Is This Ad Placement Ilegal in AdSense?

[yako]

Hello,

I was wondering the following:

I have a site where users have to click a "next" button on a very repetitive way to keep getting more of what they are watching.

Every now and then I replace the main area with an Ad which they can skip to the next content, but yesterday I decided to place the ad where the "next" button tends to be and clicks skyrocketed...

now I am wondering, is this OK? Or should I change it back?

Thanks!

[yako]

Originally Posted by spherevoice

Can we look at the site? Sometimes if you Adsense click trough rate goes up sharply, Google might get suspicious and may visit your website to see if everything is according to adsense guideline.

Hi! Thanks for your answer, I have created a mockup of what I did for better understanding.

I can't post images yet so here is the link to the mockup imageshack.us/photo/my-images/809/adsensez.png

Thanks again!

[clickbump]

Here's the Google Adsense terms of service >

I can't advise you on whether or not your specific example is in compliance (and I wouldn't expect anyone here could or should), but you should read Section 5 "Prohibited Uses" to make an informed decision.

5. Prohibited Uses. You shall not, and shall not authorize or encourage any third party to: (i) directly or indirectly generate queries, Referral Events, or impressions of or clicks on any Ad, Link, Search Result, or Referral Button (including without limitation by clicking on “play” for any video Ad) through any automated, deceptive, fraudulent or other invalid means, including but not limited to through repeated manual clicks...

[yako]

Originally Posted by clickbump

Here's the Google Adsense >

I can't advise you on whether or not your specific example is in compliance (and I wouldn't expect anyone here could or should), but you should read Section 5 "Prohibited Uses" to make an informed decision.

Thanks a lot, it is definitely a grey area.

automated: its not, users are clicking it, not robots or anything like that
deceptive: its not, the next button is right there, it says "next", and the ad...its a big banner.
fradulent: not.
repeated manual clicks: not by me.

On the other hand I can hear Google saying "OK, its not an infringement, but it was not the user intention to click the ad". In that case it will be difficult to prove, but in the end Google will do what they want.

I will reduce the amount of times the "next" button regular location is replaced by a banner and will see how this evolves.

Thanks again!