Google AdSense bans all adult domains

[shaolinmonk]

Received this notice just today from Google Ad Sense For Domains. Unfortunate news IMO but not totally unexpected.

"Effective May 31, 2007, adult domains are no longer allowed in the AdSense for Domains program. We define adult domains as any domain whose name, content or advertising is lewd, graphic, or profane; this includes domains with profanity in addition to those with obscene content. This means that you must remove any adult domains from your AFD portfolio by May 31."

 

[Dale Hubbard]

I wonder if they intend also to remove such content from their search?

 

[A D]

They will make it impossible to monetize adult and TM domains.

I have solutions that will pe posted in the new content sections tomorrow

-=DCG=-

 

[tonyfloyd]

Adam- would be very interested in seeing what soilutions you have to this....this is a bummer for sure......although not unexpected...

thanks
tony

 

[Steen]

I wonder if they intend also to remove such content from their search?

I highly doubt that.

----


There has been adult parking companies (PPS/CPA) around for over a year if I recall correctly. I cannot think of the URL off the top of my head though.

 

[DomainsInc]

For some reason i always thought that adsense didn't allow adult sites.

 

[BELLC1]

It doesn't anymore. It's very clear in their terms. Nor does Yahoo.

 

[Raider]

If your domains are not porn specific, you can turn those domains into dating sites instead, Dating results pay much more per click than porn does.

 

[GAMEFINEST]

adult sites were always banned from google adsense, there were ways around it, but that ends here...

 

[RatherGood]

For some reason i always thought that adsense didn't allow adult sites.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but "adsense for domains" extends to parking services (ie, Skenzo, Sedo, Namedrive, etc).

 

[AlienGG]

Sedo has banned porno domains a while ago, and they have done a poor job.

 

[shaolinmonk]

adult sites were always banned from google adsense, there were ways around it, but that ends here...

Maybe regular AdSense banned them, but AdSense For Domains never banned them per se (of course certain keywords have always banned). I've had adult names resolving to a direct AdSense feed for many years without any problem. This complete category ban is new.

 

[stuff]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but "adsense for domains" extends to parking services (ie, Skenzo, Sedo, Namedrive, etc).

Yes.

 

[shaolinmonk]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but "adsense for domains" extends to parking services (ie, Skenzo, Sedo, Namedrive, etc).

According to Sedo they will still monetize adult domains. The previous newsletter (which I think nobody really read!) anticipated the change in Google policy and clarified the situation. I'll paste it in below to set minds at rest.

-----------

New advertiser policy is that adult domains can ONLY display adult ads

Due to a new policy at our upstream advertising provider, you may notice some changes in the advertisements returned by adult-related domains, or domains with adult keywords set.



WHAT IS GOING TO CHANGE?
As of today, all domain names classified as adult will now only display ads if the keyword you set is also adult. For example, www.hardcoresexsite.com will not return advertisements if you select the keyword “business”. If there is no relevant adult keyword set, adult domains will automatically default to the Adult Portal site. The Adult Portal site features high-paying and relevant adult keywords in a number of categories (see www.betteradult.com for an example). Clicks on any of these keywords will generate advertisements and paying clicks!



WHY HAS THERE BEEN A CHANGE?
The new system attempts to ensure that no mainstream advertisers have their ads appear on adult domains. This is a policy decision made by our upstream advertising provider in response to complaints from mainstream advertisers who did not want their brands to be associated with adult domain names. At the same time, the change will deliver better quality traffic to both mainstream and adult advertisers, which over the long run should result in more and higher paying advertisements for all!



WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO?
Please make sure that you’ve selected a relevant adult keyword for all of your adult domains (and relevant non-adult keywords for all of your non-adult domains). If you prefer, you can simply use the keyword “Adult Portal” and the domain will automatically resolve to our Adult Portal site. If you notice any domains that suddenly stop displaying advertisements, it may be that our advertising partner has incorrectly categorized your domain as adult (and is thus filtering everything but adult ads). In this case please send an e-mail to your SedoPro account manager with the affected domain name and we will request that the domain name be re-classified.

The issue seems to be that Google wants to distance itself from adult (hence closing it down in AdSense for Domains - which is a direct feed) but allowing it through the middlemen PPC operators. At least that's my take on what's happening.

 

[RatherGood]

According to Sedo they will still monetize adult domains. The previous newsletter (which I think nobody really read!) anticipated the change in Google policy and clarified the situation. I'll paste it in below to set minds at rest.

-----------

New advertiser policy is that adult domains can ONLY display adult ads

Due to a new policy at our upstream advertising provider, you may notice some changes in the advertisements returned by adult-related domains, or domains with adult keywords set.



WHAT IS GOING TO CHANGE?
As of today, all domain names classified as adult will now only display ads if the keyword you set is also adult. For example, www.hardcoresexsite.com will not return advertisements if you select the keyword “business”. If there is no relevant adult keyword set, adult domains will automatically default to the Adult Portal site. The Adult Portal site features high-paying and relevant adult keywords in a number of categories (see www.betteradult.com for an example). Clicks on any of these keywords will generate advertisements and paying clicks!



WHY HAS THERE BEEN A CHANGE?
The new system attempts to ensure that no mainstream advertisers have their ads appear on adult domains. This is a policy decision made by our upstream advertising provider in response to complaints from mainstream advertisers who did not want their brands to be associated with adult domain names. At the same time, the change will deliver better quality traffic to both mainstream and adult advertisers, which over the long run should result in more and higher paying advertisements for all!



WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO?
Please make sure that you’ve selected a relevant adult keyword for all of your adult domains (and relevant non-adult keywords for all of your non-adult domains). If you prefer, you can simply use the keyword “Adult Portal” and the domain will automatically resolve to our Adult Portal site. If you notice any domains that suddenly stop displaying advertisements, it may be that our advertising partner has incorrectly categorized your domain as adult (and is thus filtering everything but adult ads). In this case please send an e-mail to your SedoPro account manager with the affected domain name and we will request that the domain name be re-classified.

The issue seems to be that Google wants to distance itself from adult (hence closing it down in AdSense for Domains - which is a direct feed) but allowing it through the middlemen PPC operators. At least that's my take on what's happening.

This announcement was only about making sure you can only pick adult keywords and ads for adult domains. Its at least a month old. I'm guessing it was all for not and there's too much potential for trouble with the advertisers if G is going to pull the plug anyway.

I've tried monetizing adult names through sedo that were blocked by the google feed due to their previous owners and they only earned about 1/10th of what they earned once they were unblocked.

 

[Theo]

Total bullcrap. Sedo still displays adult links on my domain, Sweet.org, although the keyword used is "sweet chocolates".

 

[GAMEFINEST]

i hate sedo...

 

[RatherGood]

Sedo bashing and irrelevant comments aside this has major implications for the value of adult domain names.

Gary Kremen pointed it out on domain masters that its sketchy to pay even 2 years of ppc revenue for an adult name because there is no real exit from the adult space except to sell to others who also operate in adult. I'd imagine anyone who payed a multiple of revenue for adult traffic names based on a google feed are about to get hit pretty hard.

 

[Makis77]

Adult domain is a big market.
This ban will open new possibilities of monetixing those domains.
I was ready to sell some of them but now i will retract them from possible auction and try to monetize them in an other way.

Difficulties always makes us think and try new things and new things is what pay more


PS: from one thing i m sure and this is a general rule:

NEVER DEPEND ONLY ON ONE CLIENT OR FEED OR SOLUTION!

 

[hardbyte]

Yahoo and google wont accept me to search submit, adsense or sitemap my domain because it has the word "bitch" in it - but the site is not an adult site.

Question: Im new to adsense - are you allowed to create one account and place ads on multiple sites or is it an account per site basis?