If you've been a longtime reader of the site, you know we've dealt with this issue before: We use Google Ads here on the site, and since those ads are keyed to words that show up in the site's content, we've been seeing gold selling and powerleveling ads for a long time.We, of course, don't condone or endorse gold selling/buying or powerleveling at all, or any other actions against Blizzard's Terms of Service. And many of our readers, myself included, consider goldbuying and paying to get your characters leveled akin to cheating, and just as despicable. We do realize we're presenting a mixed message, however, when we champion fair gameplay, but also run ads that feature sites meant to sidestep that same fairness. Until now, it's been nothing more than a technical problem: there hasn't been a way for us to keep the Google Ads running while singling out the ones we don't want.
But now we've heard that it will be possible for us to create a blacklist of ads we don't want to see on the site. We have been told that we can single out sites by domain name, and inform Google of certain domain names we don't want to see popping up in the ads. All we have to do, then, is build a list of sites in our ads that advertise services against Blizzard's Terms of Service. And to do that, we need your help.
Here's what we're asking: if you see an ad on WoW Insider advertising a service or product that is against Blizzard's Terms of Service (you can read them here if you're not familiar with them). including gold buying and selling and powerleveling, please use the "Contact Us" link under Resources on the sidebar. Please include the full text of the ad: that's any text comprising the ad, along with the domain name of the site. We'll pass that info onto our developers, who have told us they will contact Google and do their best to get the ads removed from the site. We'll also be watching for sites, and regularly sending a list of our own to the developers. But if you see a site constantly showing up that we've missed, please let us know using the link.
Please remember that not all of our ads are for services against the WoW Terms of Service-- selling guides to WoW is legal, and using the information in those guides (as long as they don't describe exploits or cheats) is a standard part of gameplay. Ads for sites that are not against the Terms of Service should not be reported to us, and ads that we feel do not need to be removed won't be.
The reality of the situation, unfortunately, is that new sites pop up all the time. No matter how many sites we place on this blacklist, it's very likely that we'll continue to see some ads for WoW gold buying and powerleveling-- the only way to get rid of them completely would be to get rid of the ads completely, and considering they're what pay our bills and allow us to bring this content to you (for free!) every day, that's obviously not an option.
But thanks for reading, and for your help in trying to keep these ads off of the site. Like many of you, we believe that this game is most fun for everyone when played fairly. From an editorial position, we do not support these services, and we're working to do everything possible to remove them from the site.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
2-15-2007 @ 4:22PM
Mekias said...
I hope you guys don't lose money by getting rid of 80% of your ads. I've seen several sites that could not bring themselves to put gold selling/powerleveling ads on their site and they usually ended up going the way of the dodo because they couldn't afford to pay the bills.
I never pay attention or click on adds anyway. I think most people realize that maintaining a website is not cheap. Priority #1 is to keep the site up and running.
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2-15-2007 @ 5:03PM
Deathlike said...
I don't see any of 'em either, to be honest. I use Firefox with Adblock, so I haven't seen an advertisement in months.
But to poster number one, it shouldn't affect their overall income; they still will HAVE advertising, but they just won't have the advertising they dislike.
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2-15-2007 @ 5:13PM
Mr. Pink said...
The only things that annoys me about the site is the 12 or so links to other blogs sites at the bottom of the page, but otherwise I like this site.
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2-15-2007 @ 5:16PM
FadedReality said...
@1. No. Just no.
worldofwar.net for one.
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2-15-2007 @ 5:16PM
Eric said...
Google is running these ads for you because Google thinks these will make you and them the most money. If switching them out leads you to bring in less revenue, don't do it. First, they are mentally-invisible to most people, especially to your regulars. Also, not only should your cover your costs with your advertising but you deserve to make a tidy profit for your great work!
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2-15-2007 @ 5:25PM
Strongmark on Arthas said...
My favourite ad which I see all the time is:
"Want WOW on your wedding?" (Wedding Photo Ad)
Makes me laugh everytime and I always have to read the ad to make sure it isn't actually World of Warcraft in a wedding..
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2-15-2007 @ 5:32PM
Kabira-Fenris said...
How do people become writers on your website? I know this is awfully off topic, but I've been looking for something to do during my downtime at work and I love to write. This site is wonderful, too.
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2-15-2007 @ 5:40PM
Frankintroll said...
Cheers on fighting the gold farmers and pay-pre-level scum. If you do gather a list of advertisers to ban, could you post it somewhere? I have a guild site that I have removed the google advertising from due to the gold-ads. Now that they can block them I'd love to have the list to block them from my site as well.
--Frankintroll
GM of Shadow Brotherhood on Dunemaul
SBG.ServeGame.com
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2-15-2007 @ 6:48PM
Brian said...
Uh... rather you should encourage people to click on the gold ads but NOT buy. Then the gold sellers will rank up a large bill. Every time you click they have to pay a few cents.
I just charged up MMOEdge's account. The funny thing is now they think they are getting views. hahaha
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2-15-2007 @ 6:48PM
Arozis said...
The gold/powerlevelling ads dont really bother me. You've got to pay the bills somehow. However, those damn 'Zwinky' ads annoy the living crap out of me.
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2-15-2007 @ 6:53PM
Rich said...
Ads? There are Ads here?
Firefox + Adblock = FTW
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2-15-2007 @ 7:30PM
Jono Stars said...
#10 agreed, damn zwinky ads make me feel like people at work think i'm looking at kiddie porn.
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2-15-2007 @ 7:57PM
Larawen said...
A while back I posted a link to the CAD web comic, that had a list of WOW gold ad blocks, if you need that list i can re-look it up.
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2-15-2007 @ 8:51PM
Tris said...
Actually, as bad as it sounds... let them keep advertising. Acutally, go out of your way to click on their links as well. Google charges their companies money for each clicked link. If they get clicked multiple times, its not a lot of money, but enough people doing it can cause the gold farmer sites to be charged more in advertising over time a)to the point it isn't worth advertising there anymore and b)they raise their price of gold till they are out of business because cost is too high
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2-15-2007 @ 9:14PM
Krianna said...
I like the idea of making it so they get charged a lot-- could you do that? I know, it's POSSIBLE that folks will click as requested, look and magically be forced to buy... but I really, really would like to cost these folks a nice chunk of change....
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2-15-2007 @ 9:49PM
Devilmachine said...
The ads dont bother me at all, it wasn't until you mentioned it that I noticed them.
I've always just mentally blocked them out.
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2-15-2007 @ 10:13PM
RS said...
"But now we've heard that it will be possible for us to create a blacklist of ads..."; You mean 'is possible' as that as been a feature of AdSense for nearly longer than WoW Insider has existed.
"Firefox + Adblock = FTW"; Ripping off site owners FTL.
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2-16-2007 @ 2:07AM
G said...
It has actually been a feature of AdSense since the beginning of AdSense, when it was the ONLY feature of AdSense. I was one of the first users. Heh.. Maybe it's just buried too deep in all the pretty color and size options now?
Advertisers do pay Google based on the number of click-throughs, so go ahead and click through. Be aware, however, that Google has become very good at finding "click fraud" so don't sit and click the same ad over and over again, lest WoW Insider get a nastygram warning. If you want to do this, click once or twice each visit, at the most.
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2-16-2007 @ 2:55AM
priest said...
I got a question. It's only vaguely related.
My guild was started by 5 mates. I joined later and quickly rose to become an officer while some of the mates dropped back to casual member status. I'm class leader for Priests.
I've just discovered that one of the 4 bought his priest on ebay.
I've always been a bit concerned about how crap he is, but given the benifit of the doubt as we are casual and easy going.
Now I want him out. But he's one of the "five".
Sigh.
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2-16-2007 @ 2:57AM
priest said...
BTW, don't care about the ads, barely even notice them - really hate the pretty useless right handside bar of the page tho, filled with what must be 100's of links to Weblogs Inc sites, hate the huge flash ads for (at the moment), walkers crisps and Zwinky.
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