Change in Adwords' URL DISPLAY policy (SEM)
 

Just in case you didn't hear about this yet--Google Adwords has changed their policy regarding subdomain displays: http://adwords.blogspot.com/2010/01/...play-urls.html

Beginning this week, all ads leading to sites on hosted domains will need to have display URLs that accurately reflect their destinations.

Let's say I wanted to create an ad linking to this blog: http://adwords.blogspot.com. In the past, blogspot.com would have been an acceptable display URL. Because there are so many independent blogs hosted on http://blogspot.com however, we now require the display URL to reflect the specific blog reached upon clicking the ad? in this case: adwords.blogspot.com.

Incorrect:

Destination URL: http://adwords.blogspot.com
Display URL: blogspot.com

Correct:

Destination URL: http://adwords.blogspot.com
Display URL: adwords.blogspot.com

This will effectively limit affiliate efforts that seek to convince surfers their link is not an affiliate link, and will enhance surfer confidence that what they click is where they're actually going.

I wonder how this will effect urls that forward? Such as either affiliate urls that set cookies and forward to the final destination url, or TinyURL and similar redirection services?

Google wants to further fuck over all affiliate marketers.

the chinese are doing some vodoo and they are cursing google

All your affiliate monies belong to Google.

Good for surfers, not so good for affiliates.

Well if they are going to make it hard for affiliates to advertize then Google will lose a lot of money. I guess the idiots are google don't realize how many affiliates advertise with adwords. Adwords has slowly gotten worse and worse the past 3 years with continually stupid rules being added. NONE of which actually make it a better experience for the surfers dispite what google says.

they can suck my balls

Shit happens.

fuck google

This is my refrain lately:

Showing ads right now?

No


* AdWords Specialists have classified your ad as Adult, but the search query isn't adult in nature. Google will only show adult ads for queries that meet certain criteria for adult content. For example, a Non-Family Safe or Adult ad is not eligible to appear for a Family Safe search term such as flowers. In order to see this ad, users will need to enter a search query that indicates interest in adult content.

sounds fair to me.

they always make these new rules about things I've never even heard of.

more $ for more honest webmasters. :)

Having xxx in the domain name automatically qualifies my ads for adult though at times we do are not selling hardcore stuff...SIGH

kind of an odd policy IMO. I can see the one they implemented months ago on having the correct display URL with destination URL to prevent people from using fake directories and subdomains.

I don't really why they are pushing on this so hard other than to prevent people who are advertising using sites like blogger so the person is aware they are doing to a subdirectory.

IMO, they will prevent you soon from choosing your own display URL and will automatically be populated based on your destination URL

Google adwords changes policies often.

what to say?!
GOOGLE