Adwords Quality Score?

**gary_ap** · 12-02-11

We recently tried a test with a campaign but didn't get as far to run it as it was disapproved. Actually since checking just today its now showing as low quality score - Poor landing page, nice thanks Google. Although I can see why as it just appears to be a link through page.

However with being an Affiliate, how do you not appear to be a link through site, sure you can write unique contents/reviews etc, but say you are offering a comparison of the best prices, surely that is a useful resource!

Any Tips on how to get a decent quality score with Google adwords?

**gary_ap** · 12-02-11

Just reading the Adwords Help pages

Types of sites which will have a poor quality score:
# Data collection sites that offer free gifts, subscription services etc., in order to collect private information
# Arbitrage sites that are designed for the sole purpose of showing ads
# Malware sites that knowingly or unknowingly install software on a visitor's computer
# eBook sites that show frequent ads
# 'Get rich quick' sites
# Comparison shopping sites (comment: why give low score to comparison sites if they are offering a useful resource to the customer. Example customer is searching for "best price canon 550d" - The comparison site bids on adwords for to this landing page. It may not offer anything unique in quality but its certainly relevant. Then why give it a low quality score. Come on Good, relevancy right!).
# Travel aggregators
# Affiliates that don't comply with our affiliate guidelines

The affiliate guidelines:

# Feature original content that can't be found on another site. This guideline is particularly applicable to resellers whose site is identical or highly similar to another reseller's or the parent company's site, and to affiliates that use the following types of pages:

* Bridge pages: Pages that act as an intermediary, whose sole purpose is to link or redirect traffic to the parent company
* Mirror pages: Pages that replicate the look and feel of a parent site; your site should not mirror (be similar or nearly identical in appearance to) your parent company's or any other advertiser's site

So Most affiliate sites will be built to convert the best, in order to do this you may want to make your site seamless to the merchants site if say you are promoting only the 1 merchant. but if your site appears to be a mirror of the parent site and appear as bridge pages because you are linking to the merchant then Google will penalise you. I'm sure this will be the same for thin affiliate sites without unique content trying to rank in serps organically.

Is the best option to become a merchant then just to keep Google happy.

Why can't google see that some affiliate sites offer a useful resource to save visitors time and money, especially comparison sites not matter how big or small. We've got a few sites ranking no 1 for fairly small sites. They are data feed driven so each feed page doesn't have much unique content, but what we are offering is a way for the consumer to find all blue widgets for example from all merchants from one site. Is this not a good resource?

**raymortim** · 12-02-11

My first go at Adwords on my first affiliate site was also trashed by Google straight away. I soon got a phone call from someone at Google asking how my campaign was going (just a courtesy call, didn't know about the problem). I told him what happened, he looked at the site and said it should be ok and would get it looked at.

I never actually heard anything back or tried adwords again for that site, but I did for a second site, almost identical in size, code and layout and it was accepted.

I've seen price comparison sites advertising that really are very 'thin' indeed so I think as with any automated system like this there is an element of luck (good or bad!)

**vanecomaccess** · 15-02-11

This is one of the biggest challenges facing affiliate marketers. But it CAN be done. I have first hand experience and currently run a few PPC campaigns on both adCenter and AdWords for affiliate websites.

Here is my advice:

AdWords and adCenter are quick to dismiss affiliate websites as doorway pages. The best thing you can do is angle your website as informative as much as you can with reviews, and blog posts. Make them as unique as original as possible. And of course, abide by all regular rules for websites as set out by AdWords, no pop-ups, no get rich easy schemes, etc.

Afterwards, you can write a letter to AdWords for approval prior to launching an entirely new PPC campaign.

And just keep writing and following up until its approved.

**gary_ap** · 16-02-11

Thanks for the comments guys. I'm trying to add as much unique content to the site to make it a good resource with relevancy in mind. I will let you know how I get on

Cheers
Gary

**Peko10** · 01-02-12

Gary,

We see these problems everyday, hence our client base. We have a team of "techies" who are well informed and manage campaigns on Google within the guidelines, keeping the accounts live.

Give me a call on 07944172345 if you wanted to discuss in more detail.

Lee

**affclicks** · 15-02-12

Hello

We're developing an app especially for affiliates who want to maximize their ROI from Adwords. If anyone is interested in participating in our public beta please p.m. me.

Murray Kester
AffClicks.com