On 2006/10/23, I received a form letter from the Google AdSense team indicating that I was bringing "excessive attention to ad units" because I mentioned that my Google AdSense revenue was being donated to charity.

Publishers are not permitted to encourage users to click on Google ads or bring excessive attention to ad units. For example, your site cannot contain phrases such as "click the ads," "support our sponsors," "visit these recommended links," or other similar language that could apply to the Google ads on your site. Publishers may not use arrows or other symbols to direct attention to the ads on their sites, and publishers may not label the Google ads with text other than "sponsored links" or "advertisements."

When requesting clarification, I received this response:

As you've suggested, we feel that mentioning that ad revenue is donated to charity may encourage visitors to click on the ads that you're displaying.

In reality, mentioning that my Google AdSense revenue was being donated to charity did not seem to increase the number of clicks or my revenue.

I was donating all Google AdSense revenue to The Smile Train. For only $250 per child, The Smile Train performs cleft lip and palate surgery on a needy children. Also, since all administrative expenses are paid by private grants, 100% of donations to The Smile Train go toward helping needy children.

What has become of my Google AdSense proceeds? I can't say, lest Google drop me from their AdSense program. If you really want to know, I'll reveal all after drinking three cans of Sparks Light.

Google AdSense revenue:
November 4, 2004 through December 31, 2005 -- $1,091.19
January 2006 -- $73.42
February 2006 -- $73.83
March 2006 -- $103.98
April 2006 -- $92.26
May 2006 -- $102.55
June 2006 -- $80.16
July 2006 -- $72.94
August 2006 -- $92.03
September 2006 -- $92.46
October 2006 -- $115.66
November 2006 -- $73.98
December 2006 -- $60.65
January 2007 -- $74.09
February 2007 -- $59.92
March 2007 -- $84.44

According to https://www.google.com/adsense/terms, I cannot disclose "click-through rates or other statistics relating to Site performance" but I may "accurately disclose the amount of Google’s gross payments to [me]."

Back to brandonhutchinson.com.
Last modified: 2007/04/26