This post was most recently updated on September 23rd, 2019
Image-rich sites are normally prone to ad implementation violations. That is because banner ads in themselves are image-based and can easily be mistaken for actual site content.
To help you avoid getting into Adsense’s radar and have your ads disabled, here are easy ways on how to avoid the common mistakes in ad implementation for image-rich websites:
1) Encouraging accidental clicks
This is the most common violation in publisher sites, in general. Adsense is very strict to make sure ad implementation will not deceive users to click on an ad thinking it’s part of the site’s content. Here are some ways to veer away from this type of mistake:
How to avoid it
- Add more space between AdSense ads and website content.
- Do not place AdSense ads too close to the navigation menu or links.
- If possible, make sure that the color of ad texts and links are not too similar to that of the website.
- Do not use graphical gimmickry to attract users to click on an ad.
- Make ads clearly visible by using appropriate labels or headers such as “Sponsored links” or “Advertisements”
- Put Adsense ads only on pages where there is great content.
2) Aligning images with ads
Publishers should not place or align the image with the ads suggesting that there’s a relationship between the two. Visitors may think that the images and the ads are directly related, or the neighboring image is being advertised. They may click the ad hoping to find the item they thought is being advertised. This can result in a poor user experience which will have long-term effects on your site’s CPM.
How to avoid it
- Distinctly separate site’s images and banner ads.
- Specify a particular area on your page where ads are expected to appear (i.e. sidebar, header, footer, within the content but not too close to actual site content).
- Label ads appropriately
3) Formatting Content to Mimic Ads
Choosing ad colors that complement your blog is a great way of increasing your CPM. However, it should be noted that publishers should avoid aligning images with ads or making nearby content mimic their formatting.
How to avoid it
- Don’t place ads in areas with images that look like it.
- Ask yourself, if I were the user: Will I be able to distinguish the ad from the image?
The rule of thumb is to make sure your site visitors will have good user-experience. Deceiving tactics will never work long-term and can get your ads to disable – or worst, your account to be banned. Remember that there are a lot of legitimate strategies to use in order to increase ad revenue without resorting to sneaky ad implementation techniques.
Contact MonetizeMore if you need help in implementing your ads the right way.
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Related Reads:
- How to Monetize Image and Video-Rich Sites
- New Ad Revenue Stream: In-Text & In-Image Advertising
- Dynamic Allocation and How it Can Make You Rich
- Increasing Your Google AdSense Revenue Using Image Hacks? Stop.
- Don’t Lose Ad Revenue to Google Image Search
Kean Graham is the CEO and founder of MonetizeMore & a pioneer in the Adtech Industry. He is the resident expert in Ad Optimization, covering areas like Adsense Optimization,GAM Management, and third-party ad network partnerships. Kean believes in the supremacy of direct publisher deals and holistic optimization as keys to effective and consistent ad revenue increases.