Hi all,

I'm having one Gogle Adsense account!
I'm using that for my funny Pictures forum:
www.fun.niranvv.com

I was using the code on the file:
root/templates/myTemplate/overall_header.tpl

Somebody told me that, its illegal to use adsense code in the overall_header.tpl file!
Is it true? I'm not aware of the matter!
If anybody having a clear idea about the adsense program, please help me!

Anyway, I'm not going to try my luck,
Just removed my code from the overall_header.tpl file and added it to individual files like:

root/templates/myTemplate/faq_body.tpl (to 1st line)
root/templates/myTemplate/index_body.tpl (to 1st line)
root/templates/myTemplate/viewforum_body.tpl (to 1st line)
root/templates/myTemplate/viewtopic_body.tpl (tot 1st line)

Is it acceptable now?
Please help me friends!

Niran

With Google Adsense, the problem comes according to their TOS when one puts Adsense ads in Login pages, Thank you Pages, and obviously pages that are locked by some kind of user validation for reasaons that Google is not able to see where their ads are being placed.

In view of that, placing the google adsense code in the overall template file may cause violation of TOS because, sometimes the phpBB forum engine may serve pages that are only login pages or such cases. I am not sure, but I this I belive can be checked up by using PHP - just have the adsense code with in a if clause where it checks that the served pages are not 'Login' or such similar pages.

In any case, I would send a mail to Google elaborating on the issue, and most of the time they help with proper reply. They may send at first a general automated mail, but if you again reply to that, elaborating on your doubts, they usually get back to you in person - that is some one from the Google Team responds to you. And with that you would get a satisfactory and reliable idea of what can and cannot be done.

Also, I would have a read on their optimization tips specific to the forums:
Making AdSense fit your forum site
Ofcourse, you could read their full set of Optimization Tips.

Thanks for such a nice reply friend.

I had removed the code from overall_header.tpl
and Im using one MOD named : Inline Banner Ad to display the Ads inside the forum itself!

Hmmm. On the other hand if you are using that other mod - the inline ad - then I do not see it being a problem. But ensure that you do not display more than 3 ad unit + 1 ad link unit + 1 referral button in one page. Even by mistake, more should not appear - for example it might appear in long threads of your forum. If you ensure that they do not surpass the allowed quantity, then you can go ahead and not worry about violating any Google Adsense TOS.

Google Adsense are a bit greedy.

$1 they charge for when you click on an advert, yet only about 25c on average goes to you.

They make at least 35c-60c proft on this system when all costs are withdrawn.

Oh and you need 500+ clicks before they send you any money, and in the meantime, they are making quick intrest on the money they should be paying you, so only about 15c ever that comes from the original ad cost goes to you, the rest is interest.

This post has been edited by Mafamba Team: Sep 1 2006, 08:18 AM

That's not greed, that's good business. After all, it's one of the rare fields where Google actually earns money, and we all know that a big company like that needs big incomes I would say the system is quite fair, and well-balanced, which is the most important thing.

I am not sure if it is greed or not, but that I think is the way things are run around in the world. The Google are capitalizing on their market share, with the unique system they pioneered. Ideally speaking, if you have a really good site, then I would say do not go for Google Adsense. You can hunt out for Advertisers themselves and strike a better deal for them cutting of the middle man (Adsense). That way, you would be getting better cut, while the Advertiser may need to pay lesser for the eyeballs. But it all depends on how entreched you are in your niche market.

I wasn't aware of that, I think ads display on some of my login pages, due to the way I use includes but they have never complained about it *shrugs*.

I also never saw it in the TOS when I first signed up *shrugs again*.

I think what they pay is fairly reasonable though.