Beware of Google Adsense Click Fraud!

It’s an unfortunate fact that many AdSense users are getting their accounts terminated when they’ve done nothing wrong. Considering the money one can make from effective AdSense use, the loss of one’s account can be a real blow. Especially if the owner doesn’t know why their account is being revoked!  

Click fraud is the act of clicking on ads for the purpose of costing the advertiser money. Many website owners are aware of this fraud and are sharing the same sentiment; click fraud is the one big problem with AdSense.  After all, it can get your account taken away from you, even when you’re not the one committing the fraud!

How can you keep this from happening to you?

The majority of web hosts are now offering access logs. If click fraud happens to you, it is imperative that you hand this log over to Google. This allows them to look for any suspicious activity on your site. Problems like this are very serious and giving them the log lets them know that you are committed to cooperating and want to work towards solving the problem.

Click monitoring software can also help. If you don’t have a program like this, it is time to remedy that! Doing so is quick, easy, and often free. As usual, all the information you have received should be turned over to Google. This is showing Google that you are fighting against click fraud, rather than perpetuating it.

Study your server logs and watch for any activity that seems suspicious. Report anything that you may find odd, even if it seems like a small thing.

You may want to consider disabling ads for your own IP address and local geographic area. This will prevent accidents and will prevent Google from mistaking another user for you. You can do this through an ht access file.

Keep your Adsense off of pop ups and popunders. Your ads should not be displayed on content sites that promote illegal activity.  You should avoid sites that aren’t necessarily illegal as well, if the content is potentially objectionable. Adult sites, for example, should be avoided.

Be truthful about times when you might have clicked on your own ads, whether accidentally or intentionally. Also be honest about any violation of Google’s terms of service, and anything else you may have done that is against Google’s rules. Confessing is way better than Google learning about it without your involvement.  If they find you have violated their terms of service or other rules, you will lose your account and everything you have worked so hard for. The only chance you have is honesty!

Do not tell your family or friends about your Adsense. Chances are they may start clicking on them to help you make money without you knowing it. As you know, this can harm you more than it helps.  However, if someone you know does stumble upon your AdSense, make sure they understand why they shouldn’t click the ads.

Most pay per click networks have different measures to protect website owners against click fraud. Some search engines can track more than 50 data points, IP addresses, user’s session info, and can also recognize patterns. Then there are the specialized teams monitoring how things are going to help advertisers stop click fraud.

Don’t get your account suspended! Avoid click fraud at all costs.

For great Adsense tips visit Google Adsense Money Secrets Videos