| The web has evolved into a complex
"organism" which, to some, appears to have a life of its own. As the Internet
has evolved, so too have online marketers and publishers. The dot-com balloon is said to
have burst but savvy publishers have grabbed the coat tails of the Google search monster
and employ Google AdSense on content-rich websites. Google AdSense, a pioneer for
providing content-sensitive advertisements, has been a boon to webmasters looking for
alternatives to amortize their web traffic.
How Does Google AdSense Work?
The concept is simple: The publisher or webmaster inserts a
java script into a website. Each time the page is accessed, the java script pulls
advertisements from Google's AdSense program. The ads are targeted and related to the
content contained on the web page serving the ad. If a web surfer clicks on an
advertisement served from Google, the webmaster serving the ad earns a portion of the
money that the advertiser is paying Google for the click.
Google handles all the tracking and payments, ultimately
providing an easy way for webmasters to display content-sensitive, targeted ads, without
the headache of having to solicit advertisers, collect funds, monitor clicks or track
statistics, any of which could easily become a full-time job.
While Google AdSense, like many pay-per-click programs, is
plagued by claims of click-fraud, it is clearly an effective revenue source for many
reputable web businesses. There seems to be no shortage of advertisers in the AdWords
program from which Google pulls the AdSense ads. Webmasters seem less concerned by the
lack of information provided by Google and more interested in cashing their monthly checks
from Google.
The Evolution of AdSense
While Google's initial system was fairly rudimentary, only
providing publishers the option of displaying a handful of advertising formats, the
technology behind even the first ads was anything but simplistic. The technology used to
employ Google AdSense goes far beyond simple keyword or category matching. A complex
algorithm is used to determine the content contained on the web page serving the ad. Once
the content is assessed, and appropriate ads that contain related content are served.
Early on, Google implemented a system that allows
publishers to filter advertisements from competitors or sites which they deemed
inappropriate. Google also allows vendors to specify an alternative advertisement, in the
unlikely event that Google is unable to provide related content ads.
The Progression of Google
Google has come a long way in understanding the needs of
publishers and webmasters. Google now offers a system that allows full ad customization.
Webmasters can choose from twelve text ad formats and can customize Google advertisements
to complement their website and fit into existing webpage layout. The options provided
allow webmasters to select and create custom color palettes that match an existing
website's color scheme, making the ads a much more natural fit.
Many sites have been able to integrate ads into their site
design using different ad formats.
Sample sites with integrated ads:
Online Reports
Google recently took a huge step forward, providing
publishers the ability to track their earnings based on webmaster-defined channels. Recent
improvements to the Google AdSense reporting have resulted in webmasters having the
capability to monitor an ad's performance with customizable online reports that can detail
page impressions, clicks and click-through rates. Webmasters now have the ability to track
specific ad formats, colors and pages within a website. Webmasters can quickly spot and
track trends. The new flexible reporting tools allows webmasters to group web pages by
URL, domain, ad type or category, providing webmasters insight into what pages, ads and
domains are performing the best.
Reporting is real-time, allowing webmasters to quickly
assess the effectiveness of any changes. The new reporting makes it significantly easier
for webmasters to optimize and increase click-through rates. Optional reporting allows
webmasters to monitor traffic, viewing both ad impressions and page impressions.
Advertisers realize the benefits associated with having
their ads served on targeted websites, increasing the likelihood that a prospective web
surfer will have an interest in their product or service.
Truth Still Not Revealed
Google still does not reveal what percentage of the
advertising revenue earned is paid to the webmaster serving the ads, but they have made
strides related to disclosure, recently lifting the ban preventing webmasters from
disclosing the amount they earn through serving Google ads.
Copyright 2005 Sharon Housley |
