Contributor by Google

The plot thickens

[Edge]

New email from Google today.. Google Contributor - where visitors can make a small contribution (Monthly) and see fewer ads (AdSense).

[netmeg]

I've known about this for a bit, but I thought I was still under an NDA.

I don't think this will help the ad blocker issue much, but it might assist on the mobile issue.

At any rate, here's the link to more information about it. It's out there in plain view, so might as well post it.

[google.com...]

Note that it's something the USER has to sign up for, and you get a percentage of whatever they're willing to kick in. And they see fewer ads around the whole net. But if they are already happy with ad blocking, I'm not sure they're going to bother with this. And I don't know how the percentage works - probably an affiliate type thing if they sign up off your banner ad. (But of course, if they're running an ad blocker, they won't necessarily SEE your Contribute banner ad)

Me, I think I'll probably still roll my own because I don't think this goes far enough, but it does show Google has been paying attention. Left up to me, I'd construct it differently though.

[Leosghost]

Has existed since late 2014..( originally invite only...and minimum payment to see fewer ads was $1.oo )

[theregister.co.uk...]

Open to all in the U.S.A since June 2015..

Now the minimum is $2.oo..

[google.com...]

edit.. Netmeg posted while I was correcting a typo..

I would not be surprised if Google eventually offer a direct feed for "serverside" serving of ads ( like yahoo do with their feed ) to premium publishers to get around adblockers..Yahoo / MS require around 2 million unique IP visitors per month for the Yahoo feed ( it is highly targeted to page subject..not "personalised" )...G premium publishers need around 10 times that many unique IP visitors to get "premium" status..
I can see G offering "serverside feeds" to premium..and "contributor" / "get adblocked" to the rest of the "non premium" publishers..

[breeks]

Not sure why you would pay when ad blockers do the same thing for free.

New Today = Adblock Plus has released a browser for Android and iOS that is designed to shield mobile device users from ads while they browse the web. (free)

[trebuchet]

I can't remember where it was but did I read that Google Contributor would only reduce around 10% of display advertising for its members? If so it will hardly make a dent in advertising visibility. And as others have said, it's not a viable alternative to adblocking, other than it appeals to people's conscience (which I suspect few have).

[creeking]

New Today = Adblock Plus has released a browser for Android and iOS that is designed to shield mobile device users from ads while they browse the web. (free)

will it block google's ads?

[Leosghost]

It blocks adsense ads..( including text ads ) just tested it..on Android 4.2
It does not block text or text and image adwords in SERPs..
Nor does it block images on SERPs..
Otherwise it behaves just like vanilla Firefox..

[trebuchet]

Just had a look too. Yes, it seems to allow advertising on Google properties but not Adsense on third party sites.

[netmeg]

Kind of sucky for those of us who don't sign up to promote this program. We're just getting more ad-blocked users, right? We've put AdSense on our web properties and Google won't show ads to the people who have contributed, but I don't see that we get any of that contribution money unless they sign up off our own sites. And even if we did, it'd way-less-than-a-penny minuscule.

[Leosghost]

Netmeg..I think we may be talking at "cross purposes" ? ..my post #4766518 ..I was reply to the question by Creeking just above it..was referring to the behaviour of the independent "adblock browser" on Android..

I don't think that "it" and the "Google contributor" program have any direct connection..

Agreed.."Contributor" appears "kind of sucky"..I suspect that it is a "sop" to be able to say to "non premium " adsense publishers "well we thought of you guys"..and then they'll ditch it and leave the non premium sites to drown..

Better PR for them that way than just shutting adsense down..

[netmeg]

My point was that the Contributor program kind of acts as an ad blocker for the people who aren't promoting it. If a user signs up to see fewer ads around the net, doesn't that mean they will be seeing fewer ads on one of my sites, if they visit it?

[trebuchet]

I don't think that's how it works. The visitor only sees fewer ads on partner sites. If you haven't signed up then they see all ads on your sites.

It seems poorly thought out. More a kind of crowdfunding than anything. And it's not clear how much of a cut Google is taking either.

[Leosghost]

@Netmeg

Nope ..if you aren't signed up to it the user will see all the adsense that you run..( if their browser isn't running an adblocker )
If you are signed up ..they'll see fewer adsense ads on your site..maybe none..( again..if their browser isn't running an adblocker )

Google say that "the split" is the same as the "adsense spilt"..

I can't see it taking off while the user still sees any ads at all..
If Google made it like they are proposing to make Youtube ( eventually..if rumours are to be believed.. monthly subscription and no ads* ) then maybe..

*I'd take out a subscription for "the haunt" ..and for "ghostly mobile devices"..

[netmeg]

I guess I don't understand how it works then. From the link I posted above, it looks like the control is in the hands of the *user* not the publisher. All the publisher can do is run the ads promoting it, and sign up to get a piece of the pie. But it looks to me like that pie is gonna be mighty small and shared with a whole lot of publishers. Somebody isn't going get much pie.

[Leosghost]

Ah..I see where you are coming from re control by the publisher..v.. control by the user..
I suppose there is nothing to stop Google running ads ( if you hadn't blocked G as an advertiser, which I know you have ;) on your site for "Contributor"..and like a lot of G things that G uses adsense to advertise it will probably be "whack a mole" trying to keep up with the myriad domains that G can serve from...maybe they'll make it a distinct category "ads promoting Contribute" that one can choose to show or not..like PSAs..

Yep..the more sign ups that they get to it in it's present form..the smaller that "each publisher's part of the pie" will be..

G must know this..which is why I think that they are using it and "sweetheart deals" with the adblock companies over adwords to let adwords wither and die without anyone being able to point fingers at G to say they did it deliberately..as would happen if G announced that they were shuttering adsense for all but the "premium publishers"..

Look at their decisions over the past couple of years..their "re-use" of other site's content..and the dwindling part of adsense compared to their adwords revenue in their quarterlies ..they don't "need" non "premium" adsense publishers anymore..

In the begiining adsense was a superb way to let publishers revenue share in nthe success of Google..and especially that meant that publishers promoted Google to everyone..

Now Google is a verb..they don't need non premium publishers to promote them anymore..

[ChanandlerBong]

Pay no money and see no ads
OR
Pay some money and see some ads

wow, what an idea! I guess if we follow that, if I pay ALL my money, I see ALL the ads! Where do I sign?

[moTi]

that really sounds laughable - or rather desperate. just like news sites with paywalls trying to get users sign up for the same content which is available for free anywhere else one click away.

[engine]

I cannot see how this would work as effectively as either a paywall, or the ad-supported version in which we're all familiar.
As an advertiser, I want may ad in front of people, not filtered. As a publisher, I want ads to show so that I can earn money from the clicks. However, I can see the challenge of an ad blocker that is out of Google's control is going to earn me less, or i'll gain fewer eyeballs, depending upon which side of the fence you sit.

[ken_b]

wow, what an idea! I guess if we follow that, if I pay ALL my money, I see ALL the ads! Where do I sign?

Click right over to example.com they're having a BIG sale, 3 times as many ads for only 2 times as much money!

[trebuchet]

So it seems we've got Google Contributor, which collects money from people to show them slightly less ads on a few different websites, and Adblock Plus, which collects money from Google to show their ads to users who expect them to be blocked. Parasites the lot of 'em.

[Sally Stitts]

"Click right over to example.com they're having a BIG sale, 3 times as many ads for only 2 times as much money!"

I sorta choked on my coffee, with that one. VERY funny.

[netmeg]

I'm not feeling it yet. I put in a whole list of questions (from the user, publisher AND advertiser sides of me) to several people at Google, and so far the answer has been a resounding silence.

Oh, and by the way - if I read this correctly, it sounds like it's turned on for Publishers by default. Otherwise, why would they have a help page for disabling it? That was one of my questions.

[support.google.com...]

[Leosghost]

@Netmeg..that link is interesting, I have feeling that your interpretation is correct and that all adsense publishers may have been "opted" in..
Not how it reads from the contributor site ( where TBH it could read as opted in or optional ) , but like you say "why would they have a disabling page" if all publishers were not opted in by default..

That little nugget ( if is is the case ) could explain many things over recent times ..

[shri]

Re AdBlocker etc

It does not block text or text and image adwords in SERPs..
Nor does it block images on SERPs..

Thats because Google has paid their ransom to the various blockers.

[shri]

With contributor - I think the user's contribution or base CPM has to beat your CPM for it to become active. Ran into this a while back, but seemed too much of a headache to implement for what I can imagine will be little money.

[Kittybowl]

Yeah I have gone through that new feature, I think it can't help removing or blocking all the adds there. But, it can do a little, if you are fed up with the adds then you can use it, some of them may be blocked so that you will feel a little stress as compared to the stress you felt before with a lot of adds.

[trebuchet]

Well if what's posted here is true, it sounds like Google Contributor is just generous users mob-bidding for ad slots in the auction. If they win they replace low CPC/CPM slots with nice flowery messages. While Google still takes its cut.

Pass.

[JAB Creations]

I would gladly do this but I want custom search parameters; I'm sick of having to add -jquery to 95% of my web technology related searches and don't want to give a penny to any lammers who refuse to code correctly. Do that and I'd happily pay $10 a month just for the search feature alone.

John

[jambam]

Why on earth would you need google for this? Cut out the greedy middle man and keep 100% of the donation for your site. Some people forget its YOUR site not googles... you are free to do that you know.

[Kittybowl]

Donation for blocking the adds? seriously? I think then they must not consider it like the donation, it is to pay for blocking the adds. A little contribution towards your ease, block the adds and be stress free.