Forum Moderators: martinibuster
I'm very happy with Google as they sent me gifts for Xmas, large checks every month, and earlier this month invited me to their Google Dance party with free food, booze and a rocking band.
However, others seem to always be down on Google, while at the same time making money from Google and cashing those checks. I'm completely amazed about all the posts complaining about everything Google does with AdSense when the solution is so simple: QUIT
If you don't like smart pricing: QUIT
If you think your payouts are too low: QUIT
If you don't like the MFA sites: QUIT
If you don't like "Ads by Goooooogle": QUIT
See?
That was easy wasn't it.
David_UK did it to combat smart pricing:
[webmasterworld.com...]
These same discussions on the same topics have been going round and round for two years now that I've been watching and it's obvious that Google will do what Google wants to do and nothing has changed on these topics, total waste or time.
So you can either live with the status quo, which you've been doing regardless of all the complaining, or QUIT.
Personally, I look at my bottom line, not MFA sites, not "Ads by Goooooogle", or any other distraction as the other nonsense isn't impacting my bottom line unless I waste time letting it impact my bottom line. If Google becomes statistically irrelevant in my monthly income then they'll be tossed aside as easily as I dropped Decommissioned Junction and others from the site.
The point is, you can debate these topics until you're blue in the face but the only way to truly impact the situation is to VOTE WITH YOUR FEET and QUIT and tell them why you quit when you drop them.
However, you may be one of a statistically insignificant group that QUITS as there are a lot of people, the usual short list of complainers notwithstanding, that are very happy with the returns from AdSense.
I would suggest put more focus on the positive things you can change to improve your income and waste less time on those things that are beyond your control.
[edited by: youfoundjake at 7:44 pm (utc) on Aug. 27, 2006]
However, others seem to always be down on Google, while at the same time making money from Google and cashing those checks. I'm completely amazed about all the posts complaining about everything Google does with AdSense when the solution is so simple: QUIT
One of the few posts of Bill's that I have ever agreed with!
pocketing publishers' money under the guise of "smart pricing."
Having run AdWords ads, I do know the ads rates charged to the advertiser are discounted as well when they are "smart priced".
Even if Google is pocketing the money there's nothing in the agreement that says they can't as you get PAID whatever they feel like paying you as the terms of the percentage of payout rates, or payouts per volume of impressions, or site type, or anything else is simply not disclosed.
Therefore, Google can never technically cheat you out of money you were never promised in the first place and claiming anything otherwise meant not reading, or understanding, the contract in the first place.
We ALL signed that same non-specific agreement in blind faith and so far Google has been holding up their end of the deal best I can tell as I haven't had to go look for a job or start consulting again.
[edited by: incrediBILL at 9:13 pm (utc) on Aug. 27, 2006]
Oh, and I'll second Cornwall's thoughts.
Huh? Last time I checked, Google was a corporation with only the SEC and it's shareholders to answer to. But I definitely agree with Bill's post; less crabbin' and more work will = more dollars in your accounts. Why do you think the MFA's are making so much ;-)
Sarcasm
A verbal form of irony. Saying the exact opposite of what one thinks in order to mock... Sarcasm expresses scorn, disapproval, or annoyance.
[edited by: martinibuster at 10:12 pm (utc) on Aug. 27, 2006]
Yup, we aren't used to the silly side of EFV, and it's subtle enough to throw you a curveball.
I like to think that I merely was being tongue-in-cheek, not sarcastic. :-)
why do those of all people suggest to quit that can be assumed to being relaxed and "having made their pile" already (large checks, invitations)? not so much convincing..
adsense bothers us because there is not nearly an alternative for our content sites. we cannot quit.
I would suggest put more focus on the positive things you can change to improve your income and waste less time on those things that are beyond your control.
Some might miss this very good final point and so I'm repeating it here. Not a new idea, but extremely apt.
On the other hand we do need less topics from publishers who can't see their payments exactly on the due date. Or publishers who feel that their demise may one be caused by invalid clicks tgenerated by themselves, ex girlfriends, or by their girlfriends running across the keyboard. ;-)
It is possible to disscuss publisher issues without resorting to doomsaying.
You'd think so, but so many threads that start out instructive and interesting get hijacked by the same people saying the same things in multi-threads which boils down to "google be a bery bery bad man".
Baboo needs to change his tune.
adsense bothers us because there is not nearly an alternative for our content sites. we cannot quit.
Then I have to ask why would you or others that feel this way constantly speak ill of the only hand that feeds you?
If their are no good alternatives at this time then the best positive thing you can do is plan for the future building your site(s) to be the best of breed when/if YPN decides to go international. Worse case, if Google decides to clean up AdSense, being the best of breed in your class could save you from the hatchet as well.
For what it's worth, I don't think you'll ever see Google shut down MFA sites but they will filter them out of Google's results. The logic here is genius as why not allow MFA sites cluttering up other search engines to make Google money, but on the flip side filter them out of Google results to have the best results possible and maintain search dominance.
Besides, we had affiliate spam sites before MFA even existed so the problem isn't new and it's a win-win for Google if they can filter out the spam from their SERPs yet profit from it at the same time in other SEs.
If you look at it from a truly technological standpoint, AdSense is unwittingly forcing the other search engines to step up their game filtering out spam sites, so Google is actually forcing their competitors to improve.
Love that law of unintended consequences.
why not allow MFA sites cluttering up other search engines to make Google money, but on the flip side filter them out of Google results to have the best results possible and maintain search dominance
Corollary: why not allow MFA sites to clutter up AdSense publisher sites, since they'll either lose money at the arbitrage game and quit, or else prove that they're doing a better selling job than the cluttered-upon publisher.
Corollary: why not allow MFA sites to clutter up AdSense publisher sites, since they'll either lose money at the arbitrage game and quit, or else prove that they're doing a better selling job than the cluttered-upon publisher.
According to my AdSense rep, you only display the ads generating the most revenue network wide, therefore a lot of people would be clicking on the arbitrage ads otherwise they wouldn't float to the top.
many threads that start out instructive and interesting get hijacked by the same people
Any recent examples?
Sure, take a look at David_Uk's thread. The pattern is typical, and it almost always gets driven by the SAME people, time after time after time shift the conversation from the direct topic to "google sucks". In this case it ends up as "Is there enough content net advertisers", which, not surprisingly is not answerable anyway.
Sometimes, it ends up as "google steals our money", or "google stock will crash", or "google-dingos stole my baby".
It's all these people have to say, and it's pretty useless, so I second, third and fourth the suggestion that they can quit the program.
The "google sucks" or "google stole my money line" is tired and non productive. I would certainly agree that In most cases it is more likely to be parroted by publishers who have little to offer and are dumbfounded as to why google isn't paying out on the living it owes them.
However, isn't it vaild for long time publishers to discuss theories for or against possible dips in Ad inventory with their respective niches? I don't see anything wrong with publishers discussing issues with MFA's or smartpricing, particulary if that publisher is experiencing their difficulties after a sucessfull history.
The "google sucks" or "google stole my money line" is tired and non productive. I would certainly agree that In most cases it is more likely to be parroted by publishers who have little to offer and are dumbfounded as to why google isn't paying out on the living it owes them.However, isn't it vaild for long time publishers to discuss theories for or against possible dips in Ad inventory with their respective niches? I don't see anything wrong with publishers discussing issues with MFA's or smartpricing, particulary if that publisher is experiencing their difficulties after a sucessfull history.
Your comment about "being owed" is on the nose. I think those people get caught thinking because they happened to be successful with what is really junk sites, they attribute their success to their skill. When they "flunk out" they attribute their failure to the evil goog. A lot of times those folks have really bad sites, bad content and bad business models that worked for a bit, and than didn't.
And, sure it's valid for publishers to discuss theories, even if only for entertainment value or to keep the brain cells goin.
The problem is when people can't distinguish between speculation and fact, and present the former as the latter, OR, when the conversations always end up in the same "google-dingo stole my baby".
BTW, google do pay attention to what is written on webmasterworld, but I imagine they don't pay all that much attention to the irrational, libelous, slanderous or childish accusations.
******
A publisher should only quit when he/ she confirms that is not the problem on his/ her own optimization.
David's situation is a typical case; he is a reasonable and rational publisher, if he has to quit **NOT** because of his own optimization issue (that is his witness to the death of a sector because of MFAs) then it is a general issue not only relevant to just a single or specific sector, it actually implies the **WORST** situation ever.
If a sector can die because of spammer ads, the next sector with high payable keywords will be the next target in focus, just like virus spreading from one to another.
[edited by: GoldenHammer at 2:16 am (utc) on Aug. 28, 2006]
If a sector can die because of spammer ads
Once again, we're speculating, as we don't know anything about his sector, at least I don't, and I need empirical evidence to draw a factual conclusion.
Not that he isn't a reasonable and rational publisher, but I can't exactly take his word along without seeing some hard evidence to support the premise that MFA's took over the sector.
Again, like several Google AdSense people have told me over and over, you get the highest paying ads that convert the best, therefore taking that information from the horses mouth at face value the non-MFA sites in his sector were paying worse.
I think those people get caught thinking because they happened to be successful with what is really junk sites, they attribute their success to their skill. When they "flunk out" they attribute their failure to the evil goog. A lot of times those folks have really bad sites, bad content and bad business models that worked for a bit, and than didn't.
I do agree, however I am sure that I have seen posts here from new members contemplating mass producing sites and expecting WW members to estimate their earnings. To me it comes pretty close to what I described in my previous post.
[edited by: Scurramunga at 2:45 am (utc) on Aug. 28, 2006]
