AdSense Referrals is calling it a day from Google’s basket of website monetization techniques. It seems the transition has already started and by the end of August 2008 it will be completely abolished. There are a couple of webmaster who has reported that primary earning from there site comes from Google AdSense Referrals. Especially the one on Firefox has made many a webmaster making their pocket heavy with Google’s cash. I removed the adsense for referral code from my site in the early stage because of the fact that clicking on same product (obviously the firefox) referral link yielded different amount. Once it accrued 10 cents and once as high as $1 for me. I did not like the concept and dropped the Adsense referrals.

Why Google is abandoning Adsense Referrals?

The answer to this question from Google goes like this:

We’re constantly looking for ways to improve AdSense by developing and supporting features which drive the best monetization results for our publishers. Sometimes, this requires retiring existing features so we can focus our efforts on the ones that will be most effective in the long term. For this reason, we will be retiring the AdSense Referrals program. If you have any additional questions, please visit our Help Center.

Infact Google wants to promote the newly acquired DoubleClick Performics Affiliate operations (Acquired in March 2008). And wants to share a pie of affiliate marketing market. So beware all other affiliate marketing giants there (remembered how Google grasp search engine market when there was hardly a taker to buy their project).

You may look for the following alternatives:

Google Affiliate Network:
The DoubleClick Performics Affiliate Network will now operate as the Google Affiliate Network for advertisers targeting users located in the United States. Similar to the AdSense Referrals program, the Google Affiliate Network enables publishers to apply for advertiser programs and get paid based on advertiser-defined actions instead of clicks or impressions. Further details can be obtained from Google Affiliate Network page.

AdSense for content ads:

If using less than 3 Adsense for Content on page you may replace the code for Adsense referrals with another Adsense For Content ad units. (Do this as long as it does not irritate your readers). If do not wish to do this then simple remove the code as Adsense for referrals will not display any ads after August and the space on your site will be blank.

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