Ask starts Search Box Affiliate Campaign

through CJ

[PatrickDeese]

Through a variety of flash ad search units we have created, a publisher can place the Ask Jeeves search engine directly onto their site. Ask Jeeves pays $0.01 for every completed search result query via a unique, qualified search originating from our creative search units.

Hmm. Let's see. The least I've ever earned through Adsense was 3 cents a click, and I'm not a premium publisher...

With AJ's current layout, 1 cent traffic is going to bring them *massive* ROI.

Is anyone really going to do this - put a penny a click search box on their site?

I just can't believe that Ask, supposedly one of the "majors", has sunk this low.

[sem4u]

I wouldn't do it and I'm not really surprised that Ask have sunk to new depths.

[Shak]

this was very common in the early days of search and is a great way for ASK to increase volume, as 1000s of webmasters have the G box with no revenue model.

ASKjeeves brand is quite strong to allow this.

Shak

[PatrickDeese]

I am aware of the branding aspects Shak, and I know that even Google had a search affiliate program at one point in their early history.

The difference is that Ask is not really selling its search results for a penny a click, it is sending visitors to a massive adsense feed of the type only a "premium" publisher could have.

Basically this makes Jeeves no better than Ultsearch or Starware, Munky or any of the other bottomfeeder PPC aggregators.

I am not arguing with the business model - it's going to rake in hella profits - it just makes it obvious that Ask is not really trying to be a good search engine, they are only trying to be a successful PPC feed site with a multi-million dollar advertising budget.

[nate_king1]

Their Business model is simple they earn $30RPM then they pay out $10RPM. Making 66% Gross Margin. While they are just directing the traffic mainly to Google's Advertisers and their own. They build repeat users, brand awarness and brand loyality.

This was extremely popular back in the "GoTo" days. Maybe get back to it.

[stuntdubl]

it just makes it obvious that Ask is not really trying to be a good search engine

Only really to those in the know PD. Most people don't have any idea that the first big block of listings are google ads. Like they say...at least it's relevant;)

I just can't believe that Ask, supposedly one of the "majors", has sunk this low.

Are you REALLY that surprised, or just playing devil's advocate?

Jeeves always kinda catered to those not quite sophisticated to use a *REAL* SE, but bright enough to not use the default MSN (that or they typed *www.askjeeves.com into the MSN search box)

With all that in mind, I only found this post because I came to see if I could be the first to post about the program bash our best butler buddy a bit.

I think AJ is past winning the respect of webmasters, others than those that think catering to the whims of stockholders is a good idea.

[zeus]

I just had a look at the affiliate system and 1 cent is just not enogh for me.

[garyr_h]

Now correct me if I'm wrong, but google adsense for search only pays you if the viewer clicks on the google ads while AskJeeves pays for every completed search.

So Jeeves might have something here for those of us who have plenty of impressions but few clicks on the search results.

[1milehgh80210]

Maybe this will start a 'bidding war' with other SE's.
:)