AdWords - Still Under the Microscope

[Jeff Nienaber]

Google's editorial guidelines (https://adwords.google.com/select/guidelines.html) state:
"Links to your website must allow users to return to the Google search results page or ad network by clicking once on the browser's Back button."

Try circumventing this guideline and you will find your campaigns 'Disabled' within 5 minutes to 24 hours. It is a very important policy for their program - and for good reason.

However, if you manage millions of keywords and spend 6 or 7 figures a month you can circumvent this rule.
Case in point Bizrate/Shopzilla: Using IE, search Google for 'Price Compare' ( http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2005-08,GGLD:en&q=price+compare) or virtually any keyword under the Sun, click on a Bizrate/Shopzilla ad, wait for the landing page to fully load, now click your browser's Back button once.

Is this an example of doing no evil?

[composer]

No.

They say: redirects and similar tricks not allowed for target page.

e.g.: "location:" with a java/vb script , a "meta" redirect tag or "nph-cgi redirect"...

All of them:

a) disabled back button
or
b) 2 or more clicks required for return.

[Jeff Nienaber]

Then maybe they should rewrite their editorial guidelines.
by clicking once on the browser's Back button.

[PhilC]

Overture has the same "one Back click" rule.

[Jeff Nienaber]

Exactly...
PhilC "Overture has the same 'one Back click' rule." Overture also fails to hold this advertiser accountable to their published guidelines. Why?

[PhilC]

Money talks?

They certainly held me to it.

[Jeff Nienaber]

PhilC Money talks? They certainly held me to it.Bingo! Me too.

So how can we believe the 'Do no evil' mantra when they've proven they have a price on their editorial integrity?



JN

[PhilC]

It doesn't come into the realms of evil. If someone is spending a lot of money with you, you give them what they want - I would :)

[Jeff Nienaber]

Maybe it's not evil in the apocalyptic sense, but considering their published guidelines it's definitely hypocritical.

[PhilC]

Maybe, but they do things differently when it's worth it. For instance, they offer sites with huge traffic different AdSense conditions to the rest of us.

[Jeff Nienaber]

I completely understand the justification for this, I simply disagree with the practice.
-Or maybe I'm just jealous because I'm outside looking in.