Will the AdSense API launch a new industry?

[europeforvisitors]

Some of us have been saying for the last year and a half that Google needs to give advertisers more control over where their ads appear--with domain include and exclude filters, ad "AdSense Select" or "AdSense Gold" tier of handpicked publishers, the ability to group publishers by sector or media type (editorial, e-commerce, etc.), and so on.

We've often seen counterarguments from people who have said, for example, that:

- Google would rather entrust its QC process to scaleable algorithms than to human employees.

- Advertisers don't have time to figure out what sites to choose or block.

Maybe that's where the AdWords/AdSense API can (or will) come to the rescue.

Already, we've heard rumors that Google will offer more advertiser controls. If such controls are built into the API, Google will be able to outsource the job of slicing and dicing to third-party vendors such as advertising agencies and SEM consultants. This will create a whole new industry segment: companies that can help advertisers target audiences by various criteria.

For example, an agency might be able to offer its clients AdSense campaigns that reach only hand-vetted sites or sites in specific categories.

Other agencies might focus on certain vertical markets, such as travel, supplying off-the-shelf and tailored "contextual advertising solutions" to hotel chains, cruise lines, tour operators, etc.

For Google, it's a win-win proposition: Advertisers get the media controls they need (at a premium price), while third-party vendors handle the drudge work of vetting sites, compiling lists, putting together targeted media plans, etc.

How will this affect publishers? Mainly, by creating an incentive to develop quality content that attracts premium ads, and by setting prices (and ultimately EPC) through supply and demand and not just with a "smart pricing" formula.

[ogletree]

Trust me somebody will find a way to make that system not do what you think it will and make things even worse.

[alika]

Whatever anyone offers, there will ALWAYS be people who will try to outsmart the system, especially if they know the reward can be pretty substantial. Some may succeed, and some may be caught - but that is how others will play and continue to play the game.

I am all for having more advertiser control and tighter acceptance policies for publishers. Anything to give (a) current advertisers incentive to spend more money in the content network; and (b) get bigger advertisers who previously were not attracted to Adsense spend more money in the content network. Tighter and better controls imply a win-win situation for everyone.