Adding Adsense - Easy or Hard?

[RedWingNut]

Inherited a site that at one time had Adsense on it. It was apparently done manually in the templates by adding the ad code, but I'm not sure what templates. Anyway, I tied my vBulletin to my Adsense and all was approved and vBulletin says to download the code and update. But I'm not sure what I'm supposed to download. I have 3.8.7 on the site, and that is one of the downloads available. So is 4.x Publishing Suite, Project Tools, and others. What do I need to download and do what with it?

I assume if I download and install (somewhere), then my AdminCP Advertiser would show the proper "publisher" number (right now, it shows the previous owner's) and I could use that simple method, right?

Or I can manually copy and paste ad code in to various templates, but I'm not sure what templates. I think it could be the "header", the "footer", and/or the "legacy_bit", but I see some remnants of some adsense stuff in the "forum_display" too.

Right now, I'm in the Google "place ad in your site" mode again with Google. I assume the first time was because I didn't have the code in the right place or they couldn't find it. They gave no reason to "resubmit", and I don't want to wait another round of their "process".

Anyone cna help me with details, let me know. And thank you....

[RedWingNut]

Well, I got denied today. I manually had placed an Ad in the "header" and the "footer" templates. Those were the template names. I put the ad code at the bottom of each of those templates. the very bottom.

In IE, the content did jump down from the "header" ad, and showed a blank space where the "ad" was located. just no ad. Same with the bottom "footer" ad. So, I was thinking this was good, as it is supposed to show "blank ads".

But, I got denied. Any ideas what I'm missing? Need more info? Help....

[BirdOPrey5]

Once Adsense has been integrated to your customer account you would need to redownloaed the entire package. in your case the full set of VB 3.8.7 files. You then upload all the 3.8.7 fresh/new 3.8.7 files over the old 3.8.7 files. Make sure you do NOT upload the /install/ folder- it isn't necessary- you do not run any upgrade script. Just replace the files. This will add Google Adsense under Advertising in the Admin CP.

However your existing ads are likely in the Ad Location templates. This is a collection of templates for common ad locations in the software. Rather than editing say the header or navbar template you edit an ad location template corresponding to below_navbar for example.

To edit these templates go to Style Manager in Admin CP -> Edit Templates, and expand the group called Ad Locations. As always press "revert" to revert to original values which would be empty/blank for the ad locations templates as they are blank by default.

Now... As for being denied- I assume you were denied by Ad Sense? Likely there is a content issue with your site- they have no tolerance for adult subjects, gambling, or anything that could potentially considered file trading or hacking as they will assume its illegal. Hopefully they give you some reason... You also need decent content- they won't approve a blank / brand new forum.

[RedWingNut]

Thanks Joe...

Yes, denied by Ad Sense. I got a canned response to look at the help files and the content blah blah. Not sure I have "bad content" as the site had been running Ad sense last year (different owner). it is photocamel dot com if that helps anyone.

I did NOT use the "Ad location" templates. Saw other posts arounf the 'net that said use the "header" and others said use the "footer", so I did. I'm don't want ot reapply and go though all that without having a better understanding, because I don't know if they couldn't find the ad because it was in the wrong place or what.

Assume if I strip out all I have modified, if I put the ad in the "ad location below_nav" template, once I did a page source view, I could find it in the code?

I could try dumping all the files (like you said) on top of the public_html folder files and see what happens, and use the admincp Advertising section. There actually is one there now, it just shows the old owners PUB number in there, and he doesn't need my money...

[RedWingNut]

So I copied over these files after tying my vBulletin 3.8.7 to Adsense:
admincp/deployads.php
includes/init.php
includes/adsense_templates.php
includes/xml/cpnav_ads.xml

And I enabled High Ads in "vBulletin-Advertising-Google Adsense".
It put the following in the "ad_showthread_firstpost_start" template, but when I do a View Source from the browser on my site, I can't find this code, or a reference to google_adsense. Is this normal? How will Google know and find it? Am I missing something?


<if condition="$GLOBALS['vbulletin']->adsense_pub_id">
<if condition="!$bbuserinfo['userid']">
<div style="float:right; width:300px; height:250px; margin-left:10px">
<script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "{$GLOBALS['vbulletin']->adsense_pub_id}";
google_ad_host = "{$GLOBALS['vbulletin']->adsense_host_id}";
google_ad_width = 300;
google_ad_height = 250;
google_ad_format = "300x250_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel = "";
google_color_border = "$stylevar[alt1_bgcolor_hex]";
google_color_bg = "$stylevar[alt2_bgcolor_hex]";
google_color_link = "$stylevar[body_link_n_fgcolor_hex]";
google_color_text = "$stylevar[body_fgcolor_hex]";
google_color_url = "$stylevar[body_link_n_fgcolor_hex]";
google_ui_features = "rc:6";
//-->
</script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script>
</div>
</if>
</if>

[BirdOPrey5]

I'm not understanding how/why you enabled High Ads if you were denied by Ad Sense? Or why you would put in ads at all? Google won't serve any ads if you were denied even if you manage to get the code somehow.

Leaving that question aside- Go to your Admin CP -> vBulletin Options-> vBulletin Options -> General Settings. There is a setting about putting Template Names in HTML Comments, enable this.

Now when you view the source of the page the template being used will be in an HTML comment. When you see any code on your page (like I see some adsense code on your current pages) the template it is coming from will become clear.

[BirdOPrey5]

As for a possible reason Google denied you- your content looks fine aside from your logo. Your "Camel" is a copy of the trademarked "Joe Camel" character from Camel Cigarettes. I'm not sure what Google's policy is on this but it wouldn't surprise me if 1) They thought it had something to do with cigarettes or 2) they frown upon using other peoples trademarks on your site. They might do the same if you had Mickey Mouse in your logo. Not sure- just my best guess.