Comments on: Amazon to Launch Contextual Advertising

By: Duncan

Duncan — Mon, 29 May 2006 23:23:33 +0000

I’ve just started using the Amazon ’self optimizing links’, as provided by Amazon.co.uk in a beta program. I can’t see any sign of the program at Amazon.com. I understand that the revenue base continues as before – you get paid on commission based on what people purchase, not on what they click through to. The contextualised products start to appear after four to five clicks on each page.

By: advertising

advertising — Sun, 30 Apr 2006 20:55:16 +0000

So, you’ve acquired a customer, they’re paying you a monthly rental fee, referred a friend, purchased packing supplies and a lock from you and just insured their grandmother’s heirlooms and son’s baseball card collection they have stored with you…

By: Saryada

Saryada — Fri, 07 Apr 2006 03:15:42 +0000

When is Amazon going to launch this program? where can we register to be able to add Amazon Ads on our site?

By: Tien-Chih Wang

Tien-Chih Wang — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 14:50:16 +0000

Hi,
This site provides Free Ebay Contextual Advertising Service.

http://www.ioUrl.com

By: John

John — Mon, 06 Feb 2006 09:18:04 +0000

well it is about damm time Amazon.com are finally catching up , i fuess they finally relized nobody is interested in there crappy pay per sale program.

By: Anthony

Anthony — Mon, 06 Feb 2006 03:52:10 +0000

Have just read Chris Beasley's post at his SitePoint blog and it seems that ad inventory will be will filled by third party sponsored links and not Amazon affiliate links. Anyone who doesen't know Chris aka Aspen from SPF + WSP should read his stuff. He knows more than anyone I've ever seen about SEO and revenue generating.

By: Anthony

Anthony — Mon, 06 Feb 2006 01:08:13 +0000

Amazon has more than enough ad inventory on their own properties (IMDB + Alexa) to test their new contextual systems though third party publisher testing would be benficial for their reporting methods. It’ll be interesting to see how this end of the ad market sorts itself out now if Amazon is serious. You’d think they would first buy a exisiting ad network to tap into the advertiser base or are they going to fill the ads with Amazon products and co-promotions with suppliers?

By: Paul

Paul — Sun, 05 Feb 2006 23:02:32 +0000

Awesome. This will be perfect for my movie reviews blog :)

By: Darren Rowse

Darren Rowse — Sun, 05 Feb 2006 21:29:46 +0000

pc unix – thanks for picking me up on that. You’re right that you can run them on the same site just never on the same page. Similarly you can’t run any contextual ads on the same page (this is why Chitika’s eMiniMalls became non contextual even though they looked completely diffferent to text ads).

By: pcunix

pcunix — Sun, 05 Feb 2006 20:42:36 +0000

What *I* want is better reporting or, failing that, a model where the publishing network (Google, YPN, Amazon) would pay attention to what works on a specific page and do more of the same. Ideally, I’d like to be able to say (in code) “Here’s up to 468 x 640 worth of real estate. Feel free to run a horizontal or vertical banner using appropriate ‘div’ tags to set the actual size and orientation, etc.. If I don’t want skyscrapers on a particular page, I’ll set that flag. If I don’t want right hand colums, I’ll tell you that. I’ll tell you whether to set “float” or not should you choose to run skyscraper. Within whatever constraints I set, feel free to experiment and do what you think is best, and try to maximize income for both of us”.

After all, they should be able to do that far better than I can, because they can draw from their experience and even current activity at millions of other sites.

I hope Amazon competes hard with Google. I’m not against Google, I wish them nothing but good things, but they sorely need real competition and maybe Amazon can do it. Right now, I think Google is too lazy and complacent – things need shaking up.

By: Thomas

Thomas — Sun, 05 Feb 2006 18:59:09 +0000

Sounds great.

What I want from Amazon:
- Something like the original Chitika (with fade-in animation and all areas clickable)
- CPA model with better commissions than the current program. Amazon’s financial results weren’t that great and I’m sure affiliates may be able to boost their income. A CPC model isn’t needed.
- Contextual ads aren’t necessary. I just need a targeting tag like Chitika currently has. That would also make you able to run AdSense or YPN on the same page.
- Geotargeting and an option to display alternate ads when Amazon doesn’t have a branch in the country of the visitor. Showing US Amazon ads to a visitor from lets say Poland is useless.

By: Ray

Ray — Sun, 05 Feb 2006 17:07:09 +0000

I have to agree with infonote-the more competition, the better for everyone.

By: Alex Morganis

Alex Morganis — Sun, 05 Feb 2006 14:20:12 +0000

Hey Michele, the Adsense TOS doesn’t allow you to use competitve contextual ads. Try using Adsense and YPN on the same site.

By: George

George — Sun, 05 Feb 2006 14:03:24 +0000

Grrrrrrr …. did I click twice?

By: George

George — Sun, 05 Feb 2006 14:01:32 +0000

pcunix … I don’t know for YPN … but for AdSense ….

1) yes, it’s “page” and not “site”. But …

2) It’s not just Google and YPN not allowing “each other’s ads”. Google forbids any “ads that mimic Google ads” on the same page where you have AdSense, whether those ads are from YPN / Amazon / Aunty Lizzie … doesn’t matter.

Google Quote:

” We do not permit Google ads or search boxes accessing Google search services to be published on web pages that also contain what could be considered competing ads or services. If you have elected to receive contextually-targeted Google ads, this would include all other contextually-targeted ads or links on the same page as Google ads. This would also include ads throughout the site that mimic Google ads or otherwise appear to be associated with Google on your site. Although you may sell ads directly on your site, it is your responsibility to ensure these ads do not mimic Google ads. If you have elected to receive Google search services, this would include other search services on the same site and non-Google query-targeted ads. We do allow affiliate or limited-text links. “

By: George

George — Sun, 05 Feb 2006 14:00:56 +0000

pcunix … I don’t know for YPN … but for AdSense ….

1) yes, it’s “page” and not “site”. But

2) And it’s not just Google and YPN not allowing “each other’s ads”. Google forbids any “ads that mimic Google ads” on the same page where you have AdSense, whether those ads are from YPN / Amazon / Aunty Lizzie … doesn’t matter.

Google Quote:

By: Michele

Michele — Sun, 05 Feb 2006 13:52:08 +0000

YPN is not available to those of us outside the US at present, while Amazon has always encouraged international publishers.

Secondly, as was already mentioned, the TOS of adsense allow you to alternate context ads.

A lot will depend on how they implement it..

By: pcunix

pcunix — Sun, 05 Feb 2006 13:31:29 +0000

Since when do “AdSense and YPN not allow contextual ads on the same site”?

As far as I knew, they don’t allow each others ads on the same page at the same time.

Has that suddenly changed?

By: infonote

infonote — Sun, 05 Feb 2006 13:19:54 +0000

The more competition the better i suppose.