referrals - just an FYI

[vero]

When I asked about adding referrals (for products other than Google toolbar and FF browser) many of you said they weren't worth it.
You all were right!
I tried a few weeks experiment adding them. The referrals got lots of clicks, but no one signed up. Plus, my overall earnings went down, possibly because people were clicking, but it was on stuff I wasn't getting paid for, instead of the normal ads I'd be getting something for.
Bottom line - I've removed them, and things are back to normal.
The only way I'd try them again is if they changed the payment structure so you got something if people clicked, and then more if they actually bought, signed up, or whatever the payable action was supposed to be.

[farmboy]

The only way I'd try them again is if they changed the payment structure so you got something if people clicked, and then more if they actually bought, signed up, or whatever the payable action was supposed to be.

It's unfortunate that Google's PPA program has caused people to think this way. PPA can work, if implemented properly, as many people who participate in affiliate marketing can attest.

I wonder if Google has plans to start over and do things better the next go-round?

FarmBoy

[tim222]

The only way I'd try them again is if they changed the payment structure so you got something if people clicked, and then more if they actually bought, signed up, or whatever the payable action was supposed to be.

I think advertisers would take advantage of that to get cheap clicks, just like they took advatage of the referrals program to get free clicks.

Referrals programs require too much work. First you need to check out the landing page of every advertiser to make sure they've got a clear path to the action page. Next, you have to constantly monitor them to make sure they haven't changed anything.

[StuffOfInterest]

It looks to me like Google's referral system is broken in more ways than one. I'm trying to use manged referral blocks (from the "Manage Ads") screen both on pages where it doesn't make sense to run normal AdSense ads and as a default mechanism on AdSense ads. The code is fine, and previews work, but the ads almost never show up in page. Also, the channel data doesn't seem to get recorded at all as any time I try to get a report by channel, nothing comes back. Makes it hard to see which ad blocks are being displayed and which areas are more likely to get clicks.

Combined with the pitifully low click rate I've seen on ads which do get shown, I'm seriously considering going back to showing filler ads or collapsing the ad space when not in use.

[edited by: StuffOfInterest at 5:16 pm (utc) on Jan. 25, 2008]

[asas111]

Guys, don't want to jinx it, and as much as I thought they would never work on my site, Referals have been pretty good. I have gotten close to $20 from them so far, in less than one month of having them. My site users are not the most tech-savvy, so when they see that "Free Google Pack" button, they get curious, click on it and download it (I hope they end up using it)

Google always recommended in my account to enable Referrals to make more money. But I thought there was no chance! But I did and it is actually brigning me some money. But I think it will die off eventually, and people won't download it (even though I always have new visitors coming)

By the way, almost 99% of the referral were for the Google Pack, except for one which went for some insurance company I beleive.

[tim222]

By the way, almost 99% of the referral were for the Google Pack, except for one which went for some insurance company I beleive.

That doesn't surprise me. In my earlier, cynical comment regarding advertisers, I had forgotten about Google. They're about the only advertiser I would trust.