Gary gets his knuckles rapped for calling attention to his AdSense real estate:
it does seem that I’d let myself slip into some sort of google-ads purgatory:
Publishers are not permitted to encourage users to click on Google ads or bring excessive attention to ad units. For example, your site cannot contain phrases such as “click the ads,” “support our sponsors,” “visit these recommended links,” or other similar language that could apply to the Google ads on your site. Publishers may not use symbols or misleading images that direct attention to the ads on their sites, and publishers may not label the Google ads with text other than “sponsored links” or “advertisements.” [ AdSense Policy ]
That tagline I had over mine — 5¢/day — represents just how much revenue I see from this program, based on its performance from January 1 to the present. What remains obvious — and non-remunerative — to me is how hard it is for the dark satanic mill that is Google AdSense to find ads that fit. You’d think a post with words like focus, vignette, or Holga would pull up some photography-related ads. Checked it again: now it’s down to 4¢. I’m taking it off just so I don’t get annoyed when I see it.
/me tests this out as a keyword search.
Would you believe the ad space at Google is blank for those three words? Holga as a search query pulls a sponsored link for FreeStyle, since they sell them. I guess I am all about non-commercial content. Go, me.
So I can’t actually ask/suggest/importune that anyone click on those ads: they’re just supposed to be compelling enough on their own merits.