AdWords ban ... ClickBank product

9 replies
  • SEO
  • |
Hi there
I'm a bit of a noob when it comes to IM but it's interesting me and I've bought many products to learn more.

I decided to jump in with some affiliate marketing. ClickBank took my fancy. I'm a gamer so Diablo3Billionaire looked a good starting product.

I built a page. I used diablo in the url and on the page. Ads were being disapproved. I got some help from support asking me to change url to D3 and remove Diablo (copyright term) from the page. I did all this. Then was suspended.

Later I learned the page I had built was what Google deem a "bridge" page and so was banned even though I had been complying with Support.

I then get another mail telling me that my URL was at fault, then the second was a landing page (I went and deleted the site I built thinking this would fix issues) and then finally that the main sales page that my affiliate link pointed at was in breach of "User Safety" policy.

Google have written back to me and tell me that no matter what I do with URLs and sites in my control, my account can never be un-suspended as the final 3rd party site is in breach. How unfair is that?!

I've written to the site owner with no reply - I thought he would see the value in making his site comply so his affiliates could work unhindered, but apparently not.

Has anyone come across this before?
How do we know what is "safe" to promote?
Can I ever get un-suspended? Would a paid-for mediation service help?
I don't want to resort to underhanded techniques to get another AdWords account so I won't do that.

I'm a Google customer (I pay for the ads, right?) and I feel they've shafted me without fair warning, help or support.
Any advice?
Cheers
#adwords #ban #clickbank #product
  • Profile picture of the author milliondream
    Yes, I'm a good man of Google customer like you. Every day I pay for the ads, Google don't care retail customers. Now have small area for affiliate on AdWords, Google don't like affiliate.
    Today I'm go to Social media, I'm happy on drive traffic from Social network (Facebook, Tweeter, Pinterest). Forgotten Google and be happy.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7068042].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author dburk
      Hi Storm73,

      You cannot advertise bridge pages on AdWords, it's against their policy:

      Bridge page - Advertising Policies Help

      So it doesn't matter how the vendor changes their page to comply with landing page policies, you won't be able to advertise your bridge page.

      You have to leave the affliated vendor's sales page out of your sales funnel. You can write your own sales copy (and make it compliant) and send your users to the clickbank checkout page, but not to the merchants sales page, as that violates the bridge page policy.

      From my experience, advertisers that show an effort to comply with policies can have their suspension lifted. You must make changes promptly, and then submit for reconsideration. Obviously, you need to make sure that all policies are complied with, and do not try to push the limits of what might be acceptable, you must stay well within policy guidelines to have a suspension lifted.

      Whatever you do, do not try to fight with the quality reviewers as that will get you blacklisted with no hope for reconsideration. Listen to what they say, try to understand and comply, if you argue you will lose.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7068967].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author stevecoaching
    Ha, it's easy to use Bridge Page with google adwords. You need to do some easy work on your landing page. You can add some features on that. Good luck!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7069023].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Storm73
    For better context....I did try to comply and play ball. I've been told I can't do anything. How does this work?
    ___________________________________
    Hello Storm,

    I understand you have some concerns around the suspension of your account. I can confirm that this action is related to sites that have recently been advertised through your account. In a review of your account history, we have found instances where there has been egregious violation of our Landing page and site policies.

    The URLs listed below have been cited for having poor Landing page and site quality and consequently disabled for the same:

    Site Name of the violation
    diablo3goldstrategy comD3 Gold Strategy - D3 Gold Strategy Blog Bridge Page, User Safety - Misleading/Inaccurate Claims
    - d3goldstrategy comD3 Gold Strategy - D3 Gold Strategy Blog Domain park
    -diablo3billionaire com Diablo 3 Billionaire | Can You Make A Living Off It? User safety


    We've given much consideration both to our current stance on sites deemed unacceptable due to their business practices and to the many complaints that we have received from users and publishers about these ads. We understand that there are serious ramifications to our stance, and that many of our clients like you are facing permanent suspension issues because of this. However, providing our users with the highest quality ads is integral to the long-term success of our program.

    Storm, I would like to mention that , although you may have removed these sites since our latest review, advertisers that have a history of promoting these types of sites are still subject to account-level suspension and hence there is no way you can appeal the suspension now. In other words, PAUSING OR DELETING ads related to the disabled sites won't automatically re-enable the ads nor remove the violation history.

    Google considers inappropriate or unacceptable behavior by advertisers to be a serious offense, and we reserve the right to to suspend AdWords accounts at any time in order to protect the quality and safety of our users' experiences. The decision to suspend your AdWords account was not taken lightly.

    You can review our landing page and site policies here:
    Overview - Advertising Policies Help
    You can learn more about account suspension here:
    url

    We appreciate your cooperation in this matter!


    Thanks and regards,

    xxxx
    The Google AdWords Team

    Storm
    Sep 25 (4 days ago)

    to adwords-support
    xxxx
    Thanks very much for getting back to me.

    Firstly, let me apologise. I did not read the Terms of Service very carefully prior to advertising and in hindsight I was quite naive not to do so. I had made assumptions, with my new found knowledge on affiliate marketing, that advertising was a simple case of creating an advert and an automated system would present it. I did not understand that a landing page was a violation so I am sorry for that.

    I have not just deleted the ads, I have deleted the whole website associated. I recognise the error of my approach. The first two URLs you mention below were changed as part of the process of trying to fix the adverts associated. One of your colleagues suggested that changing to d3goldstrategy.com would remove the violation associated with using a copyrighted phrase. I created the URL and then assigned it in the advert. I then changed forwarding at the hosting company. It seems I should have done that in reverse so the URL did not lead to a landing page from an advert in the interim.

    From your response, it is now clear to me that regardless of the first two URLs, the underlying problem was the site at d3billionaire.com - the site I thought was safe to promote from ClickBank. Apparently not. This was never made clear to me nor did I suspect it to be in violation of terms.

    My account was in a good state until this point of misunderstanding. It was never my intention to violate TOS or to create unsafe content. It was a mistake and I am sorry for that. I will not do this again.

    I please ask you to allow my account to be reinstated and I in turn will do better to educate myself on safe policies and your terms of reference for usage of the AdWords service.
    Best regards


    Sep 26 (3 days ago)

    to me
    Hello Storm,

    Thanks for writing back to me.

    I am sorry if I seemed a little too straight forward about the way I told you that your account cannot be fixed. The reason I told it to you straight away is that two of the websites maybe fixable but there is no use working on them as the account cannot be unsuspended if the third website is not fixed.

    Fixable sites:

    1) d3goldstrategy.comD3 Gold Strategy - D3 Gold Strategy Blog - Domain Park Violation
    2)diablo3goldstrategy.com]D3 Gold Strategy - D3 Gold Strategy Blog - This website is violating two policies of which only one can be fixed again. [Bridge Page, User Safety - Misleading/Inaccurate Claims]

    Non Fixable sites:

    diablo3billionaire.com]Diablo 3 Billionaire | Can You Make A Living Off It - User Safety

    I am really sorry but I thought of not wasting your time by making you work on those websites which are fixable because ultimately there is a website which is not fixable and hence account cannot be unsuspended. Personally if I could, then I would surely go ahead and unsuspend your account but the companies policies don't allow me to. I really apologize for the trouble caused to you.

    I do understand that you did not do this on knowing but whenever you post ads in your campaigns or create ads, you agree to a set of terms and conditions in which you take responsibility for whatever ad you are posting.

    I appreciate your patience while we investigated your account.

    Sincerely,

    __________________________________________
    So;......how can you advertise if you have to guess if your advertised site is compliant or not? I am told my account cannot be un-suspended as I have the 3rd party offending site linked to my account (but not in my control). Hardly seems fair or sensible?
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7072204].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author dburk
      Hi Storm73,

      It seems that you have made the common assumption that pausing or deleting your ads will bring your account into compliance. I understand that most folks think that is the thing to do, but as you can see that is not adequate for compliance in the AdWords program.

      To bring your account into compliance you must actually correct the issues on the landing page, or replace the landing page, and website, with one that is compliant. Also, note that once you have commited what they consider to be egregious violations, nothing short of an immaculate landing page for all of your ads, whether paused or deleted, will lift a suspension. You must convince the landing page reviewers that you have completly reformed and that you will take every policy to heart. It is their descretion and their reputation that is now on the line.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7073037].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author diggo
    Storm, I'll save you some time..

    1. Your account is banned for life. Any new accounts in your name will be automatically suspended. There is nothing you can do to get your name cleared.
    2. Your choice of product is rubbish. You should forget all clickbank products for that matter.

    It's naive to think you've been hard done by here. In time you will look back and realise.

    What are your plans from here?
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7085489].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author yukon
      Banned
      Originally Posted by diggo View Post

      2. Your choice of product is rubbish. You should forget all clickbank products for that matter.
      [edit] Maybe you meant Adwords + CB (If so, I agree)?




      That's not true, there's products on CB that aren't junk, you just have to overlook the piles of junk to find them.

      Example, there's a CB woodworking plans product, that's a product you could buy in related retail stores offline.

      There's other decent CB products, you just have to look for them. Also, build your own sales page & send traffic directly to the CB checkout (bypass the original squeeze page).

      OP, as far as Adwords + Clickbank, that ship has sailed.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7085554].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author diggo
        Yes I was referring to Clickbank + Adwords. There are plenty more far superior products out there.

        Originally Posted by yukon View Post

        [edit] Maybe you meant Adwords + CB (If so, I agree)?




        That's not true, there's products on CB that aren't junk, you just have to overlook the piles of junk to find them.

        Example, there's a CB woodworking plans product, that's a product you could buy in related retail stores offline.

        There's other decent CB products, you just have to look for them. Also, build your own sales page & send traffic directly to the CB checkout (bypass the original squeeze page).

        OP, as far as Adwords + Clickbank, that ship has sailed.
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7089731].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author steiner_881
    Hi Storm, Same thing happened to me my friend. All is not lost, there is hope.

    Do you know what I did?

    I when to my bank with my wife and got a new joint credit card.
    I used my Wife's Google account and signed up for a new adwords account & am using my wife's credit card. I even listed our same address.
    This credit card is only for use for the Google Adwords account and I pay if off accordingly.

    It works!
    Now when I do all my google adwords work I NEVER do affiliate sites. Only my own websites that I have full control over.

    I suggest you do the same.
    Good luck brother and don't make the same mistake twice!
    Signature

    Easily create expandable rich media banner ads for your website www.expandablebanners.com , www.pushdownbanners.com www.slidebanners.com

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7616234].message }}

Trending Topics