The THINGS THAT Google Keep Track of....
IP Address
If the AdSense click is originated from the same IP Address as the one
used for accessing your AdSense account, your account is flagged.
Cookies
Most home users do not use static IP Address for Internet connection.
In most cases just disconnect and reconnect will give you a new IP
Address. But don't forget, Google has set cookies on your computer.
Remember to clear your cookies...
FireFox - (Tools->Clear Private Data)
Internet Explorer - (Tools->Internet Options->General Tab->Delete cookies)
Other Google Services
Thinking that you are safe just because you do not access your AdSense
account? Think again. This time, consider these: GMail, Google Earth,
Google Calendar, Google Search, Google Toolbar, Google Talk, Google
Sitemap, Google Desktop, Blogger, Youtube and so on, and so on. With the wide
range of services they provide, Google can trace the originator of
most (or probably almost all) clicks.
Click Pattern 1
Oh, why this computer / IP address / person is so trigger-click-happy
on this particular website but never click on the ads on other sites?
Click Pattern 2
And why is it that people accessing these sites direct (type-in URL or
from bookmark) tend to be very active ad-clickers compared with those
referred from search engine or other sites?
Click Pattern 3
And why the ad-clickers like to hit and run, compared with non
ad-clickers that surf a few pages before leaving?
Click-Through-Rate (CTR)
Your CTR may range from 0.5% to 10%, but if it exceeds a certain point
(probably around 10%), you are flagged.
Geo-Location
Used Urchin (Google Analytics) before? (i dont think you know that)
Then you should know that Google can trace traffics origin down to
the small town. Different IP doesn't mean much. Unless you site is
really targetted to one small geo-point, a high number of clicks from
nearby location will get you banned quickly.
Hardware address?
MAC address of the LAN card, modem, and router works almost like a
fingerprint. I'm not sure if Google can track this, but probably they
do. They have rocket scientist, remember?
Advertisers conversion rate
Ad click is one thing. But does it bring value to the advertisers? If
none of the clicks on your site translate to conversion to the
advertiser, you are in trouble. First the Smart-Pricing hits, then
your AdSense account disabled.
Search Engine Ranking
Your website is not indexed on any search engine, not linked by any
prominent website, but get consistently high traffic? That sounds like
something is in play. Regardless of whether it is an adware-embedded
software, spam, trojan clickbot, or intentionally installed
click-exchange network, it doesn't sound right.
Webpage design
How about the "click here" or "support us"? Google has the best search
engine in the world. Is it really that hard to find those words?
Combo
Each of these detection methods might seem rather weak. But combine
them together, and not many click-fraud can pass-through these
filters. Even the smartest clickbot will have a hard time.
IP Address
If the AdSense click is originated from the same IP Address as the one
used for accessing your AdSense account, your account is flagged.
Cookies
Most home users do not use static IP Address for Internet connection.
In most cases just disconnect and reconnect will give you a new IP
Address. But don't forget, Google has set cookies on your computer.
Remember to clear your cookies...
FireFox - (Tools->Clear Private Data)
Internet Explorer - (Tools->Internet Options->General Tab->Delete cookies)
Other Google Services
Thinking that you are safe just because you do not access your AdSense
account? Think again. This time, consider these: GMail, Google Earth,
Google Calendar, Google Search, Google Toolbar, Google Talk, Google
Sitemap, Google Desktop, Blogger, Youtube and so on, and so on. With the wide
range of services they provide, Google can trace the originator of
most (or probably almost all) clicks.
Click Pattern 1
Oh, why this computer / IP address / person is so trigger-click-happy
on this particular website but never click on the ads on other sites?
Click Pattern 2
And why is it that people accessing these sites direct (type-in URL or
from bookmark) tend to be very active ad-clickers compared with those
referred from search engine or other sites?
Click Pattern 3
And why the ad-clickers like to hit and run, compared with non
ad-clickers that surf a few pages before leaving?
Click-Through-Rate (CTR)
Your CTR may range from 0.5% to 10%, but if it exceeds a certain point
(probably around 10%), you are flagged.
Geo-Location
Used Urchin (Google Analytics) before? (i dont think you know that)
Then you should know that Google can trace traffics origin down to
the small town. Different IP doesn't mean much. Unless you site is
really targetted to one small geo-point, a high number of clicks from
nearby location will get you banned quickly.
Hardware address?
MAC address of the LAN card, modem, and router works almost like a
fingerprint. I'm not sure if Google can track this, but probably they
do. They have rocket scientist, remember?
Advertisers conversion rate
Ad click is one thing. But does it bring value to the advertisers? If
none of the clicks on your site translate to conversion to the
advertiser, you are in trouble. First the Smart-Pricing hits, then
your AdSense account disabled.
Search Engine Ranking
Your website is not indexed on any search engine, not linked by any
prominent website, but get consistently high traffic? That sounds like
something is in play. Regardless of whether it is an adware-embedded
software, spam, trojan clickbot, or intentionally installed
click-exchange network, it doesn't sound right.
Webpage design
How about the "click here" or "support us"? Google has the best search
engine in the world. Is it really that hard to find those words?
Combo
Each of these detection methods might seem rather weak. But combine
them together, and not many click-fraud can pass-through these
filters. Even the smartest clickbot will have a hard time.
