Google: We are retiring AdSense Referrals‏

[Llamalord]

Damn!

Hello,

Thank you for participating in the AdSense Referrals program.
We’re writing to let you know that we will be retiring the AdSense
Referrals program during the last week of August. We appreciate
your patience during this transition and here are some alternative
options to consider:

* Google Affiliate Network: As part of the integration of
DoubleClick, 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. For
further details, please visit:
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].
* AdSense for content ads: If you have less than three AdSense
for content ad units on a page, you may wish to replace the
referral ad units with standard AFC ad units.


If you currently use referral ads, either to promote Google
products or offerings from AdWords advertisers, AdSense Referrals
code will no longer display ads beginning the last week of August.
We encourage you to take the following steps before the product is
retired:

* Remove the referral code from your site(s): Please take a
moment to remove all referral code from your sites before the last
week of August, so you can continue to effectively monetize your
ad space.
* Run and save all referrals reports on your desktop: Create
and save all reports related to the referrals program on your
desktop, so you continue to have access to your valuable campaign
information


Why is this happening?
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:
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

Sincerely.

The Google AdSense Team

[life31]

Yep got the mail too. Very good indeed!

But then what they have done is kept the affiliate network and google adsense accounts saperate now. Youll need to sign up for a different account at affiliate network.

It would be good if they had the same account so all the earnings would have been credited to that.

Anyways fine!

[hwang]

I never actually make any money coming from referral part so the news would not make any difference. Does that applies to FF referral as well?

[life31]

Yep I think it does actually apply for FF refrals too cos they have mentioned this -

If you currently use referral ads, either to promote Google
products or offerings from AdWords advertisers, AdSense Referrals
code will no longer display ads beginning the last week of August.
We encourage you to take the following steps before the product is
retired:

* Remove the referral code from your site(s): Please take a
moment to remove all referral code from your sites before the last
week of August, so you can continue to effectively monetize your
ad space.
* Run and save all referrals reports on your desktop: Create
and save all reports related to the referrals program on your
desktop, so you continue to have access to your valuable campaign
information

[hwang]

Oh...I see, thanks for the explanation. So, that applies to other program advertisers as well. I read a lot across forum about people complaining about it, but hey new rules means new strategies. Do you think it's getting harder to earn from google nowadays?

[life31]

Yes it is most probably becoming harder and harder.
They have set up new rules for the affiliate network now to avoid scams and other unauthorised stuff. Moreever you need a business email ie the email of the domain you are registering at their affiliate networs. Something like if your domain is xyz(dot)com then you email id should be abc@xyz(dot)com. No free ids allowed.

Moreever they are also asking for your TAX ID or SSN upfront and the strictest of it is that the WHOIS of the domain you sign up with hould be the same as of the account user details.

Its really gonna be tough for scammers but then better for people who dont scam

[hwang]

Yeah, I think the reason they implemented the new rulings was because there has been some scam happening which has gone undetected. Imagine the number of ways one can cheat by using some black hat method.

[life31]

Yep they are trying to make it secure as well attract advertisers. Most of the advertisers would preffer using it now cos they have the name aswell they are looking into the security issues too. So the advertisers would be convinced that they will get some good working and real time leads rather then fake leads or multiple sign ups or such stuff.

Its would be like much better platform for advertisers but a strict and tough work for the publishers. Hope they think of the publishers too by rewarding them handsomely.

[hwang]

Yes, I agree. Publishers will definitely have a very hard time. But then I still feel the adsense ad units will earn much better than referrals. What do you think? I never actually make decent money from referrals, that's why I only concentrate on ads alone.

[liowkc]

The reason is simple - for Google to launch a rebranded version of DoubleClick’s Performics Affiliate Network which they acquired in March 08.

Anyway most publishers had very little success with the referrals program within AdSense. so it is an opportune time to get rid of the program.

[life31]

Its true that the refral thing did not help people much. May be cos very less people used it.

But the about the affiliate they had the intensions long back and thats the reason they had implemented the refral feature to adsense. I remember they making a announcement long back saying they they are going to launch a commision junction killer soon