Adwords Suspended: ClickBank

[IceCreamTruck]

Hi all,

I'm going back and forth with Google because my adwords account was suspended. I wanted to share the information so I can get some feedback. I rather not provide you the link to my website, I'll just go over what I'm dealing with...

The last email I received from Google rep stated:

1. Stop all bridging to other sites like 'clickbankproduct.com' and other
such sites. ( It was a self help product )

2. Add more clarity around what your site is about and what your business
is about.

3. Add a physical contact address upfront on the landing page itself.

4. Add a disclaimer on your site and landing page.

The first issue was that my site had links to some ClickBank products. Google told me to remove them under reason "user experience".

I thought ClickBank had a good reputation? Should I not be promoting any of their products? It seems that if I want to run any PPC with Google for my website I have to remove all links to any ClickBank associated ebooks/products. Has anyone else experienced this?

Second: Any visitor can clearly see that the website is about self help, self growth, and well being based on all the information and categories. The tag line clearly states what the site is about! What the hell more do they want me to add?

Third: I've seen many blogs without a physical address, but I'm going to add one. Luckily I have an address I can use that isn't my private address!

Forth: I had to add site disclaimer, privacy policy and medical disclaimer to the landing pages of the ads. This I understand.

I'm just frustrated because my website is not a porn site, adult site, doesn't have one bad word on it. Doesn't have any questionable or offensive images or content. The content is high quality and it's all meant to help people! This is why I'm so frustrated! I try and do the right thing and all I do is hit brick walls.

I don't want to promote scam products that why I was interested in ClickBank but now I can't use them. Luckily I found Commission Junction which has more well know companies. I've been signing up with a few of them to start promoting on my website.

Has anyone else been through similar or have any advice? Will I have better luck with Commission Junction? I'm just going to do what they say because I would like to use PPC to promote the website.

I'm just a frustrated affiliate but I'm not about to give up!

[yukon]

Don't bother trying to sell Clickbank products with Adwords.

If you have to use Adwords then use it to build a newsletter email list, then do the selling on the backend.

Also, If you look around you'll find plenty of PPC besides Adwords that will give you more freedom in how you promote an affiliate product.

[AdrianB]

There's no magic answer but understand Google's view of maintaining a good user experience and not just sending people to a page with links directly out.

I'd agree with the newsletter approach but also try building landing pages that a free of adverts completely but let users navigate to other pages where you may conduct a genuine review of a product.

[cjshu99]

They got picky with my ads and finally they suspended my account. In my opinion Adwords and Google don't like affiliates. There are lots of other PPC and PPV places to advertise.

[mrjosco]

Originally Posted by cjshu99

They got picky with my ads and finally they suspended my account. In my opinion Adwords and Google don't like affiliates. There are lots of other PPC and PPV places to advertise.

Google doesn't like anyone making money from the internet (except themselves, of course!)

[Nick Pearson]

Unfortunately there is probably nothing you can do, once Google figures out that your an affiliate promoting clickbank products they don't want you. I personally believe that Google is looking for product owners and not affiliates for there network. Product owners have more invested in there product or service then and affiliate has, and affiliate is just trying to make a quick buck. Google wants there user experience to be the best quality possible. The unfortunate reality is that most affiliate made sites aren't good quality. I believe the reason for your suspension is because your directing visitors to another site. In Google eyes when a viewer clicks on your ad and visits your site he or she should already be on the product page, not have to click over to another website.

I feel you dude I was also suspended form Adwords for just about the same exact reason. Adwords has changed over these past years.

[todawg_not]

I can't remember how many courses have came out in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 about using Adwords to make money with Clickbank products. Then Google ban adwords accounts left right and center

Where have you been bro?

Nigel

[dburk]

Hi IceCreamTruck,

Google users have complained about being sent to "bridge pages" rather than the page where the product is offered when clicking an advertisement. In response to the poor user experience provided by the use of advertiser bridge pages, AdWords has a strict NO Bridge Page policy.

Apparently, your idea of "high quality" content differs from Google's users perception of "high quality". It isn't the fact that you are promoting a Clickbank product, it is specifically your method of using a bridge page that is not in compliance with AdWords' policy.

[nvs74191]

I link to another page on my blog where I offer full review of the product with a link to clickbank.

For this, the landing page has to offer partial information, and lead the visitor to clicking the link to the other page to continue reading...

For instance, say you talk about something you achieved and to know how exactly you did it, the visitor has to click to the next page. Takes some imaginative writing (should be keyword focussed as well as give only partial info) and leading the visitor to click to the next page to read more.

Of course, it does reduce conversions, and makes it less worthwhile than earlier.

[roady]

You can still use adwords with clickbank, and you should really, really provide some information about the product(s) you're promoting. If you fail in that, then they'll slap the bridge page error to you.

[Alexa Smith]

Originally Posted by yukon

Don't bother trying to sell Clickbank products with Adwords.

If you have to use Adwords then use it to build a newsletter email list, then do the selling on the backend.

This.

How to Get Clickbank Sales?

[liu66]

An affiliate link in my website using php code is a solution in order to not to be banned from google adword?

Thanks for your answers

[DizenSounds]

Well you see they do this because of all the other shady type of affiliate stuff that has been going down for YEARS. THey have seen it ALL. So they need to set up these sort of standards so they don't get burned, and neither does their web searchers.

Unfortunately you gotta play by their rules, is there any other way you can get traffic to your LP?

[Toplink]

Originally Posted by eMarketing Mistakes

Unfortunately there is probably nothing you can do, once Google figures out that your an affiliate promoting clickbank products they don't want you. I personally believe that Google is looking for product owners and not affiliates for there network.

I am a product owner. I have 4 sites. I used Adwords to promote 2 of the sites. Google slapped both sites............. Business related totally legit products.

I spend quite alot on adwords for my bricks and mortar business. i.e. $2k / month.

But based on that experience I won't touch adwords for my online / click bank products.

Seems like Clickbank and Google just don't mix. I'll probably switch to another payment system too, just to be safe.

[Rache]

This is one sad thing about AdWords...and the reason why I only use AdSense/Words on Hubpages...

[aadi144]

Try to bring the above points you have mentioned in front of Google.Make your product tell more about what really you are providing and make your content well enough to catch the eyes of everyone.

[chmae73]

Originally Posted by mrjosco

Google doesn't like anyone making money from the internet (except themselves, of course!)

I guess you are right bro only Google or themselves.

[shaunD]

you were lucky to get a warning at least. most of the time they ll ban without any warning !

[alvinchua91]

what are good alternatives then? facebook? bing? which is better? Youtube?

[Vikram73]

Sadly no! Everything you're reading here is wrong!

You can promote ClickBank on AdWords. I can think of 2 products (mid gravity) that show up on AdWords. Stumbled across them using KeyWord spy.

The sites are nicely designed and compliant with the policies:

- No pop-ups
- Video does not auto-play
- content rich
- easy to navigate
- no crazy claims (Lose 20lbs in 2 Days!)
- every review has a disclosure attached to it (results are not typical)

These have been advertised on it for months. I had a friend promote his CB product on AdWords but eventually gave up because it was too costly. Not because Google slapped him.

I'm promoting affiliate offers of a private affiliate network on AdWords. Works fine. Direct link and all that. But again, the sites are absolutely compliant with the guidelines they've given.

Look for quality products that Google feels have compliant websites and you can still use AdWords.

I would argue that it is really a waste of time to send PPC traffic cold to a ClickBank product. It can convert but pre-selling once they are on your list is much better.

-Vikram

[Marty Foley]

As Dan Kennedy teaches, the worst number in business is one. One client, one product, one lead or traffic source, etc.

Why? Because if one falls through for some reason, you're diversified enough to absorb it. So here's a suggestion...

Diversify into other traffic sources. For the sake of speed, look into using other PPC systems such as Bing Ads, etc. In fact, consider testing every legitimate traffic source you can afford (in terms of both time and money) and track ROI to make sure each pulls its own weight.

This will give you more traffic and time to bring your Adwords campaigns & site into compliance with Google's TOS. Plus you'll be more diversified and thus better prepared to face other unforeseen issues that will no doubt arise.

~ Marty Foley