Corrupt fan sites, buying gold and Google Ads
Posted by Eeeeediot on 10-May-2007 at 08:00
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Jagex recently urged RuneScape players to “boycott corrupt fansites” which advertise RuneScape gold for sale as part of their recent crack down on bots and real-world trading. This editorial will explore the wide ranging implications of this statement for all fansites, big and small, and propose some solutions.
Most people are familiar with the major fansites even if they do not use them regularly. Some of you are active on their forums, read their guides and use their calculators. But Jagex calls them corrupt because they have adverts for selling gold. Time to start the boycott? Actually, lets try to address the issue.
It is reasonable to assume that fansite owners and staff are also players of the game. Hence, they agreed to the Terms and Conditions when they signed up. These included all the rules of RuneScape and of particular importance in this editorial; rule 12 about real-world trading not being allowed. It is therefore logical (common sense even) to say that all fansites must comply with rule 12 and hold a stance against real-world trading.
The problem
The problem arises where fansites use Google Ads for advertising to bring in income to cover their expenses. These search through the content of the webpage and try to display relevant ads. Unfortunately, most RuneScape related ads are about selling gold. Fansites can then add the URLs of these unwanted ads to a black list, but this has a maximum capacity of 200. Fansite owners complain of gold sellers making new domains day after day.
So most fansite owners resign themselves to the fact that they can’t do anything about this problem and carry on letting the gold selling ads get views. Moreover, one certain fansite (hint: their name begins with a Z) makes advertising deals specifically with a gold seller to show their ad banner on their fansite. Their excuse? They have to cover their costs. Who cares about the rules eh?
The solution
Having personally been in contact with Google Adsense to explain the situation of fansites in general (I control the ads here on RuneHead) they recommend removing the old URLs on the backlist to be able to add the new ones. This would seem like a practical solution; it is something doable! Often, simplicity works best. This will simply have be another maintenance task for fansite owners, similar to updating guides or moderating their forums.
I have also been in contact with the Google Adwords team who control which ads get shown or not depending on their approval system. I have asked them to consider not allowing any RuneScape gold selling ads as they are against RuneScape rules. Ebay implemented something similar in January 2007 when they stopped allowing any gold and item selling from most online multiplayer games.
Some fansites will still say that Google Ads are not making enough income to cover their costs. They try to justify advertising selling gold. Sorry, but that's a no go. There is no excuse for breaking the rules. Explore the alternatives. Try bigger sized ads, different placements, or simply more ads! Further alternatives include using advertising networks that pay per thousand views (CPM) rather than per click through (CPC). It is fansite owners' responsibility to find a solution to covering their costs within the rules.
I’m glad to say that we at RuneHead successfully monitor our Google Ads to actively add new URLs to the black list and avoid advertising gold sellers. Do note however that there is a delay between adding URLs to the black list and them actually being blocked by Google Adsense. We are able to comfortably cover our costs and invest in improvements. This was done through a process of trial and improvement and I would urge all fansites to try and do the same.
Some fansites have an obscure topic buried deep in their forums for purpose of reporting “Bad Ads” but I would suggest that this is not enough. Fansite owners can add a simple “Report Bad Ad” link somewhere easily accessible on their website. Either in their main navigation or in small text next to the actual ads. Users will use this to let fansite owners know of the bad URLs selling gold which appear on Google Ads. Fansites owners can then simply update their black lists on a regular basis, say every 24-48 hours.
Conclusion
If you feel the fansite your are involved with isn’t doing enough to counter the gold selling Google ads then tell them about this article. Show them that there is a solution.
If you are a fansite owner, then live up to your responsibility and run your fansite within the RuneScape rules (if you aren’t already). RuneHead is living proof that it can be done. No matter how big or small you may be, the burden is on you to put the effort in to cover your costs within the rules.
Jagex’s call to ‘boycott corrupt fansites’ was certainly slightly rash, but that shouldn’t be the motivation for fansites to clean up their act. Real-world trading has always been against the rules and all RuneScape players agreed to those when they signed up. Usually, where there’s a will, there’s a way.
Comments
Skatedog111 posted on 10-May-2007 13:45
It felt weird reading this and having the same type of google adds at the side>.>
I like this article, it says what jagex says, yet much simpler, which is good. Glad to know how the black list works for the ads urls.
=)
Kenji197 posted on 11-May-2007 13:26
Good intentions in this article.
However i would like to point out, FreeGold, RuneGold, and RSGold which are all long been created rs cash selling sites are all advertizsed to the right.
ALso, why boycott the fansites? they dont sell gold. If RS could get noone to buy gold, ads would die because the people paying for the ads would not be making there money back.
Plus the hint of Z, what other fansite could it be then Zybez? and why would you faekly mention it?
Anyways, good to see your priorities are in line, but IMO I think your method is off.
Ks Jeppe posted on 12-May-2007 05:16
It must be said that in relation to this article, we (RuneHead Leaders) agreed to allow gold selling adverts on the site for 24 hours to see if they actually paid better (more people clicked them) than the "normal" ads, but it didn't show much difference, so that excuse from fansites owners in general don't count either
it was solely for research we allowed them, and they should hopefully all be gone now.
If you see any ads on RuneHead which breaks the rules, please use the "report bad ad" link below our adverts
Iantiger posted on 12-May-2007 05:54
Well said, although I do believe certain websites are so big that covering their costs is a huge task, but that's no excuse: one example would be RuneVillage's donation goals that they have every so often to help cover the server costs: there's absolutely nothing wrong with doing something like that. If a fansite delivers a good enough service and a good enough community, users will be more than happy to donate towards the costs to help keep it running.
Money ads are just stupid, although I can't really see myself boycotting a certain Z community anytime soon, nobody else seems to be doing so and an individual boycott would achieve nothing.
Duffman posted on 15-May-2007 11:10
Why must the Fansites be targetted? Surely the actually Rule-Breaking sites should be targetted. Maybe actually reporting the offending Sites to Jagex would work, instead of complaining about Fansites, who may have a few Adverts, yet provide pages upon pages of useful & free information.
Zybez has a few Gold Selling sites, yet in return for those small adverts, they are able to provide Thousands upon thousands of people with useful information. If Zybez were to remove those adverts, then I'm sure it would go bust within a short while.
I know with Google Adsense the sites can be blocked, but there are constantly new ones being created & submitted to Google adsense. I'm sure there are sites who block them, but I bet they run out of space eventually, and if they were to remove an old link, it would probably still be active. This means they can probably limit them slightly, but they can't totally filter out all of the adverts.
I find a Fansite's responsibility is to merely provide useful information for the RuneScape population, and these can cost an awful lot to maintain. So if a small advert which may break the RuneScape rules is going to help them maintain the site, then why not. If people click those sites and buy the Gp/Cheat etc. Then it's their own doing and they alone deserve the appropriate punishement. Not the fansites.
Duke Freedom posted on 15-May-2007 13:23
Duffman, some so-called "fansites" consciously have Rule-Breaking adverts. I'm fairly sure Jagex was talking mostly about those fansites in their news item.
Furthermore, many fansites hide themselves a bit too easily behind the "we can't do anything about it" arguement as well, which E here counters with this article.
Jagex also mentioned somewhere else that they are certainly not going to nitpick on those fansites who do as much as they can to prevent unwanted adverts.
Eeeeediot posted on 15-May-2007 15:30
Duffman, this editorial is specific to the fansite issue whereas the gold selling websites issue is not considered here. I clearly set out why fansites are obligated to remain within the RuneScape rules and covering costs is not a valid reason to break them.
I wrote this article based on my experience with Google Ads at both Tip.It and here at RuneHead and I can assure you that Zybez would not go bust without gold selling ads. They can easily use a bigger ad banner at the top to improve income. They can also relocate the navigation and the ad below it to the right instead of the left to further increase income from Google Ads. It is their duty to find a solution within the rules.
As regards the filtering system I proposed, it is working absolutely fine and I assure you that there are not more than 200 active gold selling sites on Google Ads at any one time.
--
Lastly, Google Adwords have replied to my suggestion of them not allowing RuneScape gold selling ads to appear in the first place. They said they will pass it to their legal and policy team for consideration. I would urge all fan site owners to contact Google Adwords with this same suggestion so they know that there is a demand for their approval policy to be updated.
Ks Jeppe posted on 16-May-2007 14:02
Not that i think Jagex will read this editorial (would be cool though
), but if someone at Jagex, along with the other fansite owners out there were to contact Google like Eeeeediot posted above i'm sure we could work out something good with them 
NightBro2 posted on 18-May-2007 15:04
Thanks for the thoughtful editorial about a subject which should interest all RuneScape players/fansite owners. I have long been disgusted by the ads found on many fansites and am grateful to know that there are other options for them. I also like the idea of all fansite owners contacting Google to express their feeling on these ads. Perhaps if enough fans complain to Google, they will remove these from their "customer base" and no longer do business with them.
As a 'fansite' owner myself, I have chosen to pay for my hosting myself rather than use "free" sites who recieve their pay from ads. I do this for two reasons:
1)I don't want any "gold seller" ads on my site at all!
2)I also do not want any ad that is inappropriate for all viewers.
No ads means my site will stay "small" and not offer much for other fans, however it does provide a forum for Knight Avengers Clan and a place where we can share tips, advice and encouragement for our Clan members.
Burta posted on 30-Jun-2007 02:06
Personally I think it is Jagex's problem not the problem of fan site owners. Jagex have blatantly decided to take a hard line approach to gold selling and have now off loaded the burden onto fan site owners because it is clear they can't solve the problem by themselves with their current policies. I have written extensive articles on my thoughts on the issues:
Solving The Gold Selling Problem - http://www.rshaven.com/solving-the-RuneScape-gold-selling-problem/
Jagex Doesn't Have the Right to Chose Fan Site Ads - http://www.rshaven.com/RuneScape-gold-selling-and-cheat-ads/
Upward Trend of Gold Selling - http://www.rshaven.com/upward-trend-of-buying-RuneScape-gold/