AdSense have continued to release new items on their ‘referral’s program today with two new things for their publishers to earn commissions on. You can now refer to:
- Google Pack – when users install it from your referral you get $2
- Picasa – when users download it from your referral you get $1
Picasa is available in multiple languages but Google Pack is only in US English at this point (I don’t see an option for it here in Australia).
I know I’ll be trying out the Picasa one on my photo blogs:
Source: Inside AdSense
PS: Looks like Google ARE getting into the affiliate marketing game after-all – this makes their referral options 5.
I don’t really know. I am not a fan of the google referrals. I feel like no matter what website you put them on, other than a website that promotes google options or how to make money like Pro Blogger, they are not contextual enough.
At least, I have noticed, I haven’t had any success with them on my celebrity gossip blog, but maybe if I ran a different type, it may work.
Are Google referral buttons included in the rule of only 3 Adsense ad units must be on one page of your site?
The rules for referral buttons are: one per page per product. So you could have one for AdSense, one for Firefox, one for Picasa, all on the same page, but only one of each.
Hi Michael.
So Google Referral Buttons don’t count as Adsense units. I ask this because I already have 3 contextual Adsense units in my page (top, sidebar & footer).
Would putting a referral button violate this?
Darren
It not pays $2 or $1
it pays up to $2 or up to $1
I can’t see the “google pack” option. Am I blind?
Derek – yep you’re right. They will work best on contextually relevant sites. Even on a site like ProBlogger the conversion of my AdSense referrals has been terrible (I think from memory I’ve had only one conversion in 4 or so months.
Henry – in addition to the 3 AdSense blocks, 1 link unit block and 1 search unit you can have one link or button for EACH referral type (ie one for AdSense, one for Firefox, one for Picassa etc). So yes you can add referrals to what you’ve already got.
xfiles – yes that’s true. I wonder why it’s ‘up to’.
Michele – are you in the US? From memory you’re in Ireland? It seems to be US based publishers only.
Michele – I’m in Ireland :)
So it’s more than just the language setting this time? Hmmm
[…] Thanks to Darren for pointing it out! […]
Thanks Darre. Indeed no Google Pack for us. It is only for US publishers at this time.
Henry – I never make any money off the products anyway.. so it’s no great loss
Hi Michele!
I think those things will still depend on the content of your site. If you’re blog is about blogging, I think the Adsense buttons will be more effective. If you’re blog is about photography then the Picasa thing might net some income. :)
Google still has a lot to learn about affiliate programs. Of course, now it’s even easier to fill your pages with Google referral buttons. Content avoidance, that’s just great!
I do hope they will make a referral program for their Google Store. Those USB Drives will be appropriate for my site. But I doubt that since it doesn’t add any value to their core product. :)
Shame its US only, especialy when in no U.s, but 90%+ of my traffic is U.s.
I wonder how the Picasa one will perform on my Image Galleries? :)
Oh just thought, about the putting these on my image galleries etc, I removed all google ads from these galleries a long time ago, of course they were performing badly, … so badly I think it effected my whole account as it gave me a very low CTR, after I removed them, my over all cash went up, maybe I was “un smart priced”……
Putting these on my gallery, would have a very low ctr, and high impressions, would this effect the Adsense Ad’s part?, Im hoping its separate, I know the referrals part is … but what do you think?
I have noticed that non-firefox browsers aren’t able to view the picasa’s referral link correctly. A normaly ‘ads box’ will appear up instead of real links under Internet Explorer 6 and Opera 8.54. Are you all facing the same problems as well?
bongann: It works fine for me. Click on my name to go to my blog if you want to test it out.
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Just found your blog, like what I see, and learning things I did not know about the google referals. Will continue to check for your comments and opinions, Thanks Suzanna
Darren,
Is the google pack referral released by Google.
Because i still am not able to find it in the referrals.
It shows only Picasa, Adsense, Firefox and adwords referrals.
Will it take time to our country?
I am from india.
It is “up to” 2 dollars, so it could be 10 cents if a user from India installs it.
has anyone tested the best positioning of the google referral ads
muna wa wanjiru