Google AdWords Policy Update
Last week, Google announced that it would be making changes to the AdWords display URL policy on 1 April 2008.
This will impact affiliates marketers and online businesses alike. And hence, I decided to get more details on this.
There were a few confusion on what was the changes and I found the following summary by Barry Schwartz to tbe the most clear and accurate.
Here it is (direct from Google reply to Barry)
Display URL Policy:
To ensure a positive user experience, we require that your ad’s display URL match its destination URL (the URL of your landing page). We monitor and do not allow ads with display URLs that redirect to different destination URLs.For example, if your destination URL is www.Google.com, your display URL must also be www.Google.com. The following would not be acceptable display URLs for an ad for www.Google.com:
- www.Google.co.uk - this URL leads to a different site
.- www.Gogle.com - this URL simply redirects to www.Google.com
.- www.Gooogle.com - this URL leads to a page showing content identical to www.Google.com
We do not allow the use of multiple domains or branding and vanity URLs. Please also be aware that we do not permit multiple ads from the same or related company, person or agency to appear on the same search results page. For more information on our Double Serving Policy, please visit https://adwords.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=14179.
Tracking URLs
We understand that many advertisers utilize tracking URLs within the destination field of their ads. If the URL of your landing page matches that of your Display URL, your ads will be approved.For example:
- display URL www.google.com/adwords >> destination URL www.trackingurl.com/google123 >> landing page URL www.google.com would be acceptable
.- display URL www.google.com/adwords >> destination URL www.trackingurl.com/google123 >> landing page URL www.trackingurl.com would not be acceptable
So start adjusting your Google AdWords ads today. Don’t wait until 1 Apr 2008.
To Your Success,
Keith Choy
The Regular Internet Guy
Related Adword Resources:
Tag: google adwords, traffic
Net Marketing Toolbox said,
February 19, 2008 @ 2:18 pm
Hmmm…
Now THAT’S going to upset an awful lot of affiliate marketers who link directly to merchant sites from their adwords ads!
Looks like they might have to finally go do some work, get a web site and develop some half decent landing/pre-sell pages to work around this minor complication.
Hope they enjoy that!
Cheers
Stephen
[Keith Choy: Yap, it sure will. But if their display link and destination link are on the same domain, they should be fine. It is those don't follow the policy will be 'wacked'!
]
Albert Grande said,
February 19, 2008 @ 3:28 pm
Hey Kieth, great post.
I am in total agreement with you, I think this is a great policy. I think the dispalyed URL and the landing page need to be the same.
To often, adsense is used to “trick” the customer who ends up on a page that is totally different from the one displayed.
This will definitely keep adsense advertisers honest.
albert grande
http://pizzatherapy.com
[Keith Choy: I couldn't agree more with what you said about Adsense trick.]
Karen said,
February 20, 2008 @ 7:39 am
The problem I have is that my landing page URL is too long to fit in the display URL. For instance, my landing page is http://become-a-secret-shopper.com/GPSdeals. This won’t fit, so I’ve been using the display URL: shopper.com/GPSdeals.
I wonder if Google will create more space for the URL for those of us who have that sort of situation.
[Keith Choy: First off, you got a nice website.
Oh dear ... seems like you will be affected by this ...
Personally, I don't think Google will create more space for the display URL in the near term. The reason is this has impact to all those Adsense Ads publisher out there. For example, if Google increase the length, it will reduce the number of ads that they can display ... plus, it get very difficult to read.
Currently, this happen on one of my site too and I'm still thinking about it. If I come up with any findings, will send to my list again.
If any of the readers to this blog have any suggestions, I would be glad to hear it too.]