Mistake #1 – Using Images Incorrectly

It used to be that all AdSense experts would tell you that it was vital to use images next to your AdSense ads. Indeed, this tactic works exceptionally well to draw attention to ads, and it has the power to really improve your CTR (click through ratio). The problem is, AdSense’s policies regarding the use of images have always been cloudy. On one hand, they’ve said that you can use images near ads as long as there is a clear separation between the ads. On the other hand, they ask publishers not to draw any extra attention to the ads.

Google finally published a post on the AdSense blog that clarified their policy regarding the use of images near AdSense ads.

Here are the rules according to that blog post:

You can’t line images up with ads in a way that suggests some sort of relationship between the ads and images. For example, you couldn’t put small thumbnails of laptop computers above or beside AdSense ads that featured laptop computers, because your visitors might click one of the links expecting to find the laptop model shown in the photo, only to find out that laptop wasn’t available there. This would cost the advertiser money and it would be unlikely they would make a sale since the surfer didn’t find what they needed.

It’s especially bad to have an equal number of pictures as there are ads. For example, you can’t take the standard large rectangle which generally has four ads and place 4 small images beside them on the left hand side of the ad block. You can’t do this even if you separate the ads and pictures with a space or a line. While images are great for increasing clicks and revenue, this is a very big risk. You should avoid using any type of images to draw attention to your ads. Even if you are in compliance now, you might not be later, and it might be very time consuming to change every page on every site you own.It’s better to be safe than sorry in this case.