Google Custom Search Engines

I was working on a new blog template the other day, and decided I wanted to add in a search box for searching the blog. I didn't want to use a Technorati search box like the one I've got on this template, so I started looking around. Turns out Google's got just the thing I was looking for. It's called Google Custom Search Engine, and so far it looks really cool.

With Custom Search Engine, you can do all sorts of things. I'm using it to search just the domain for the blog, but you can include as many different domains as you want. Or exclude certain domains. You can let other people contribute to your engine. You can choose to give extra weight to certain keywords and phrases in the results of your Custom Search Engine. You can pick "refinements" that help searchers narrow their searches. And I don't even know what else.

And there's one more really cool thing you can do with your Custom Search Engine. You can link it to your Adsense account so that you make money with it!

KFTC Says Adsense Contract Unfair

The Korean Free Trade Commission has found that Google's Adsense contract is unfair, since it allows Google to cancel an Adsense account for any reasons it wants. Presumably, this is the part of the Google Adsense Terms and Conditions that they don't like:

Google may investigate any activity that may violate this Agreement. Google may at any time, in its sole discretion, terminate all or part of the Program, terminate this Agreement, or suspend or terminate the participation of any Site in all or part of the Program for any reason.

And I have to admit that despite being a big fan of Google, and a happy Adsense publisher and Adwords advertiser, that I don't like that part of the T&C, either.

I understand that they need to be able to get rid of people who break their rules. But they also need to make sure they aren't terminating people who've done nothing wrong. Or who've unintentionally broken their Terms. Or whatever. Having had my Adsense account terminated, I can say that it only took a reasonably quick exchange of emails with the Adsense Policy Enforcement Team to sort it all out and get my account reinstated. But I know it doesn't work out that well for everybody, and it will be A Good Thing if Google improves the terms of Adsense agreement for everybody, not just their members in Korea.


via The Register

Don't Risk Your Adsense Account

Click attacks can cost you your Adsense account. That's what Brian Thibault found out when he discovered that he'd been banned from Adsense after an unexplained spike in traffic (and clicks on his Adsense links, presumably) to one of his websites. From his own description of events, it doesn't sound like he handled his appeal very well, but regardless, the point is that Google can, and sometimes will, close your Adsense account if they find anything going on with your account that they consider suspicious.

And based on Brian's case, it doesn't necessarily require that you're the one doing anything wrong.

This is something that should be of concern to everybody with an Adsense account, but I think it could be an issue in particular with people who are involved in any sort of incentivized traffic. Whether it's traffic exchanges, or purchased traffic, webmasters need to keep in mind that a sudden spike in traffic could result in a spike in clicks. Particularly if your visitors think clicking your Adsense links is likely to benefit them -- either through a sort of "you scratch my back" mentality with traffic exchanges, or because of their belief that if they click your Adsense, you'll buy more ads from PTR sites.

Another thing to keep in mind is that Google is not looking favourably on incentivized traffic at sites with Adsense ads.