The AdSense blog today confirms what we’ve all been noticing for a while now – they’ve started including a little Google Checkout icons on advertisers who use it (see below).
I’m interested to hear from publishers on whether they like it or not.
On one hand it does add something a little more eye catching to the ad which might increase CTR. Some publishers like them for this reason.
However I’m hearing from a few publishers that they feel a little used by Google with these icons – like they’re helping Google promoting their checkout system with no real reward. Some would like the ability to switch them off.
One or two have even suggested that Google need to make the icon a referral link that pays publishers a commission if someone new signs up for Google Checkout as a result of clicking on the ad.
What do you think of them?
Here’s how the icon will appear on ads on publisher’s sites (see the second ad).
They’re doing it in Google search results also with much less subtle icon which I’m glad they’re not imposing upon AdSense publishers (see it below).
