Do you use Google Adsense to make money online? Have you installed Google Adsense on your blog to start making money from your blog?

The Prohibited Uses clause of the Online Standard Terms and Conditions mentions that any type of repeated manual clicks will lead to an immediate suspension or termination of your Google Adsense account. The Google AdSense Program Policies as mentioned in the “Google Adsense Program Policies Help Center” mentions it even more clearly:

Invalid Clicks and Impressions

Clicks on Google ads must result from genuine user interest. Any method that artificially generates clicks or impressions on your Google ads is strictly prohibited. These prohibited methods include but are not limited to repeated manual clicks or impressions, using robots, automated click and impression generating tools, third-party services that generate clicks or impressions such as paid-to-click, paid-to-surf, autosurf, and click-exchange programs, or any deceptive software. Please note that clicking on your own ads for any reason is prohibited. Failure to comply with this policy may lead to your account being disabled.

Take my words, as an advice! Never take this stuff by Google lightly… In your quest for making money online, don’t overlook the Terms & Conditions or you’ll even lose all the money you ever made from Adsense. Remember, Google can get to you sooner than you think you can “hit and run.”

But then, sometimes you can face problems like this one that I faced. When I made a post, a few days back, a link in the post was on the extreme left of the content container, almost into the Adsense Ad unit in left sidebar that bulges a little into the content container. I had to check by clicking on the left-edge of the hyper-link to make sure it didn’t make a click on the Ad. This is because, when readers realize that they clicked on an ad when they wanted to click on that link, they’ll either hit the back button or reload the page very soon. That could be risky, for such clicks can be thought of as clicks under influence or anything of that sort. And while trying to check if clicking anywhere near the link doesn’t click the ad unit, what if I myself click the ad unit! This can get me in sacks, and I must tell you, I am really Google-fearing.

But at the same time, I wanted to test by clicking that space on my real estate. At the point I was doing this stuff, I was reminded of a post about test-driving Google Adsense, that I had made on my previous blog.

Click your own Ads & Google won’t even mind!

So,here’s a simple solution to this problem. All you have to do is add “google_adtest = ‘on’;” to your ad code using the following syntax:

google_ad_client  = “pub-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx";
google_ad_width = 468;
google_ad_height = 60;
google_ad_format = “468×60_as”;
google_ad_type = “text”;
google_ad_channel =””;
google_adtest = ‘on’;

; where xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx is your Publisher ID.

Now any impressions or clicks on that particular modified Adsense ad unit will be ignored and so you can test the adsense on your website/blog without any hassles.

Coming back to the Adsense ToS again…

The document clearly says:

Any AdSense ad code, search box code, or referral code must be pasted directly into Web pages without modification. AdSense participants are not allowed to alter any portion of the ad code or change the layout, behavior, targeting, or delivery of ads for any reason.

But I think this is just as harmless as changing the #RRGGBB colors after generating the ad-unit code, directly. Just in case you are uncertain about the whole thing, please contact Adsense Support Team.

Also, remember to remove google_adtest = “on”; once you are done or you won’t make any money!

46 thoughts on “Click your own Adsense AD units and Google won't even mind!

  1. can google track someone who clicks on his adsense code once every 2 days via a US based proxy server. even though google doesnt show adsense when one surfs through proxy, but if the publisher enter a query in the search box on his site and then clicks on a high paying result,,,,, then what>? do reply me my brother, i am from punjab.. do mail me.. meri request hai aapse please please reply.

  2. I never knew about this. It is great when someone can take the time to find this out and then share it with the rest of us. Thanks!!

  3. Use Adsense Preview tool to check whether the ads are working or not.
    It’s available for free download and best way.

    Rohits last blog post..Add PDF viewer to your website/blog

  4. Google is very avid at determining what is and what is not legitimate and pretty much Ban happy or so they say. There are a lot of reports of people getting their account suspended for no reason or so they claim. So be careful people Google is trigger happy when it comes to banning so don’t make Google angry or you are guaranteed to have a hard time.

    Archie Penniess last blog post..AdSense Basics 3: Blending Ads with content

  5. This is intersting stuff – certainly the comments here. I don’t think anyone can cheat G in the long run althogh I am certain advertisers do lose out in the short term.

    This proves that out of all the advertising programmes out there adsens is probably best as they have the most resources to plough into protecton.

    I would never risk clicking my own ads

  6. They should at least have a little give and take for accidental clicks that just happen.

    Ryans latest published blog-post ………. Focus Toric Contact Lenses

  7. lol. Are you trying to trick these people?

    Even if you’re correct, you’re not supposed to alter the AdSense code, so you’re already in hot water, even if you don’t accidentally click your own ad.

    And, if you’re tempted to click your own ads because you want to see where an ad redirects visitors, just use the other method that AdSense outlines in their help section.

    p1nk g33ks latest published blog-post ………. Why you should get out of that traffic exchange or link exchange program ASAP!

  8. If this method is the one I think you’re referring to it doesn’t work on a Mac, it’s a Windows only program. The way I’ve been able to determine where the ads redirect is to click on the ad and see where it goes (to use for blocking competitor ads). Thus far nothing has happened, have been doing it hundreds of times.

  9. @brent “The way I’ve been able to determine where the ads redirect is to click on the ad and see where it goes (to use for blocking competitor ads). Thus far nothing has happened, have been doing it hundreds of times.”

    You’re kidding, right? Do not listen to Brent. If he has been clicking his own ads and hasn’t gotten caught, it’s probably because he’s using different IP addresses or hasn’t received a payment since he started clicking his own ads. AdSense is notorious for doing audits before payments are issued. It’s just a matter of time before Brent is caught. And, notice that he didn’t leave a link to his site.

    p1nk g33ks latest published blog-post ………. Live Traffic Feed widget – an invasion of privacy? Breaking the law?

  10. Nice post about the google_adtest on/off thing. I never realize adsense have such test feature.

  11. i am a beginner in monetizing my blog with Adsense. i still need to learn more about the tips and tricks on Adsense. hopefully i might be able to earn a decent amount of cash on Adsense.

  12. Adsense is the best paying make money online program on the internet. I just wish that i could increase my website traffic to high levels so that i could earn more money on Adsense.
    .

  13. Isn’t also against Google’s Terms of Service to change the code?
    .-= Florida Mike´s last blog ..2007 FORD F-150 =-.

  14. I just started AdSense about 4 months ago. I’ve seen an increase in income, but was wondering how long it takes to see $50, $100, $200 a day? I’m sure there are differences in every site and blog, but does anyone know if you wrote a blog a day how long it might take?
    .-= Chris´s last blog ..Google Webmaster Tools =-.

  15. Hi,
    Why do you guys think that this scam google can track everything? 🙂
    I’ve been using numbers of proxy servers to click on my ads for 3 years now. I got 4 sites and i use proxies daily bases to earn some extra. I never got banned. I earn in average $600 a month. Not much but i know my limit and maybe thats the reason i never get caught. 🙂 Tricks

    1. always go on your site from search engine.
    2. Delete cookies before you go on your site.
    3. view some pages and spend some time on the site before you click.
    4. install all the browsers that available on the internet and change them the way you do with proxies.
    5. Make sure you got enough traffic on your site and you will not go over 10% CTR.

    This is my story and no guarantee for success.
    They are not that god you lot think they are.
    Please note this is still risk! but i already made pocket money. 🙂

    also worth to know, that anytime anybody can mess your adsense account up. Many articles on the net about it. Just a jealous competitor is enough to get you banned. So risk either way

  16. If i have publishing ads network other than adsense, how should i self click on them? any precautionary measures to keep in concern?

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