You earned $900 last month . you earned $200 last month

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You earned $900 last month . you earned $200 last month

Excuse me?

internetheaven

12:29 pm on Mar 19, 2013 (gmt 0)

I'd heard rumours about Google cutting earnings just before payment was due but always thought it was folklore or people not reading stats right.

But I have had my Adsense admin area saying over $900 was due for my next payment. Today, it says just over $200 is due.

Normally, if it is because of invalid clicks, this is listed in the payment area and is often a few dollars at most. There is no mention of the reason for this huge drop, and the only answer I can get is that "inflated earnings readjusted" template response they give.

What happens to that missing $700? They say it goes back to the advertiser, but as an advertiser spending $$$$s on Adwords for other sites I own, I've never, ever, ever received credits back.

netmeg

12:43 pm on Mar 19, 2013 (gmt 0)

I get credits back *every month* as an advertiser.

But email support and ask them. I had a larger than usual drop once (it actually was just around ten bucks or so, but that was larger than usual) and I emailed and it turned out that the advertiser was doing something wrong so that's why I didn't get paid.

Did you have a spike of traffic from an unusual source? Possibly an advertiser or advertisers defaulted on payment, or got hacked (they don't usually have to pay for that, which means you don't get paid for it)

SevenCubed

2:34 pm on Mar 19, 2013 (gmt 0)

I get credits back *every month* as an advertiser.

Adsense TOS probably don't allow you to discuss particular details publicly. However, it would be more helpful for understanding the scope of clawback if advertisers could state refund as a percentage of spend. Then publishers can make a comparison to find out if the clawbacks vs refunds are in proportion. My guess is that there would be a larger than normal gap between the two. A sort of administration fee for all the, uh hassle.

netmeg

3:28 pm on Mar 19, 2013 (gmt 0)

Maybe, but #1 I don't talk about client stats other than generalities, and #2 I'm sure there are huge variations based on niche, traffic quality and a host of other factors.

I just wanted to point out that yes, advertisers DO get credit back.

SevenCubed

3:34 pm on Mar 19, 2013 (gmt 0)

...I don't talk about client stats other than generalities...

I'm not just referring to you in particular but of course your feedback would be helpful too because you know this stuff well. I'm just trying to make cents [sic] of it as an observer. And, expressing details as a percentage is very general, that's why I suggested it. You wouldn't being revealing anything about anyone by applying percentages.

netmeg

5:08 pm on Mar 19, 2013 (gmt 0)

No thanks. As I say, it varies wildly between clients, between niches, and from month to month. But every month there's something.

nomis5

9:02 pm on Mar 19, 2013 (gmt 0)

Invalid clicks take roughly half a percent from us each month. I've never queried what those invalid clicks are because I wouldn't be sure I could believe the response. I'm sure G has a good reason for deducting a few dollars every month but they ain't going to explain to me why.

Now, if I was the BBC or Interflora they probably would explain with a real reason but that's another thorn in my, and probably your, side.

cabbie

2:03 pm on Mar 21, 2013 (gmt 0)

InternetHeaven, you have indeed had a lot of trouble with Adsense lately.
It all points to me that you have serious issues with invalid clicking.
There is another thread on the home page about a Chameleon Botnet.
These botnets aren't new.They have been around for at least 4 years and if your website is inadvertently caught up in it you are lucky Google is not banning your a/c.
You need to check your logs and referrers.Going by your report of losing most of your adsense revenue, its probably a main referrer for you. Look at the ad network on that site.I suspect that it wont be adsense. Be scrupulous and check if it's bonafide or part of a advertising bot net.

internetheaven

2:54 pm on Mar 22, 2013 (gmt 0)

InternetHeaven, you have indeed had a lot of trouble with Adsense lately.
It all points to me that you have serious issues with invalid clicking.

No, when you check your payment admin area, it lists invalid clicks and how much has been deducted because of it. It is normally $1-$2.

This is a sudden change on logging in from saying $900 due for payment to $200 without any indication or note from Google as to why.

"Inflated earnings figures being re-adjusted" is just not a valid or explanatory reason for this. At what point is someone going to be able to ask Google a question they HAVE to answer? This isn't China, so what the hell is going on with Google being able to act with impunity and without question?

netmeg

3:00 pm on Mar 22, 2013 (gmt 0)

It's probably somewhere in the terms of service.

Moby_Dim

3:04 pm on Mar 22, 2013 (gmt 0)

Oh my God! 900 -> 200 :(( And I was about to ask where're my cents now...