that this happened just as you were about to get your first payment. Bah, AdSense!
Wow….that is nuts.
I know a lot of people that had trouble with Google Adsense because it constantly served up ads that they were opposed to and they were constantly getting complaints from readers and having to go in and block ads.
But this I’d never heard of before.
I have to say that I am quite happy with my relationship with BlogHer ads. I don’t think they are taking any more applicants right now, but it works for me!
No, Blogher isn’t accepting new applicants for their ad network right now . . . but maybe in the future.
And it’s true I don’t miss the meet-new-singles ads that Adsense kept throwing my way — Playground Confidential, you know.