I have ads on my blog. It's not a secret, because you're here, you have eyes, you can see them. Before I placed any of these ads, I was very selective about what content would be displayed. I have very strict guidelines about what is acceptable in my home, and my blog falls under those guidelines. Therefore, I'm fussy about what's allowed in your home when you visit my blog.
Today I realized that Google Ad Sense had posted content that I wasn't cool with. In fact, I was quite offended by the fact that they were advertising where to find hotties in my neighborhood. This is a randomly generated ad, and it renews with something different with each click. I opened another window, opened my blog, and there it was. Again. And again with a refresh.
Oh, that's so not random. Nor is it acceptable.
I debated between contacting Google or just pulling the ad altogether, but decided that pulling it would be the first option because it would be GONE. After that little click of the Remove button, I headed over to my Google account to file a formal complaint.
And here's where my complaint grows into a public bashing. After scrolling through screen after screen to find the Contact Me button, I was then forwarded through screen after screen of Does This Answer Your Question? and Okay, Then, Try This! When I finally got to the point where I said Yes! That's What I Want! I was required to insert a copied and pasted URL from the ad that I'd just deleted. Are you seeing the problem? Ultimately, I got a screen that said We only accept email questions about certain things, and this doesn't fall under that category. (Almost the exact wording, by the way.)
So, because of your lack of concern for what you post, Google, and your lack of concern about taking care of customers when they have a problem, I am officially pulling Google Ad Sense forever. Not that it's going to hurt you much. But you'll notice that I'm also not opposed to letting others know what horrid customer service you have.
I have been happy with Blogger as a host for this blog, but now I may be contemplating moving to another forum. Any suggestions?
12 comments:
You could take the hottie thing as a compliment... I really don't think any of the blog hosting sites have better alternatives. Sucks, but true.
I don't blame you. I have read many issues with google ads which is why I have opted out of them on my blog.
Have you considered going with your own domain and having it hosted? I am going to that and it cost me less than $100 for the first year.
The other thing is to move to WordPress. I had a blog over there briefly. Liked how it worked and it has a pretty easy dashboard to use.
I know what you mean. I have been known to burn a few bridges over being offended. Banned in my house: Danny Glover, all things Oprah, Sean Penn, Ellen, Rosie O, etc.
Wow I am going to stand by and watch.
Google is the WORST place ever to attempt to contact any type of customer service. For all of their products. My mom had an issue w/ YouTube recently - they banned her! She doesn't know enough about the internet to get banned!
It took me over an hour to finally find a contact email and nearly a week for them to resolve the issue.
I know myself and others find value in most Google products, but for all of their value, you'd think they'd be better at customer service instead of "Does this answer your question?" GRRR...
I have thought several times about hosting GoogleAds, and every time I do, I read something that reminds me why it isn't worth it. And I find it unfortunate that a company that pledges such great innovation and user-friendlyness can't find a better way to address user complaints.
As for jumping ship . . . I like the look of Wordpress blogs, but it has taken me forever to learn HTML, and I have read that Wordpress uses CSS. (I have no idea what the difference is, or if it really is an issue . . . I just don't want to try to figure it out.)
(And I just had a similar problem with Facebook. I got a friend request that was CLEARLY spam, and when I tried to report it, I got sucked into an endless loop of 'How can we help you?' that never did get me to the right place! I ended up just blocking the user.)
I kicked AdWords to the curb when I had to start paying attention to it. I originally had it there purely for amusement value (I loved some of the random keywords that got used to generate content), but then it got iffy. Given that I made all of $7 off of it in about 6 months, it wasn't worth the work. Not even close.
I wonder if I should start looking at my blog? I mean I usually post and poof, I'm gone! I seriously never even thought about it.
As for other platforms? I keep debating about going over to WordPress, but always chicken out for some reason. I mean I really don't have any complaints with Blogger. I think I just get an 'itch' to try something different every now and again.
It's good being forty-two and so indecisive, no?
Dang, Karen! I haven't had anything like that happen to me yet, that I know of! I know when I was filling out that form about what was acceptable on my blog and what wasn't I was careful to check only what was family appropriate, but other than that I never look at the adds.
I guess I need to start looking!
Oh, and I use WordPress and it's quite easy. But, to be honest, my brother did my blog for me.
After about a year of exclusively seeing ads for Flea and Tick control, I dropped AdSense. And I've had the same frustrations with contacting them. Grr indeed!
I gave up on the google ad thing too. Not like I was making squat from it.... so why let them advertise?
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