Written on May 5th, 2006 at 08:05 am by Darren Rowse
New AdSense referrals for Google Pack and Picasa
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.
24 Responses to “New AdSense referrals for Google Pack and Picasa”
Derek Hail
May 5th, 2006 8:38 am
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.
Henry
May 5th, 2006 8:49 am
Are Google referral buttons included in the rule of only 3 Adsense ad units must be on one page of your site?
Michael Hampton
May 5th, 2006 8:57 am
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.
Henry
May 5th, 2006 9:05 am
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?
xfiles
May 5th, 2006 9:15 am
Darren
It not pays $2 or $1
it pays up to $2 or up to $1
Michele
May 5th, 2006 9:20 am
I can’t see the “google pack” option. Am I blind?
Darren Rowse
May 5th, 2006 9:30 am
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
May 5th, 2006 9:31 am
Michele - I’m in Ireland :)
So it’s more than just the language setting this time? Hmmm
Blog Cook Book » Google Ads More Products
May 5th, 2006 9:36 am
[…] Thanks to Darren for pointing it out! […]
Henry
May 5th, 2006 9:52 am
Thanks Darre. Indeed no Google Pack for us. It is only for US publishers at this time.
Michele
May 5th, 2006 9:57 am
Henry - I never make any money off the products anyway.. so it’s no great loss
Henry
May 5th, 2006 10:16 am
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. :)
Eric Giguere
May 5th, 2006 10:20 am
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!
Henry
May 5th, 2006 10:58 am
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. :)
Matt
May 5th, 2006 10:05 pm
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? :)
Matt
May 5th, 2006 10:11 pm
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?
bongnn
May 7th, 2006 12:35 am
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?
Sridhar
May 12th, 2006 4:52 am
bongann: It works fine for me. Click on my name to go to my blog if you want to test it out.
Online Affiliate Programs »
May 24th, 2006 2:03 pm
[…] Make Money Online with ProBlogger Blog Tips Affiliate ProgramsBen is talking about affiliate programs here and not advertising . A common misconception that No news on when we ll be back online at this point. update : They look like they are back up […]
AIS and SEO by Sarah / Some Light Reading
May 27th, 2006 9:41 am
[…] ProBlogger.net is a site just full of information. Adsense tips for Bloggers is an 8 part series on various tips and information about using Adsense within your blog, again a great source of information regardless of whether you want to run a blog or adsense on a web site. The site also has Affiliate tips too. This is the type of site where the blogger has tried a lot of what is already out there. Whilst it is always a case of what works for one may not work for another, at least you can get a head start with this site on what’s good to try in the first place. […]
Suzanna
June 13th, 2006 9:55 am
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
Chetan
July 26th, 2006 9:50 am
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.
Jane
January 1st, 2007 12:42 pm
It is “up to” 2 dollars, so it could be 10 cents if a user from India installs it.
Muna wa Wanjiru
April 21st, 2007 10:21 pm
has anyone tested the best positioning of the google referral ads
muna wa wanjiru
Leave a Reply