Using Keywords When Promoting Grayhat Offers in Google Ads

20 Aug 24 2:15 pm

Using Keywords When Promoting Grayhat Offers in Google Ads

Google Ads is an incredibly powerful platform to drive targeted traffic to your offers, but you really have to know what you're doing when it comes to launching and optimizing your ad campaigns.

The problem is, if your offer is in a grayhat niche like gambling or adult, then keywords can actually work against you instead of helping. Using keywords in grayhat niches can lead to your campaigns getting rejected, your accounts getting banned, and just end up wasting your advertising budget.

However, in this article, we're going to show you how to use keywords effectively when you're running ads for grayhat offers in niches like gambling and adult.

Google Ads: A strict censor or a goldmine for grayhat verticals?

Google Ads is known for having really tight rules around promoting things like gambling, adult content, and other sensitive topics. These regulations are there to align with laws and policies in different countries. But even so, experienced affiliates have found ways to work around these restrictions and still leverage Google Ads to their advantage.



Using keywords in grayhat niches: Balancing ad campaigns and bans

Keywords are the lifeblood of any successful Google Ads campaign. They're what connect your ads to the users who are searching for offers like yours. However, in these grayhat niches, keywords can often become a double-edged sword, potentially leading to problems with Google's policies.



Let's look at some of the different types of keywords that can cause big problems when promoting grayhat offers on Google Ads:

- Direct keywords from partially restricted and prohibited topics: These are keywords that directly reference the sensitive nature of the offer. Examples include terms like "online casino," "slot machines," "watch porn online," "webcam 18+," "dating for sex," and "earnings in online casinos." Google's algorithms are designed to flag these kinds of keywords, which can lead to your ads getting rejected or your entire account getting banned. It's essential to avoid these direct keywords to stay on the right side of Google's policies.

- Branded keywords: This category involves using the actual names of specific gambling websites, adult websites, or other companies that Google has already blacklisted. For example, mentioning well-known gambling platforms or adult content providers can quickly trigger penalties. Google's systems are vigilant in monitoring these branded keywords, and using them can result in immediate repercussions. Affiliates need to be cautious about incorporating such keywords into their campaigns.

- "Bypass" keywords: Some affiliates try to get around the restrictions by using more vague keywords that seem innocent on the surface. Examples include phrases like "slots play online for free" or "films for adults." While these keywords might initially appear safe, Google's algorithms are quite adept at identifying the true nature of these terms. As a result, these "bypass" keywords can still end up getting your ads disapproved. Affiliates need to be creative but also mindful of how they choose and use these keywords.

Despite these challenges, experienced affiliates can still successfully navigate Google Ads by carefully choosing and testing keywords. They often employ subtle variations and creative phrasing to align with advertiser needs without violating Google’s guidelines.

In an insightful interview with ExCPA Club, Alexander Flint, the owner of a renowned SEO and media buying agency, emphasized the risks associated with using keywords that include terms like “free” and “demo.” According to Flint, these can lead to misleading ads and wasted budgets, as they often fail to deliver the intended results and can attract unwanted moderation from Google’s review bots.



How to avoid bans when using keywords in ad campaigns promoting grayhat offers

As mentioned earlier, in order to successfully promote grayhat offers in Google Ads, you need to act carefully and thoughtfully. Here are some detailed tips to help you run ads for gambling and adult niches without too much hassle:

- Use indirect keywords: Choose words that suggest your offer without being too obvious. For example, instead of "online casino," use phrases like "best slots in Denmark" or "entertainment for adults." These terms can help you stay under Google's radar by not directly mentioning restricted topics.
- Mix grayhat keywords with whitehat keywords: Some affiliates use a strategy of blending more whitehat keywords into their campaigns along with the specific, grayhat keywords related to the offer's topic. The goal is to reduce the overall concentration of grayhat keywords.

When using a regular farmed Google Ads account, affiliates often need to first "warm up" the account before scaling their campaigns. This involves using only broad, safe keywords for a few days. After that initial warm-up period, they can then start gradually introducing campaigns with more targeted, grayhat keywords.

The benefit of this approach is that it can help affiliates avoid triggering Google's policies around sensitive verticals. The downside is that it requires additional time and budget to properly warm up the account before scaling things up.

Another option is for affiliates to use trusted agency accounts. These special Google Ads accounts usually have more flexibility when it comes to promoting riskier offers. Affiliates can often skip the long warm-up process and launch campaigns more quickly using these accounts. And if the account ever gets banned, the remaining budget can usually be recovered.

If you use regular farmed accounts, even during the warm-up stage, the account may hit a spending limit. But it's important to note that even these limits can work in the affiliate's favor. For example, Evgeniy Vityuk, the Head of Media Buying for an affiliate marketing team, said in an interview that reaching a daily spend limit indicates that the ad campaign is doing well and Google is suggesting that more money can be spent on it. By setting the recommended budget or a little less, you can safely continue running such a campaign. The full interview was published on the ExCPA Club YouTube channel, a private club of top Google Ads experts whose minimum spend ranges from $1,500–2,000 per day.

- Focus on low-competition keywords: Keywords that have less competition and attract less attention from moderators. These keywords can still drive traffic while reducing the chance of getting flagged. This approach helps maintain a lower profile while ensuring positive ad performance.

- Regularly analyze and optimize keywords: Consistently analyze and optimize your keyword list. Use tools like Google Search Console and third-party software to discover new relevant keywords and evaluate their effectiveness. This helps reduce click costs and improve your ad's position in search results. Regular optimization allows you to stay ahead of changes in the market and keep your campaigns effective.



- Filter negative keywords: Identify keywords that bring in the wrong audience or are too expensive, and add them to your negative keywords list. This could include mentions of competitors or irrelevant topics. By filtering out these keywords, you ensure your ads reach the right audience, optimizing your budget and improving overall campaign performance.



Why your landing page setup matters

Choosing the right keywords is only part of the task when setting up an effective advertising campaign. It's crucial that the landing page (whether it's a pre-landing page, main landing page, or the website itself) does not raise suspicion among moderators or Google bots. When an affiliate advertises a grayhat offer using indirect keywords, it's important that the page avoids direct references to prohibited topics or content.

Here are some recommendations for setting up a landing page for grayhat offers:

- Use whitehat designs and content: The landing page should appear legal and respectable, with a professional design that aligns with industry standards. Use clean layouts, trustworthy images, and professional language to create a legitimate appearance.
- Provide useful information related to the keywords: Ensure that the content on the landing page is relevant and informative. For instance, if the keywords are related to gambling, consider including content about the history of gambling, famous online casinos, gaming strategies, reviews, or ratings of popular slots. This not only adds value but also helps in engaging the audience.



- Set age restrictions: Even for grayhat offers, it's important to comply with legal requirements and avoid marketing to minors. Implementing age verification mechanisms can help in targeting the appropriate audience. Advertisers in sensitive verticals such as gambling and adult content are unlikely to accept traffic that is not properly targeted.
- Regular content updates and split tests: Continuously update the content and perform split tests to determine which elements of the landing page perform best. Experiment with different design options, text, and calls to action to optimize the marketing campaign for better results.

Important to remember: Google frequently updates its algorithms, making it essential for marketers to remain flexible and ready to adapt their promotion strategies to meet new requirements.

Google Ads trust agency accounts provided by YeezyPay, have a number of advantages that make them an ideal choice for affiliate marketers working with grayhat offers. They have a high level of trust, are less likely to be banned, and provide more opportunities for optimizing campaigns.

The importance of flexibility and risk management when promoting grayhat offers in Google Ads




Working with Google Ads in grayhat niches is a constant game of cat and mouse with algorithms and moderators. The key is to be flexible, creative, and ready to adapt to change.

Here are some additional tips to help reduce your risks:

- Mandatory use of anti-detect browsers and resident proxies. Anti-detect browsers allow you to manage many Google Ads accounts simultaneously, providing a unique "fingerprint" for each one. Combined with residential proxies, this tool can help increase the trustworthiness of your account. However, it's important to note that even this combination doesn't always prevent the risk of an account ban in the first few hours of use.
- Diversify your budget: Don't put all your resources into a single account or campaign. Thoughtfully distributing your budget across several accounts and campaigns can often generate more targeted traffic and conversions.
- Strictly follow Google Ads' rules: If you use cloaking, it's best to invest in reputable, reliable services rather than trying to cut corners. Google can easily detect and ban accounts that employ prohibited tactics like redirecting to banned websites or using bots to inflate clicks. Experienced affiliates recommend regularly reviewing the Google Ads guidelines to find loopholes to work around the rules without facing negative consequences

Conclusion

Working with grayhat offers in Google Ads in 2024 is a real challenge for experienced affiliates. The correct selection and use of keywords, proper setup of landing pages, and careful adherence to the rules will help you save accounts and receive traffic that converts into money. And, if an affiliate wants to have even more advantages and protect himself from most problems, it is worth considering Google Ads trusted agency accounts, which open the door to a world of greater opportunities and lower risks.

Experience also goes a long way in improving your chances of profit when working with grayhat offers. The best specialists in Google Ads affiliate marketing, who have expertise in managing the grayhat space, can be found on the ExCPA Club YouTube channel.