Forum Moderators: martinibuster
has anyone been invited? what is it? Where can we see examples?
Over the next few weeks we'll be testing AdSense video distribution and sponsorship with a small group of publishers... This time, we'll be... grouping together video content from providers such as Warner Music Group and Sony BMG Music Entertainment together with quality ads and offering them as playlists which publishers can select from and display on their AdSense sites. Participating publishers range from small to large, and cut across many different types of content.
[edited by: martinibuster at 7:54 pm (utc) on Jan. 22, 2007]
[edit reason] Fixed URL and quote. [/edit]
Oh well, it was worth trying. I'm not going to lose any more revenue beta testing it for another week, I took the video ads down and don't plan on recommending them to anyone I knew. I don't even think its about having "cold" days, my visitors in particular simply aren't interested.
The videos look nice but if they're earning for me zilch, definitely not worth keeping. I'm giving it until tomorrow to show some sign of life.
Still keeping my fingers crossed, and hoping for some AdLinks type CPM numbers.
I was very excited with this product, and it's turning into a disappointment
Don't give up as it can be very good. Google just hasn't grown up completely when it comes to anything other than the cpc game they are used to. When they get to where others are in this area it'll be fine.
JAG
I've been closely watching this thread as the product team over here has been really interested in what you have to say. It seems that there's a bit of confusion on the pilot reports, so here are a couple of clarifications on the main issues:
* As a reminder, there is a normal 24-hour delay with your pilot reports updating.
* If you have users outside of the U.S., they won't be able to see the video channels on your site. Instead, they'll see regular AdSense ads, and stats for these impressions will appear as part of your normal AdSense reports.
* Impressions counted in your pilot reports are different from impressions reported in your regular AdSense reports. The impressions counted for this pilot are only for the number of video ads that appear when users watch your video playlists. So it makes sense that the impression numbers will be smaller than the impression numbers in your regular AdSense reports.
The product managers also asked me to pass along some tips on implementing the video channels on your pages:
"1. Think of the video channels as additional content. So you might think of them differently as when you decide where to implement an AdSense ad. In fact we encourage you *not* to replace any existing ads for the video player. Instead, look for spots on your site where you think your users could benefit from more content. Keep in mind that users won't notice the video player if it's buried within a page or otherwise not easily visible, so try placing them in areas where you think your users will notice them.
2. Remember that the video channels are not counted in the "3 per page" policy for AdSense ads. You can only display 1 video channel per page but you're welcome to try out any of the video channels throughout your site. In fact, we encourage you to try out all the available video content and see what your users like the best.
3. That little envelope button you see in your video players is a "send to a friend" feature where users can send an email to friends about the video. The best part - it will direct users back where it was sent from (your site). We want to help your site become a place where people come to watch great video on an ongoing basis.
4. Try not to always use the exact same channel on all your pages, as users might get blind to it. For example, you could try one video channel on your homepage, another video channel on your article pages, and another on your forum pages, etc. Mix it up!
The video channels are a great way to complement your own site content and provide your users w/ engaging, high quality video content, while at the same time giving you some incremental revenue. Since this is a test, the team is keeping a close eye on how users respond to the video channels and will make changes and tweaks to help improve response rate, etc. Your participation and personal experiments with the videos on your site are very helpful as we continue to test things from our end."
The pilot FAQ can be found at:
[google.com...]
Keep your feedback coming; the engineers and product teams want to hear it.
-ASA
Try not to always use the exact same channel on all your pages, as users might get blind to it. For example, you could try one video channel on your homepage, another video channel on your article pages, and another on your forum pages, etc. Mix it up!
I don't really have that option because my site is dedicated to a particular genre of music. If the videos directly related to that genre aren't performing, I can hardly imagine the NBA videos or those of another genre helping.
If my visitors wanted to watch videos, they'd already be on Youtube. Google should stick to their new investment, I think the video ads were certainly worth a shot, but its a swing and a miss.
We want to help your site become a place where people come to watch great video on an ongoing basis.
Huh? Can you explain more on what you mean exactly? You want people to keep coming back to see video ads?
JAG
Users do not need to watch the entire ad for you to receive earnings, but they need to begin to view the ad in order to count as a conversion.
Users are able to skip through the ads within a playlist.
Publishers will not be paid unless a user begins to watch an ad.
in other words: the user must want to watch the ad in order for the publisher to get paid.
as i see it, to prove the actual demand for watching the specific ad, there is kind of a qualifying period for a few seconds in which the user has to hang on to count as a conversion.
this is not cpm, at least not in the proper sense, that the ad only has to be visible when a user visits a webpage - without the obstructive options to play and to skip.
these two obstacles (play/skip) will make it nearly impossible to earn the publisher an adequate amount from the integration into his valuable website space. at least not with the current rates.
it is something like "pay per (1)play and then (2)not skip" = "pay per desired ad impression".
now how should that work out? sorry, but this is rubbish once again.
* If you have users outside of the U.S., they won't be able to see the video channels on your site. Instead, they'll see regular AdSense ads, and stats for these impressions will appear as part of your normal AdSense reports.
Which for some would equate to four ad blocks.
Does G show any video ads to users outside of the U.S.?
What is worrisome is whether this pilot test will actually yield results. In one playlist, you need to finish watching a Madonna video (the complete video) before an ad is served (and before you can get paid!).
As ASA said, that means you really have to treat the video ad as part of the content! I was even told that you can add a message to encourage your visitors to play the videos and watch the content.
a) G features any video ads to users outside the US and
b) Whether non-US publishers can have these ads on their sites for viewers in the US?
Another question I am not to clear about. Are these playlist video ads the same as regular video ads or are they all the same?
Unlike the normal video ads when you get paid the moment the video ad is played, this playlist has CONTENT (e.g. Wall Street Journal news analysis, Madonna video) that the visitor has to watch first -- but which the publisher does not get paid. The publisher gets paid ONLY if the visitors stays long enough to watch the ad in between the content.
At first, eCPM was high, then it slowly dropped to about half of what I was before I started running these ads. CTR dropped big time because the ads simply had nothing to do with the website. The whole contextual aspect went out the window.
The video playlist report does not show the ECPM as its report is shown under the Referrals section as Video Distribution Channel. The report does not show the ECPM but CONVERSIONS.
Maybe you're talking of the regular video ads
What is the revenue share?
Revenue will be split three ways between the video content provider, the AdSense publisher, and Google. We are not disclosing the revenue share.
My concern is the revenue share.
At least with Firefox referrals, you get $0.10 for every conversion. With the video playlist, 10 conversion = $0.
I am wondering how small the revenue share of publishers with this 3-way revenue split
and yes, I know these are seen more as just regular content than ads. but i was using the NBA videos (only thing related to my site), and its highlights from weeks or months back, that remains the same every day.
this could work if a) the playlist was shuffled so the same little clip wasn't always first, and b) the content was updated daily.. These videos need work, and I'm sure they will improve.
This might work if the ads played at the beginning and were integrated a little better to flow seamlessly into the video. I'm really looking forward to the day that those adsense ads for free ringtones (which do convert) can be replaced with something elegant.
But boy, oh boy, this is the hardest $1 to make in Adsense. It's just like Adsense for Search -- you use it not because it can give you boatloads of money but because it provides something else on your site
I wonder how your conversions have improved with this new change
