How to test adsense ads without any fear of invalid impressions?

How to test adsense safely?

Those who use adsense would understand that it requires a lot of testing and retesting before arriving at that perfect layout for your ads. This testing might lead to a lot of unwanted impressions (that are against adsense TOS). Here are the two ways, I test my adsense ads without fear of invalid/excess impressions.

1) Use images exactly of the same size of the ad you are going to use. Pick the adsense images here.

2) Many a times you might want to check the layout rendered after the actual javascript is executed. Add a parameter google_adtest = “on”; to your adsense code and place it where you want to intend to put the actual code. For ex: If your adsense code is-

<script type="text/javascript"><!--


google_ad_client = "pub-****************";


/* 200x200, created 08/08/08 */


google_ad_slot = "12345678";


google_ad_width = 200;


google_ad_height = 200;


//-->


</script>


<script type="text/javascript"


src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">


</script>

The code after adding the parameter would become-

<script type="text/javascript"><!--


google_ad_client = "pub-****************";


/* 200x200, created 08/08/08 */


google_ad_slot = "12345678";


google_ad_width = 200;


google_ad_height = 200;


google_adtest = "on";


//-->


</script>


<script type="text/javascript"


src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">


</script>

With google_adtest=”on” , though you will see the ads related to your content, no impression or ad click will be added to your account and hence you are safe. I guess you must be wondering that Google adsense TOS does not allow any change of code then how come I am doing it. I have verified this from the Google Adsense team and they are ok with it.

NB: For one of my blogs hosted on blogger, I have created a dummy blog. All testing related to new layouts, ads etc is done on this dummy blog.

Related posts:

  1. How to show adsense ads only on home page and not on inner pages of your blogger blog?
  2. How to show adsense below the post title in your blogger hosted blog only on inner pages except on home page?
  3. How to safely wrap adsense around blog posts in blogger?
  4. How to keep your adsense account safe?
  5. Google Adsense For Domain is now LIVE for Indian publishers

November 14th, 2008 adsense, Blogging