I don't know if you use the Google sidebar but if you do one of the plug-ins is "AdSense Status".

One of the options for your summary is "All Time".

You can then watch it accumulate every time you are on your computer. :-)

Hi Tropical Island,

and thanks for your message! I know about the Google sidebar, but I need an option for the visitors of my website to see how much I have earned in total. My website uses Google Adsense to collect donations for Unicef and the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF). So it would be great if the users could see a "live counter" showing how much has been donated so far.

Again, any help to solve this problem is very much appreciated.
Georg

He,he
Something new.AdSense program used for donations.

I think that is against TOS, because you are asking or motivating your visitors to click ads in order to donate.

[edited by: Mohamed at 12:56 pm (utc) on Oct. 31, 2006]

Hi Mohamed,

in fact I am explicitly asking my users not to click on any ads if they are not interested in them. I just like to motivate people to use my website for their every-day internet searches. The theory is that every now and then people will be interested in a sponsored link and click it. But if they do it on my website, not only Google will earn money, but also Unicef and the WWF.

However, I opened this topic since I was interested in solving a technical issue. Any comments on my first post?

not only Google will earn money, but also Unicef and the WWF.

Why would you donate money to the World Wrestling Federation? :p

Seriously though, run this by Google first or run the risk of getting banned and not raising any money.

[edited by: mrSEman at 1:38 pm (utc) on Oct. 31, 2006]

Hi mrSEman!

Thanks for your reply! You are not the first one who made a joke about me making donations to the World Wrestling Federation. But I learned already that they were sued by the Worldwide Fund for Nature and had to change their name to World Wrestling Entertainment. ;-)

Why do you think that I should contact Google? Do you think I can actually ask them for suggestions on how to change my website in order to make it comply with the TOS or will that just make them having a very detailed and critical look at my website?

Also, I´m still interested in making this script work. Any suggestions from anybody?

Why would you donate money to the World Wrestling Federation?

For badly-needed acting lessons.

Why do you think that I should contact Google?

Because you are risking being banned by AdSense.

I don't have the time right now to look it up but the TOS says you can not draw attention to the ads in any way.

Just by mentioning them and putting up a bar graph would , IMHO, be totally contrary to the spirit of the TOS.

I wouldn't allow it if I was an AS reviewer.

In fact I am explicitly asking my users not to click on any ads if they are not interested in them

If this isn't drawing attention to the ads. I really don't know what is.

You haven't said if you give them an option to donate through your site than to click ads.

What happens with the income? Some for you and a little for donations? That would go far in lining your own pockets.

Ann

Why do you think that I should contact Google?

Just for fun Try and put a big flashing arrow to your ads that says WHATEVER YOU DO.. DON'T CLICK THE ADS! I'd bet $2 that your CTR goes up and another $2 that your banned before your first payment. Sarcasm to make a point... there is a gray area between that and what you want to do, however, heed my advice, if you want to go down this road ask and show Google an offline example. I'd bet another $2 they say no.

...or will that just make them having a very detailed and critical look at my website?

If you ask them they will most likely look at your site. Are you worried?

Now for some constructive advice...
How about simply saying that a portion of the proceeds from your site goes to charity. Update the amount manually everyday adding whatever amount of your earnings you wish to pledge. I would also suggest having other ways of raising money like donation buttons. That way Google can't corolate your earnings with the amount displayed on your website and the donation button makes it hard to know where the earnings came from. Never mention the ads anywhere... just let them be.

[edited by: mrSEman at 6:01 pm (utc) on Oct. 31, 2006]

So it would be great if the users could see a "live counter" showing how much has been donated so far.

I feel sorry for whoever has ads showing up on your site as people will just click them to donate, which is called CLICK FRAUD.

If you want donations, put up a PAYPAL button, NOT AdSense, as ADSENSE IS NOT A CHARITY!

Just seen this thread...don't do it Yodogo, you'll be hung, drawn and quartered within days.

Read iBILL's advice...

Thanks a lot for all your comments!

@ann:
There is an option to donate directly. Also, I don´t intend to make any profit with that site. I will definitely use some of the money to cover my costs and maybe to invest in some marketing, but the vision is to donate as much as possible to NGOs. I got the idea when I read about the art project "Google will eat itself" and thought that there must be a better way to use money earned via Adsense.

@mrSEman:
I was of the opion that I don´t violate Google´s TOS, but you made a point there. I will definitely take your advice and remove every mention of the ads on the website´s text. Thanks again for your help!

Can you opt-in for PSA only?

I would have thought that if you removed your publisher code then you would only get PSAs. Never tried it myself.
But - then you wouldn't be managing the donations, you'd just be supporting which ever charity G has chosen.
Sounds like the OP wants to support a particular charity, and more power too him, provided he can meet Google's TOS in doing so :)

>> Can you opt-in for PSA only?

Wouldn't it be easier to add PSA links on your pages and do not bother Google at all if you want PSA only?

But it will not work for Yodogo, because he wants to donate to specific organisation, which I never seen on PSA.

Hi!

I´m sorry to ask stupid questions, but as I said in first post: I´m very new to this. What is PSA and what does opt-in mean?

PSA stands for Public Service Ads. These are special type of pre-defined by Google charity ads displayed if Google does not have appropriate ads for a page, and you are not payed if visitor clicks on such ad. I would consider above PSA posts as a joke.

Yodogo,

The pay per click model really isn't the model for what you are trying to do. There's just so much fraud in the PPC model, that Google and others have had to write very stringent terms of service, that can and do hurt innocent intentions. Even if you don't tell your visitors what the ads are for, some may still figure it out on their own and try to help you or the organization by clicking them. Google will still interpret this as click fraud and ban you without a second thought. They don't care so much about you (they have to pay you money), they care about the advertisers (advertisers pay them money for each click). If the advertisers are paying for multiple clicks from the same individuals that don't buy anything or convert, they aren't going to be happy, even if you're donating the money to charity.

Now, that being said, the Pay per action or purchase model may be exactly what you are looking for. Look into some of the PPA programs out there. You can throw some of those affiliate ads on your site, and point them out with big red arrows and beg your visitors to click on them. Why? Because the advertisers are NOT paying for the click, they're hoping that your visitor will buy something or convert after the click and give you a portion of the sell. You can find out more about the different programs here [webmasterworld.com ]

[edited by: Jordo_needs_a_drink at 3:46 pm (utc) on Nov. 3, 2006]

I see this trend so often. For example, in private game servers, admins ask people to click on ads so that they can keep the server alive, bla bla... Most of them never appreciate a friendly warning either. When this happens, what I do is simply write to Google and wadaa, they lost every stolen penny forever. So to say, Yodogo, this isn't only about a technical solution.

I don't think you would like to advertise on a site like yours. Ever thought this way? It's so common sense.

[edited by: Alioc at 4:01 pm (utc) on Nov. 3, 2006]