AdSense Referrals Program will be Replaced with Google Affiliate Network

2 Jul, 2008 Adsense, Money Makers | by Rahul Bansal (456)

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AdSense Referral Programs which many publisher use to display download firefox button, Google Pack and other product ads, will be retiring is last week of August.

If used with technique like named anchor trick, one can earn decent income from Adsense Referrals. Adsense Referrals currently amounts to 10% of total income. My 80% of referral income share comes from firefox downloads.

By retiring product referrals, Google is not leaving their share of affiliate marketing business. A new service, Google Affiliate Network is launched as part of Google’s DoubleClick Performics Affiliate Network acquisition. You can signup for Google Affiliate Network here.

There are many things which are not clear yet…

What will happen to Google Products and specially firefox?If you remember these 4-5 product was there before third-party products started appearing into AdSense referral program. Will these product be moved to new Affiliate Network or will they given there special status back?
AdSense blog post hints about “advertisers targeting users located in the United States.” What will happen to non-US visitors?

What will happen to pending conversions?

AdSense official help page answered this question with following information,

Starting the last week of August, we’ll no longer be serving referral ads on your website, and no further clicks will be recorded. If a user completes the advertiser’s required action within 30 days of clicking on your ad, earnings will accrue to your account through the end of September. After that time, you will no longer be able to earn money from referral ads. Your payments won’t be affected; you’ll continue to be paid once you’ve reached the payment threshold.

Thanks Gaurav for update

What you need to do now…

You have to remove codes from your site for sure latest by August end. But if you want to keep records about your referrals earnings for whatever reason, you must go to advance report section of Adsense, create reports and download them to your desktop. As all information regarding referral earning will be wiped out form Adsense database.

There are around 50 days left before Adsense referral will retire now. In meantime you can signup for new Google Affiliate Network as well as other alternatives like commission junction, etc.

Link: Official AdSense Post About Adsense Retirement

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4 Comments (including Pingbacks/Trackbacks) so far »

Gaurav said, on July 2, 2008 @7:40 am

Rahul I think they have given a month’s time for “referral conversion from referral date” THey have said such conversions would be paid by september end
https://www.google.com/adsense/support/bin/answer.py?answer=97404&topic=14882
Rahul Bansal said, on July 3, 2008 @8:55 pm

@Gaurav
Thanks for important update. Modified above post accordingly.
alfie said, on August 18, 2008 @11:29 am

I hope adsense transfer firefox referral on its affiliate network. making money on firefox referral is easier than other PPA network.
Rahul Bansal said, on August 19, 2008 @10:37 pm

@alfie
Yep. Otherwise Google will loose number of firefox installation with Google Toolbar.