How FilipinoScribe.com successfully appealed its Google Adsense suspension
For most blog owners around the world, getting accepted in Google Adsense is one of the surest way to earn from their respective websites. The process of getting accepted in the said program is tough, and proof of this is the big number of website owners which Google rejects.
Once a website gets admitted to Google Adsense, the owner must make sure that it will remain compliant to the program’s rules and policies. Obviously, engaging in plagiarism and other copyright infringements is prohibited. Promoting violence, hate speech, racism, and pornography are also mortal sins. Other violations are listed in this link.
As mentioned above, Google Adsense is a reliable way to earn blogging. Hence, getting suspended from the program means lost income opportunities. That is what happened with The Filipino Scribe recently.
For several times last year, Google Adsense sent me warnings about the placement of ads on my website. The problem centers on the placement of ads in the banner portion which overlaps with the blog post’s featured photo for mobile users. Here’s how they explained it:
“Publishers may not implement Google ads in a manner that disguises the ads in any way. In order to maintain a good user experience, it is important for publishers to clearly distinguish Google ads from site content. This includes, but is not limited to: site layouts in which the ads push content below the fold on mobile devices; placing 300×250 or larger ad units above the fold on a mobile optimized site.” (Emphasis mine)
Despite being a prize-winning writer and blogger, I have long acknowledged my limitation as regards technical website management and graphic designing. Google wanted me to overhaul FilipinoScribe.com’s layout design to make it compliant to Adsense policies but I wasn’t able to satisfactorily do it for months because of my limited capability.
Last November 25, I got the worst news a blogger can receive – that my site has been suspended from Google Adsense because of the still-unresolved layout design problem. My tight schedule and limited know-how prohibited me from appealing immediately. After almost six weeks, I decided to try my luck.
Getting reinstated in Google Adsense after getting suspended is never a sure thing. In fact, there are a lot of stories of bloggers who never had a second chance. Thankfully, I have fellow bloggers and friends who gave me these tips:
1) Use a new layout theme
2) Revise the placement of ad codes (specifically, ads and blog images should never be very close together)
3) Remove the drop-down menu at the top because it overlaps with the banner ad
I submitted my appeal last January 5 and got informed of the re-acceptance after just two hours. What a way to begin the year, right?
At this point, let me thank the following for their technical advice and encouragement for me:
- The webmaster of DiversityHuman.com, who prefers to remain anonymous
- Twitter user @ant0nniyo24, who also wishes to remain incognito
- Charlie Montemayor of Ask Pinoy Bloggers
- Tess Chancellor of Filipino Bloggers Worldwide
- Ms Helen Mary Labao-Barrameda
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEwEY3bzkG0
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Congratulations and happy new year to you!
Congratulations! Mine was banned without being suspended first because of “illegal clicks” which I really don’t know how is that possible. Good for you and I hope that you won’t get suspended again.
Maybe I should try to create new account on Adsense.