We understand you may have questions and concerns about invalid activity and keeping your account in good standing. Below we've provided a list of the most common issues and concerns publishers might have:
- I accidentally clicked on my own ads. Will this cause a problem for my account?
- I noticed some unusual click activity on my account. How can I protect myself from invalid activity?
- Can I view my own ads without generating invalid impressions?
- I expect a significant increase in my app traffic. Do I need to report it?
- My reports are showing clicks on my ads, but no earnings. What's going on?
- Can I play the videos of ads on my app?
I accidentally clicked on my own ads. Will this cause a problem for my account?
Although publishers are not permitted to click on their own ads for any reason, we do understand that accidental clicks may occur. We therefore don't require that you contact us every time you click on your ads. Rest assured that your account is being properly credited for all clicks and impressions we consider to be valid.I noticed some unusual click activity on my account. How can I protect myself from invalid activity?
If you suspect that invalid activity may have resulted from a visitor to your app, we suggest that you review your app's logs for any suspicious activity and notify us with your findings. This information can help us in resolving any issues, although as outlined in our Terms and Conditions, Google will use its sole discretion when determining instances of invalid activity.
You may also wish to review our tips and guidelines for keeping your account in good standing.
Lastly, please note that we'll monitor your situation closely, and that your account is being properly credited for all clicks and impressions we consider to be valid.
Can I view my own apps without generating invalid impressions?
Yes, you're welcome to view your own app without generating invalid impressions. Simply viewing your app yourself will not jeopardize your account’s good standing. However, please continue to avoid clicking on any ads, and don't reload your screen excessively. We take the issue of invalid clicks and impressions very seriously and have a dedicated team of specialists and automated systems to flag and review any unusual activity.
I expect a significant increase in my app traffic. Do I need to report it?
We understand that your app traffic may significantly increase for various reasons, and that you may feel you ought to let us know. However, there's no need to notify us of a surge in activity, as we continually monitor all clicks and impressions on Google ads to prevent any abuse of the program. We'll monitor your situation closely, and your account is being properly credited for all clicks and impressions we consider to be valid.
My reports are showing clicks on my ads, but no earnings. What's going on?
It could be that your account has some clicks or impressions which our monitoring system considers to be invalid. As you may know, to protect the interests of our publishers and those of our advertisers, Google monitors clicks on Google ads to prevent any abuse of the program. Google's proprietary technology analyzes all ad clicks for any invalid activity that is intended to artificially drive up an advertiser's clicks or a publisher's earnings. Clicks deemed by our monitoring system to be invalid will appear in your reports.
Publishers don't receive any revenue for invalid clicks, so you may occasionally notice clicks with no associated revenue. Note that your account is being properly credited for all clicks we consider to be valid.
Can I play the videos of ads on my app?
You're welcome to view the videos of ads on your app by clicking the play button. Clicks on the play button are not counted as clicks in your reports. We only count clicks that lead a user to the advertiser's site, including on the display URL or on the video while it's playing.