Google Takes on Poor Landing Pages in an effort to improve user experience.
A new round of AdWords bans were brought to advertisers attention by Barry Schwartz at Search Engine Land November 16, 2009.
Barry Schwartz writes…”Google will begin to notify advertisers that they have been permanently banned. They will receive an email with details of this ban and the email will explain how to appeal the ban. I am told that banned advertisers can reply to the email to start the “appeals process.” Every reply should get a response from a dedicated Google representative.”
A Sample of the messaging that advertisers see:
“We are writing to let you know that your Google AdWords account has been disabled due to one or more serious violations of our advertising policies related to Landing Page and Site Quality. As a result, your ads will no longer run through the Google AdWords system and we are unable to accept advertising from you in the future. Please note that future accounts you open will also be disabled.
As part of our commitment to making the AdWords experience safe and effective for our users and our advertisers, we routinely review the landing pages that our advertisers promote through our search and content networks. If we find that an advertiser has submitted a landing page that egregiously violates our policies, we reserve the right to take immediate account-level action.
Landing pages advertised via AdWords must have relevant, original content, and must be transparent about the nature of the business being promoted. Further, advertising certain types of sites will lead to immediate account disabling. These types of sites include, but are not limited to:
* Sites that charge users or collect personal information in exchange for a product that is never delivered
* Sites that charge for “free” software
* Sites that trick users into paying for fake or poor-quality content
* Sites that charge users for information that makes unrealistic promises of financial or personal gain
* Sites that install malware software on a visitor’s computer”
Good on Google’s part to provide messaging and also a relief to see advertisers have the ability to appeal the ban. This is a new way of handing bans by Google and I am glad to see them go in this direction.
Update: AWP (AdWordsPro) in the adwords forum stated when replying in a help thread today:
“For those advertisers who have received this email, the one way to ask further questions and/or dispute the decision is to reply directly to the email. Doing so will send your reply directly to the right team – whereas contacting AdWords support in any other way will not.”
Posted by: Kim Clinkunbroomer, GAP
My google adwords account got banned today ! I have the account for over 5 years and all I was running recently were some affiliate offers – via proper landing pages using Wordpress Blog – all very good. Till the account was banned Google was giving me 10/10 for my Landing Page Quality scores ! And now they say I have had an egregious violation of their TOS – Incredible ! No warnings, nothing – just abruptly terminate my account. And of course, the mighly google thinks that the offense you have comitted warrants that YOU ARE BANNED FOR LIFE ! That is the most incredible part – even hardened criminals get a second chance and parole – but hey if your landing page violated Google’s sensibilities they dont think you EVER can change ! This is totally insane and must be stopped – Google is out of control, out of touch with reality. I suggest that ALL google Adwords customers who have been banned, come together and FILE A HUGE class action suit against this 800 pound gorilla.
Hi Ron – Hard for me to agree more. I have resigned as a Top Contributor in the AdWords Help Forum, because I so strongly disapprove of Google’s behaviour to AdWords users. It is becoming clear that there are several activities that you should avoid, as they are risky:
* don’t run two AdWords accounts for the same business
* don’t run two or more businesses in the same account
* don’t run AdSense and AdWords – if your business needs both, have two different people do it and don’t let them have access to each others’ accounts
* be careful using Google Checkout and settle each and every customer issue immediately (good practice anyway)
* don’t run “tests” or check something out “for a friend” or because “it’s a sure fire money making idea”
Too late for you, perhaps? Try MrsC’s “AdWords PI” service to rehabilitate accounts – look in the sidebar under “Consultants and Agencies”.