Blocking "$75 Free Advertising" Adwords ad from my Adsense: "Okay" with Google?

[bummed.out]

Hi guys,

I posted a recent thread about how one of my historically best performing sites (always has visitors, always has clicks) has, for this weekend, had a much, much lower than average CTR, even though visitor numbers are still fair and it's ranking very well for its keyword.

I'm seeing the infamous "Get $75 Free Advertising" ad among my text-based Adsense ads, and of course it belongs to www.google.com/Adwords

I don't need Google advertising Adwords on my site which is focused around a particular health niche. I'd love to add that URL to my blocked list in my Adsense settings, but does doing that somehow p*ss Google off?

Realistically, they shouldn't be able to penalize anyone for removing that ad if if doesn't fit their content; I mean, it's totally irrelevant to what my visitors to this site are interested in - but I thought once I read here or somewhere that someone added Google's URL to their blocked list and suddenly, their visitors or ranking or CTR or CPC or something took a big hit.

Can anyone vouch for that or share their experience in this matter?

Thanks much!

[timpears]

I don't know if Google would get mad. I kind of doubt it. But I am guessing that you are getting that ad as there are none available for your niche to deliver.

[paulgl]

If those ads are showing, there is not enough content to warrant
more ads.

You have a few choices.

You can block google, but then you risk having an empty space.
That is, unless you have the empty place set in your account with
color or an ad of your own.

Rewrite the content or try to figure out why it triggers google adwords ads.

Turn interest based ads on, which can up the ad pool.

Turn on both images and text, which can also up the ad pool.

Or, have fewer ad blocks, but that probably won't work well.
Adwords users bid on different placements, not always #1.

Google tries its best to fill them all.

I am sure google pays for a click, but have yet to find out anything
definite on what they pay for an adwords ad.

It won't matter to google if you block it. I had a friggin blogspot blog
that I hated, but kept seeing advertised, and just decided to block
blogspot altogether.

Here's a funny thing. I, too, notice adwords ads showing up on some
of my sites now. I'm wondering if google is really trying to trump the
world with an ad blitz.

I may also add that if you are logged in, they might be targeting you,
but having no idea it's an adsense ad on your site that you won't click.

Paul

[bummed.out]

Hey guys, thanks for your answers.

I have two ad blocks on top of one another on this site; I may try removing one and see how that goes.

The content is quite good, I think, and the ads that do show up are pretty targeted. I admit I didn't do a great deal of research to begin with on how many advertisers there are for this niche, but it seems to me like there would be a great deal.

Sometimes, in fact, I do have blank spaces (ie, two ads showing instead of four in an ad block). I have blocked hundreds of ads (many from a list of really low paying sites/garbage sites, and a few from companies I didn't really like), so maybe that's part of it.

First thing I'll try doing is disabling one ad block or playing around with the layout; then, if need be, block Google Adwords ads. There's a place for advertising the Adwords service and it's not on a health site.

I disabled IBAs some time ago, since my sites are very niche-specific, but on your advice, may also try them again.

Cheers!

[paulgl]

Originally Posted by bummed.out

Hey guys, thanks for your answers.

Sometimes, in fact, I do have blank spaces (ie, two ads showing instead of four in an ad block). I have blocked hundreds of ads (many from a list of really low paying sites/garbage sites, and a few from companies I didn't really like), so maybe that's part of it.

Yeah boy! I feel your pain. But just remember, those sites you think are low
paying are paying more than others to get there. You are blocking some
high paying ads. Me? I'd rather have better targeted ads, get more clicks.
You never know which ads pay low or high. Google places them in relation to
performance.

Paul

[KirkMcD]

Ads aren't always based on site content.
Are these ads showing when you visit the site or when others visit the site?
If it's you, Google is showing ads relevant to you based on your history. It could also be "Adwords Remarketing" showing ads based on sites you've visited.

[bummed.out]

Good points from both of the last two respondents. The sites I've blocked (most of them) came from a bulk list, and had domains such as (just going by memory here, don't quote me) "100-best-sites.com", etc.

I haven't seen the Adwords ad recently on my site, but the CTR (see here: One of my best sites and suddenly no clicks?) is still crazy-low.

[Lukas]

Yeah this happening to me as well in popular health and loan niches. I even see it on other high traffic /authority SEO, auto, and software forums. It seems as if all of a sudden nobody is bidding. CTR is low b/c of those non-related G ads. I truly believe it has something to do with a site bounce rate. If your BR is high, then high paying advertisers will not be funneled there all the time. I am in the 2nd largest metro so there are enough bidders. Honestly, I have never seen so many 75 in free advertising in a month. A better alternative will arise out of this. I am already switching to another analytics program