Monday, April 21, 2008

Referring Non-Google Products


Where do cost-per-action ads come from?
Referral ads for non-Google products come from our inventory of AdWords advertisers who are interested in displaying ads on a pay-per-action basis. For certain advertisers, pricing on a per-action basis can be more valuable, since the advertiser controls the specific actions they'd like to pay for a user completing on their site.

What if an advertiser I'm referring ends their campaign or runs out of budget?
When you set up a referral ad unit, we require you to select one of three options for when your chosen ad is unavailable:
* Automatically choose fallback referral ads
* Show non-Google ads from another URL
* Fill space with a solid color
If an advertiser you're referring ends their campaign or runs out of budget, your referral ad unit will display according to the option you have chosen.

Can I refer multiple advertisers in a single referral unit?
Yes, you can refer multiple advertisers in a single ad unit. Choose multiple referral ads, or select based on categories and keywords, and we'll rotate the ads in your referral unit based on their performance. The ads that perform better will be displayed more frequently in order to maximize your earnings while still maintaining variety for your users.

Referring Google Products


Where will Google Pack referrals appear?

Google Pack referrals can be viewed by publishers and users in the following locations:
* Argentina
* Australia
* Austria
* Belgium
* Brazil
* Canada
* Chile
* Colombia
* France
* Germany
* Hong Kong
* India
* Ireland
* Italy
* Japan
* Malaysia
* Mexico
* Netherlands
* New Zealand
* Peru
* Russia
* South Africa
* South Korea
* Spain
* Switzerland
* Taiwan
* United Kingdom
* United States
* Venezuela
For product availability reasons, users who are not located in one of these places will view a Firefox referral button instead.

What is Firefox plus Google Toolbar?
Mozilla Firefox is a web browser with pop-up blocking, tabbed browsing, and privacy and security features. We've integrated the Google Toolbar into the Firefox download to offer you even more features: Google search, SpellCheck, and Autofill.
For more information on Firefox, visit http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox.
For a list of Google Toolbar features, visit http://toolbar.google.com.
AdSense publishers can generate earnings by referring users to Firefox - just follow these instructions, being sure to select Firefox as the product.

Can I use online advertising to promote my referral ads?
No, you may not use online advertising to purchase traffic for the specific and sole purpose of generating conversions, unless you have the express permission of the advertiser and your site complies with Google's Landing Page Quality Guidelines.
Please note that Google does not grant the use of online advertising for the specific and sole purpose of generating conversions for Google products and those of our Google Pack partners.

Why am I earning less than the full amount for some valid conversions?
For certain referral products, your earnings will vary based the country or region of the user you've referred. Please keep in mind that your user's location may differ from your location.
You'll receive:
* up to US $1 for each successful Firefox referral
* up to US $1 for each successful Pack referral
The exact value for each user location is determined in advance by specific product goals for each market. Unfortunately, we're not able to disclose specific per-country earnings values for our referral products.

What are Google Checkout referrals?
Google Checkout is a faster, safer, and more convenient way to shop online. Checkout enables users to quickly and easily buy from stores across the web and track all their orders and shipping in one place. You can learn more about the product by visiting the Google Checkout website.
When a user you refer to Google Checkout has an account in good standing and completes a transaction of at least $10 (before tax and shipping) within 90 days of sign-up, we'll credit your AdSense account with US $1. To ensure new Google Checkout users are in good standing, your earnings may be delayed up to 7 days.
To take advantage of special buyer promotions and other seasonal events, referral units promoting Google Checkout will be updated regularly with new text and graphics. You can find all available Checkout referral units within your AdSense account.

For what countries are AdWords referrals available?
AdWords referrals are available across the globe in all AdSense languages.

Referral Tracking and Reporting

What is a conversion in my referral reports?
A conversion is reported when one of your referrals reaches the threshold required for you to generate earnings. This will vary depending on the type of product you're referring.
* Firefox plus Google Toolbar: a conversion occurs when a user downloads Firefox through your referral button and runs it for the first time. Your referral must be a Windows user, who has not previously installed Firefox, in order for you to receive credit.
* AdSense: a conversion for AdSense is counted when a user you've referred to AdSense has signed up and earned their first $5 within 180 days.
* AdWords: a conversion occurs when a user signs up for AdWords through your referral button or link and spends $5 within 90 days.
* Pack: we count a conversion when a Windows user, who has not previously downloaded Pack or the components of Pack, downloads and installs the product for the first time after being referred through your button. Note that Pack referrals are only available in certain locations.
* Google Apps: a conversion occurs when a user signs up for Google Apps. The domain must have one or more Google Apps email accounts in use for four consecutive weeks for the referral to be counted.
* Checkout: a conversion occurs when a user signs up for Google Checkout as a buyer and completes a transaction of at least $10 (before tax and shipping) with Google Checkout.
Please note that in order for your referral to be successful and result in a conversion, the user you refer must sign up directly through your referral button or link. If the user you've referred does not sign up or download a product directly through your referral button, we will be unable to track the referral and you will not receive credit.
Because not all referred publishers who sign up for AdSense or AdWords will reach $5 in earnings/spend within the given time limit, you may notice that the amount of sign-ups is higher than the amount of conversions. Depending on the success of your referrals, these statistics may even out over time.

How can I track my referrals?
To track the performance of your referrals, you can visit either your Reports Overview page or your Advanced Reports page, being sure to select referrals as the product. We'll display clicks, sign-ups, conversions and earnings separately for each referral product or service and will report your referral statistics in the following manner:
* Clicks: We'll report a click every time a user clicks on one of your referral buttons for any product.
* Sign-ups: A sign-up will be displayed every time a user signs up for AdSense. Some products, like Firefox, do not require a sign-up and therefore will not report sign-ups.
* Conversions: Each product you refer will show conversion statistics. A conversion displayed in your reports indicates that you've reached the threshold necessary to receive earnings for that referral. For example, we'll show a conversion each time a user you've referred downloads and runs Firefox, or when a publisher you've referred first earns US $100 from AdSense.
* Earnings: As with your other AdSense reports, the earnings we'll display are your revenue for referrals, separated by product.
Please keep in mind, however, that your earnings for referrals are not based on clicks, but on conversions.

What is an invalid conversion?
To be considered valid, conversions on referral ads must result from genuine user interest. Invalid conversion activity consists of any clicks or impressions that may artificially inflate an advertiser's costs or a publisher's earnings. This includes, but is not limited to, clicks, impressions, or actions generated by a publisher clicking on his own ads, a publisher encouraging clicks on his ads, automated clicking tools or traffic sources, robots, or other deceptive software. In addition, any method that falsely generates clicks, impressions, or actions is strictly prohibited by our program policies.

Do you provide separate reports for each referral product?
Yes. By visiting your Overview reports page and clicking the arrow next to Referrals, you can view your statistics for each product. However, note that your monthly earnings from referrals, shown in the Earnings details on your Payment History page, will not be separated by product.





You Tube

About You Tube

How do I link my YouTube account and AdSense account?

If you already have a YouTube account that you'd like to link with your AdSense account to display video units, linking your accounts is easy.

  1. First, make sure you're logged in to both your YouTube account and your AdSense account.
  2. From the AdSense Setup tab, choose video units as the product and click the Visit AdSense Video units button.
  3. You'll then be taken to the YouTube site, where you'll be prompted to confirm your account linkage.
    • If you already have a YouTube account and are signed in, you can verify your linkage request by entering the email address, phone number, and postal code.
    • If you don't have a YouTube account, you'll be prompted to sign up for one.
      Once you click Submit Confirmation, you're all set! You can return to your AdSense account to begin setting up video units.

Note: At this time we are unable to unlink accounts. When linking accounts, please consider whether the accounts you are linking are for personal or business use. For example, you may prefer not to link a personal YouTube account to an AdSense account that you use for business purposes.


Do I need to have a YouTube account to display video units?

Yes. If you're not a YouTube member already, you'll need to sign up for an account. To do so, please follow the instructions below.

  1. Visit the YouTube website at www.youtube.com.
  2. From the links in the upper right, choose Sign up.
  3. Fill out the form on the right, entering your AdSense login as your email address, and review the Terms and Conditions.
  4. Click the Sign up button.

You're all set! Once you are signed up for YouTube, you'll need to link your YouTube account and AdSense account in order to display video units. Learn how.

How do I create a YouTube account?

To create a YouTube account, just follow these steps:

  1. Visit the YouTube website at www.youtube.com.
  2. From the links in the upper right, choose Sign up.
  3. Fill out the form on the right, entering your AdSense login as your email address, and review the Terms and Conditions.
  4. Click the Sign up button.

You're all set! You can now link your AdSense and YouTube accounts to begin using video units.

What is YouTube?

YouTube is an online video community that allows people to easily upload and share original videos. You can learn more about it by visiting the YouTube website.

Why does my YouTube account say "pending"?

If this happens, our system has had a bit of a glitch, and you'll need to manually give YouTube access to your AdSense account. To give YouTube access, please sign in to your AdSense account and visit the Account Access sub-tab, under the My Account tab. Click the grant access link to give YouTube access to your AdSense account (and get rid of that pesky "pending" alert).


How do I link my AdSense account with a different YouTube account?

Unlinking your AdSense account and YouTube account is a two-part process. Here's how you do it.

Part 1 - Remove players from your existing YouTube account and delete the Video Units channel

  1. Remove all video unit code from your pages.
  2. Sign in to your YouTube account and visit the My AdSense Players page.
  3. Select the boxes next to each of your players, then click Remove selected players.
  4. Sign in to your AdSense account and visit the Channels page, under the AdSense Setup tab.
  5. Select the Video Units channel and in the "Actions..." box, click Remove checked. Video units will no longer function with this YouTube account.

Part 2 - Link the correct YouTube account with your AdSense account

  1. Ensure you are logged out of YouTube or logged in with the account you wish to use.
  2. Sign in to your AdSense account.
  3. Navigate to https://www.google.com/adsense/video-distribution
  4. Agree to the Terms and Conditions again
  5. Confirm the link to the new account.

Earning with Video Units

How do I earn with video units?

When you place a video unit on your website, you'll earn revenue from two types of ad formats: companion ads, which sit above your video content within the player and can be either text or image-based, and text overlay ads, which appear in the bottom 20% of the video content area. Ads on video units can be paid on either a cost-per-click or cost-per-thousand impression basis.

Setting Up Video Units

How do I add a video unit to my page?

Once you have linked your YouTube account and AdSense account, it's easy to add a video unit to your page. Just follow these steps to customize and implement your player.

  1. Sign in to your account at http://www.google.com/adsense.
  2. Select the AdSense Setup tab, then choose video units as the product.
  3. You'll be directed to the YouTube website to customize your video unit. If you're not already logged in to YouTube, you will need to do so, then visit this page.
  4. Enter a name and description for this player that will help you remember it in the future.
  5. Customize the colors and layout of the player to fit your site.
  6. Choose the type of content you'd like to display in this player: automated content that's automatically targeted to your site, or content from specific categories or providers.
  7. Click the Generate code button.
  8. Copy the code in the box and paste into the HTML source of your page where you'd like to display the video.

    Once you've saved and published your page to the web, you'll see targeted videos start to show up right away.

How can I customize the video unit?

In addition to tailoring the content of the video player to your site, you can choose colors for your player from a variety of predesigned themes. You'll also select a layout for your player. Though you can change the colors of the player in the future simply by updating the settings in your account, you will not be able to choose a different layout for your player without updating the code on your site.
Note that any customization you choose to make to your video player won't affect the content of the videos displayed on your site.

How can I filter ads from appearing in the video units?
Just as with other AdSense products, you can block specific specific ads from appearing in your video units by adding them to your Competitive Ad Filter list. To do so, just follow these steps.

  1. Sign in to your account at http://www.google.com/adsense.
  2. Select the AdSense Setup tab.
  3. Click the Competitive Ad Filter link.
  4. Select the product sub-tab for video units.
  5. Enter the display URL for the ad and save.

Can I set up my video unit as an ad placement?
Yes! To make video units available for advertisers to target specifically, follow these instructions:

  1. Sign in to your AdSense account.
  2. Under the AdSense Setup tab, visit the Channels page.
  3. Find the Video Units channel and click the associated 'edit settings' link.
  4. On the resulting page, click the 'targeting' checkbox. Provide details about your placement, and save your settings.
Advertisers will then be able to target text or image ads directly into your video units as an ad placement.



Video Units

About Video Units

How do I add a video unit to my page?
Once you have linked your YouTube account and AdSense account, it's easy to add a video unit to your page. Just follow these steps to customize and implement your player.
1. Sign in to your account at http://www.google.com/adsense.
2. Select the AdSense Setup tab, then choose video units as the product.
3. You'll be directed to the YouTube website to customize your video unit. If you're not already logged in to YouTube, you will need to do so, then visit this page.
4. Enter a name and description for this player that will help you remember it in the future.
5. Customize the colors and layout of the player to fit your site.
6. Choose the type of content you'd like to display in this player: automated content that's automatically targeted to your site, or content from specific categories or providers.
7. Click the Generate code button.
8. Copy the code in the box and paste into the HTML source of your page where you'd like to display the video.
Once you've saved and published your page to the web, you'll see targeted videos start to show up right away.
What does the video unit look like?
There are several different formats to choose from, but each one displays a video screen and player controls that your visitors can use to navigate through the video. Each video will display two types of ads: companion ads, which appear in the player above the video content, or text overlay ads, which are displayed in bottom 20% of the video content as it plays.
To view an example video unit, visit the Inside AdSense blog.

Where does the video content come from?
Video content comes from select YouTube partners who have chosen to make their videos available to publishers in the AdSense network along with targeted advertising.
If you'd like to have your video content appear in video units, you can sign up to be a YouTube partner. Just fill out the application at their partner website: http://www.youtube.com/partners.

What kinds of ads will appear in the video unit?
Video units may display two types of ads:
* Text overlay ads, which are displayed in the bottom 20% of the video as it plays
* Companion ads, which appear above the video content within the player
The ads displayed can be either contextually targeted or site-targeted, and may be paid on either a cost-per-click or cost-per-thousand impressions basis.

How many video units can I place on a page?
At this time, we allow publishers to display just one video unit on each page that complies with our program policies.

How do I get started with video units?
In order to place video units on your site, follow the steps below. You'll first link your AdSense account with a YouTube account, then customize the video player to display on your pages.
1. Sign in to your AdSense account.
2. Visit the AdSense Setup tab and choose the video units link.
3. After reviewing the Terms and Conditions, check the box indicating you've done so.
4. Click the Visit AdSense Video units button. You'll then be taken to the YouTube website.
5. Once you're on the YouTube website, you'll need to link your AdSense account with a YouTube account. Learn more about linking accounts.
6. After your accounts are linked, revisit the AdSense Setup tab, choose video units as the product, and click the Visit AdSense Video units button.
7. You'll now see the option to create a new AdSense player. Give your player a name and description that will help you remember it in future should you wish to make updates.
8. Pick a color theme. You can change the colors in the future within your account without needing to update your code.
9. Pick a layout. Layouts can't be updated; if you want to change the layout in the future, you will need to create a new video unit.
10. Choose the type of content you want to display: by content categories, by individual content providers, or by automatically targeting your site content. You can also provide keyword hints to assist automatic video content targeting.
11. Click the Generate code button, then copy and paste the code into the HTML source of your site where you want to display a video unit.
That's it! Once you publish your site to the web, targeted videos should begin appearing right away.

What are video units and how do they work?
Video units are a new way to enrich your site content -- and earn more -- with relevant video from YouTube partners on an embedded, customizable video player. When you place a video unit on your site, you can choose the video content in several ways: by picking content categories, by select individual content providers, or by having video automatically targeted to your site content. The videos you display will be monetized with relevant ads, too. The video unit displays companion and text overlay ads that are highly targeted and non-intrusive. Plus, to help integrate video units into your site further, you can also customize the color scheme and layout of the video unit.To learn more about how video units work, take a look at our informational video on the Inside AdSense blog.If you're not an AdSense publisher already, sign up now to start displaying video units on your pages. Keep in mind that right now video units are only available for publishers located in the United States with English-language websites.

How will my users interact with the video unit?

Each video player features standard YouTube video controls, allowing users to play and stop the video at any time. While the video plays, they can click on either overlay or companion ads, and the advertiser's site will open in a new window or tab. All video units are user-initiated, so they won't be intrusive to your site's visitors. Users also have the option to minimize the overlay ad if they'd prefer. View an example video unit on the Inside AdSense blog.

How are ads targeted in video units?

Just like AdSense for content, ads in video units can be either contextually targeted (both to the content of the site and the video) as well as site-targeted to individual websites.

Which languages do you support for video units?
Currently video units are only available to publishers with English-language websites in locations including the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, and Canada. We hope to broaden the reach of the program soon, but don't have a date for when this may be released more widely.

Can I watch the videos in my video units?
You should watch the videos in your video unit only to the extent that you need to monitor the content that is appearing on your site. Similar to publishers who reload their pages in an effort to generate revenue from CPM ads, excessive viewing of an individual video in your video unit would constitute a violation of AdSense policy. This is because new CPM ads may load every time you view a video in your player. If we find that a publisher is viewing videos on their site excessively, we may disable their account as per AdSense policy in order to protect our advertisers from inflated costs. Please also note that clicking on your own text overlay ads or companion ads at any time is strictly prohibited by AdSense policy. Failure to comply with this policy may lead to your account being disabled.

What's the difference between AdSense for video, video ads, and video units?

With all the new video options offered through AdSense, we understand if it can be hard to remember which is which. Let's clarify:

  • Click-to-play video ads: Video ads are a type of ad displayed on AdSense publisher websites. Any publisher opted into image ads and using one of the supported formats may see these click-to-play video ads on their sites.
  • Video units: This feature allows English-language AdSense publishers to add video content from YouTube partners to their sites in a customizable player. The video is packaged with text overlay ads and a companion banner above the video.
  • AdSense for video Beta: This product delivers text overlay and InVideo ads into AdSense publishers' video streams. If you have your own online video content, AdSense for video can help you earn revenue from that content.

You may also have heard of the YouTube partner program, which isn't offered through AdSense. If you want to make money from video content on YouTube and across the web, you can submit an application through the YouTube partner web.


Sunday, April 20, 2008

Referrals Overview

Referrals Overview

Referrals Quick Start Guide
It takes four basic steps to set up referrals on your site. Review the steps below for a guided walkthrough of selecting and implementing referrals on your webpages.
Step 1: Choose your referral locale
Select the country and language combination for which you'd like to see available ads.

Step 2: Fill your Ad Shopping Cart
Choose from our extensive list of advertisers in a variety of different categories.

Step 3: Customize your ad unit
Design an ad with the size and color scheme that best matches the look and feel of your site.

Step 4: Copy and paste the code in your pages
Paste the referral code into the HTML source of your webpages and publish them to the web.

Step 1: Choose your referral locale
Before picking specific ads, you'll need to specify your country and language preferences. In order to maximize conversion opportunities, choose the combination that best reflects the profile of your users. Some referrals may not be available in all countries, even if they are available in your preferred language. Please note that if you select ads for a location other than the one your users are in that you may not get paid for the conversion.

Step 2: Fill your Ad Shopping Cart
The first step in building your Ad Shopping Cart is selecting the ad format you would like to use. From the drop-down, select the size that you would like your for your ad unit. (You can see a full list on our Ad Formats page.)
Next, select the options to add to your shopping cart. On the primary selection screen, there are a number of ways for you to start building your Ad Shopping Cart:
* Search for a specific product name or keyword
* Add categories from the list of available options
* Browse by category by clicking on one of the View products links next to the category you're interested in
* Browse through the entire list of available advertisers by clicking the first View products link next to the All products category
If you search by keyword or browse by category, you'll be offered a list of products that match your request along with the option to add that keyword or category to your cart. If there's a specific product that you would like to refer from this list, select that product. If you're not sure which product to choose, or simply want the best-performing ads from this list to show up on your site, select the Add Keyword/Category to Cart option.
Choosing Keywords/Categories (recommended for most publishers)
When you add keywords or categories to your Ad Shopping Cart, Google will rotate ads from all products matching these targeting selections and optimize the ad unit to display the ads that perform best for your site. In the future, when new products matching these targeting options are added to our system, we'll add them to the rotation automatically to make sure you are receiving the highest-paying products for your ad unit. There's no need to select new products or update your code.
Choosing Products
If you prefer to select the exact products to refer on your site, you can do that as well. You can select up to 15 products for each ad unit you create and Google will optimize among those products to display the ads that perform best on your site.
Once you've found a product to refer, you'll see all the available ads for that product; most advertisers have a variety of different text ads, text links, and image ads from which you can choose. Text ads are available in all ad unit sizes, but images and text links cannot be customized. Select as many ads as you like, as long as they're all the same size. Google will rotate the ads and display the best performing ones for your site.
Alternatively, if you're not sure which ads to select for a given product, you can select the Add product to cart option. If you select this option, the best-performing ads for this product will always be displayed in your ad unit.
Step 3 of 4: Customize your ad unit
Next, you can select the standard text ad format (if you haven't already selected one) and color, as well as add a custom channel.
You can choose from any text ad format that's currently available in AdSense for content. To review the available sizes, visit the Ad Formats page.
For your color options, you can choose from any of the AdSense palettes or custom palettes that you've defined in your AdSense for content setup. If you'd like to create a new custom palette, you can do this visiting the Color Palettes page, under the AdSense Setup tab in your account. You can also find help creating a custom color palette.
You can assign a custom channel either by selecting one of the channels you've already defined from the drop-down menu or by clicking Add new channel and creating a new one. Learn more about custom channels.
Step 4 of 4: Copy and paste the code in your pages
After continuing from the Referral Options page, you'll see the code for the ad unit you generated. Copy this code in its entirety and paste it into the HTML source of your webpage wherever you would like your new referral ad unit to appear. Get help adding the code to your page.
Remember, you can place up to three referral units on a single webpage, in addition to three standard AdSense for content units.
For recommendations on placing your new referral ad unit on your site, check out our tips for successful referrals. Please also keep in mind that our referral policies do not permit publishers to use online advertising to purchase traffic for the specific and sole purpose of generating conversions, unless they have the express permission of the advertiser and a site that complies with Google's Landing Page Quality Guidelines.

What is the referrals feature?
Referrals is a feature of AdSense that allows you to increase your revenue while increasing your users' awareness of useful products and services. By adding a referral button to your site, you can direct users to products like AdSense or Firefox with Google Toolbar. When your referral connects a user to one of our referral products, you can generate more earnings while helping new web publishers monetize their websites or improve their web browsing experience.
You can use our step-by-step instructions to add a referral to your site in minutes.
Note that the referral products available to you may vary depending on your location or language - you can find a full list of the referral products available for you by visiting the AdSense Setup tab and choosing Referrals as the product.

Can I use online advertising to promote my referral ads?
No, you may not use online advertising to purchase traffic for the specific and sole purpose of generating conversions, unless you have the express permission of the advertiser and your site complies with Google's Landing Page Quality Guidelines.
Please note that Google does not grant the use of online advertising for the specific and sole purpose of generating conversions for Google products and those of our Google Pack partners.

What formats are available for referrals?
Image and text ad referrals are available in the same sizes as our existing image ad formats. You can view examples of all these formats on our Ad Formats page.
We also offer text link formats for referrals. Learn more about text links.

How many referrals can I place on a page?
You're welcome to place up to three referral units on a given webpage. This includes referral units for Google products. We ask that publishers do not place referrals in emails, software applications, or pop-ups, as specified in the AdSense program policies

How do I add a referral to my site?
To create a new referral unit and add it to your site, please follow these steps:
1. Sign in to your AdSense account at www.google.com/adsense.
2. Visit the AdSense Setup tab and choose Referrals as the product.
3. Choose your referral locale by picking a location and language in which your site's visitors will most often view your ads.
4. Find ads that are appropriate for your site in one of two ways:
- Search or browse for products and services that you would like to display on your site. Remember, you don't have to pick just one; you can pick multiple ads that we'll automatically rotate based on performance.
- Alternatively, choose your referral units based on keywords you select, allowing you to take advantage of any ads that are later added to our system matching those words.
5. Choose your category, keyword, or product. What's the difference?
6. Pick from available ad formats.
7. Select a color palette for text ads, and a custom channel if you wish.
8. Copy and paste the referral code from the Your AdSense code box into the HTML source code of your site.
The referral button you've added should begin appearing on your page in moments.
For a detailed walkthrough of setting up a referral unit, please see the Referrals Quick Start Guide.

Can I recommend referral products to my users?
Sure - you're welcome to endorse or recommend the products you're referring on your site. However, our program policies don't permit you to encourage clicks on or draw unnatural attention to the referral units you're displaying on your site.
More specifically, it's acceptable to use language such as "I use AdSense and recommend it to monetize your website." However, please avoid using language such as "Click here," "Visit these links to support our site," or other similar language. For more information, review our program policies.

How do I put a search box or referral button on my Blogger site?
If you're using the Layouts-enabled template in Blogger, you can add an AdSense for search box or referral unit to your blog by following these steps:
1. Sign in to your Blogger account at http://www.blogger.com
2. Click the Layouts link
3. Click the Add a Page Element link
4. In the new window, please click on the Add To Blog button under the HTML/Javascript section.
5. Copy your search or referrals code exactly as it appears in your AdSense account and paste it directly into the 'Content' box.
6. Click the Save Changes button
7. Click the View Blog link on your Template page
However, if you are using a classic Blogger template, please follow the Blogger Help entry on How do I put AdSense on my blog?

Can I refer the same user to multiple products?
Yes. If you refer a user to more than one product, each referral will appear separately in your reports.

How many keywords should I add to my referral ad shopping cart?
You should select up to 10 keywords that are relevant to your site's content. Selecting more keywords allows AdSense to widen its available ad inventory and find better-performing ads for your site. Of course, if you'd like to narrow the types of ads that appear on your site, you're always welcome to select fewer keywords. Please keep in mind, however, that while a short keyword list may offer you greater control over the ads on your site, it may negatively impact your earnings.

What does it mean to choose referrals by 'category', 'keyword', or 'product'?
When you choose a category or keyword, we'll narrow our ad targeting to only ads that match these refinements. Within those results, we'll figure out which ads perform best on your site and show those most frequently.
When you choose a product, AdSense will rotate all available ads for the product and ad format you selected, displaying the best performing ads for your site. Many products have multiple ad options available. If you do not know which ad is best for your site and would like AdSense to figure it out, feel free to choose the product.

Why are referral ads that I didn't select showing up in my referral unit?
Your site might be displaying referral ads you didn't specifically choose if you left the Pick best performing ads box checked when you selected your ads. Please note that this option was only available before February 19, 2008. Referral ads set up after this date do not have this option and should not display unselected ads.
If you'd prefer to display only referral ads you specifically choose, you can either regenerate your referral code, making sure to uncheck the box, or update the settings for that referral unit on your Manage Ads page if it was created using the ad management feature.

What are text links?
A text link is an ad format that looks just like a standard hyperlink and will take on the font and color characteristics of your page. The benefit of this ad format is that you can easily integrate the ad into your site's main content, where users will find it most useful. For example, if we were writing an article about online advertising, you could write "Sign up for AdWords to increase traffic to your site." Please keep in mind that text links are coded in JavaScript, so you cannot edit the text of the link.



AdSense for video

What is AdSense for video?
AdSense for video allows publishers with video content to earn revenue using relevant, non-intrusive ad placements from Google's extensive advertiser network. Video content will display both InVideo overlay and text overlay ads.
At this time, AdSense for video is in Beta may only be implemented for pages and videos that are in English with traffic primarily from the United States. If you're interested in participating, learn about the requirements, then fill out our interest form.You can learn more about the video monetization and distributions offered through our Video Advertising Solutions site.

Can I participate in AdSense for video?
The current minimum requirements from publishers are:
* Flash 7 player that you can control (a must-have)
* 1 million monthly streams
* U.S.-based publisher with primarily U.S. viewership
If you're interested in participating, please visit our sign-up form for more details and to sign up to be considered. As AdSense for video is in Beta, we are not able to accept all publishers into this program at this time. However, we do appreciate your interest and encourage you to apply if you meet our qualifications.
If you have an international website, please be aware that we're working with U.S. English sites only at this time. You're still welcome to fill in your details in the sign-up form, and we'll get in touch with you when we expand our efforts to international sites.

How will I be paid for ads in AdSense for video?
When contextually targeted, text overlay ads are paid on a cost-per-click basis. When placement-targeted, they'll be paid on a cost-per-thousand impressions (CPM) basis. InVideo ads will be paid on a CPM basis only at this time.

AdSense for video program policies
AdSense for video allows publishers with video content to earn revenue using relevant, non-intrusive ad placements from Google's extensive advertiser network. If you'd like to insert Google ads into your video streams, you must comply with the AdSense for video Terms and Conditions, the policies below, and the standard AdSense program policies.
At this time, AdSense for video may only be implemented for pages and videos that are in English and that receive primarily U.S. traffic.

Player Requirements
To request and display Google ads, video players must fulfill the following basic requirements:
* Players must be Flash version 7 or above.
* Players must always maintain an aspect ration of 4:3.
* Players must be a minimum of 320 x 240 pixels in size.

Video Requirements
* Video Length: Video content clips must be at least 30 seconds in length to be monetized through AdSense for video.
* Video Content: Publishers using AdSense for video may only place Google ads in videos that adhere to our content guidelines. Some of these guidelines are highlighted below. Please see the AdSense program policies for the complete list of content guidelines. Please note that all pages with video players using AdSense for video must also comply with these content guidelines. If your video player is embeddable, you must make every effort possible to ensure that pages where the video will display are also in compliance with the program policies. Videos displaying Google ads may not include:
o Pornography, adult, or mature content
o Any other content that is illegal, promotes illegal activity, or infringes on the legal rights of others
o Violent content, racial intolerance, or advocacy against any individual, group, or organization
o Content protected by copyright law, unless the content provider has the necessary legal rights to display that content. Please see our DMCA policy for more information.
* Video Descriptions and Metadata:
o High quality and accurate metadata, via aRSS feed, or a video description URL must be provided and maintained for all videos monetized through AdSense for video.
o Each video file (FLV) must have its own unique and static URL.
o All parameters passed to Google at the time of the ad request must be accurate. If your video player can be embedded on other websites, clearly indicate that the player is embeddable in the video metadata or at time of ad request.

Ad and Video Player Behavior
Code provided to you through the AdSense program may not be altered, nor may the standard ad behavior, targeting, or delivery of ads be manipulated, in any way that is not explicitly permitted by Google.
* If an ad request is made and returned, the ad must always be displayed, unless a user abandons the video before the ad is displayed or the video ends.
* Ads may not be hard-coded into your video player or video stream.
* Ad banners and images may not be used as the template background for your video player.
* Your video player must accommodate all appropriate types of user interaction with Google ads. For instance, all clickable links within an ad must remain clickable.
* Elements of your video player, such as the player controls or the player frame, may not obscure any portion of the ads. Conversely, ads must not be placed in close proximity to or obstruct in any way your video player controls (play, pause, volume, etc.).
* If your video player automatically plays when the page is loaded, the player needsto be placed above the fold of the page (800x600 pixels from the top left corner of the page).

Ads Served
AdSense for video offers several ad formats and we encourage publishers to experiment with a variety of placements in your video player, provided that you respect the policies listed below. Please note that these policies also apply to any third party ads you choose to display in players with Google ads.

General Guidelines:
* Only one ad unit may be displayed within your video player at any single time.
* Publishers may display one ad format (InVideo, text overlay ad) per every 10 minutes of a video content clip. Publishers may only make multiple ad requests within this time frame when also requesting an endcap ad for display at the conclusion of a video.
* Unless stated otherwise, publishers may not mix ads from multiple providers on the same video stream.
* Publishers may not remove or obscure in any way the ad "pill" associated with all AdSense for video ad formats.

Format-Specific Policies:
InVideo Ads (Graphical overlays):
* InVideo ads may start at any time in the video stream, though beginning at ten seconds is recommended.
* Once an ad has been requested and displayed, it must remain visible in the player until a new ad request is made or the end of the video clip. InVideo overlay ads will automatically minimize to the bottom of your video player after 15 seconds; minimizing the ad before that time is not permitted unless initiated by the user.

Text Overlays:
* Text overlay ads may start at any time in the video stream, though beginning at ten seconds is recommended.
* Once an ad has been requested and displayed, it must remain visible in the player until a new ad request is made or the end of the video clip.

Text Ad endcaps:
* If a video is displayed as part of a play list, then endcap ads can only be used after the last video in the playlist.
* Endcap ads must continue to be displayed until the user closes the video player or navigates off the page.
* Endcaps may be used in combination with other ad units in certain circumstances, specifically when:
o Google text overlay or InVideo ads are also used
o Third party pre-roll or mid-roll video ads are used
* Endcaps may not be used in combination with certain ad units, specfically third party overlays (InVideo, text, or otherwise).

Do you support in-stream video ads for AdSense for video?
At this time, we support only InVideo and text overlay ads in the bottom portion of the video viewing area. However, we'll continue to test a variety of ad formats to see how users respond, keeping in mind the interests of advertisers and publisher as always.

What's the difference between AdSense for video, video ads, and video units?
With all the new video options offered through AdSense, we understand if it can be hard to remember which is which. Let's clarify:
* Click-to-play video ads: Video ads are a type of ad displayed on AdSense publisher websites. Any publisher opted into image ads and using one of the supported formats may see these click-to-play video ads on their sites.
* Video units: This feature allows English-language AdSense publishers to add video content from YouTube partners to their sites in a customizable player. The video is packaged with text overlay ads and a companion banner above the video.
* AdSense for video Beta: This product delivers text overlay and InVideo ads into AdSense publishers' video streams. If you have your own online video content, AdSense for video can help you earn revenue from that content.
You may also have heard of the YouTube partner program, which isn't offered through AdSense. If you want to make money from video content on YouTube and across the web, you can submit an application through the YouTube partner website.

If I use AdSense for video, can I use other video ad solutions too?
Yes, through AdSense for video we work with our publishers on a non-exclusive basis. You may choose to allocate streams to AdSense for video and to other ad solutions at your discretion.

How are ads targeted to my video content?
Text overlay ads, like AdSense for content ads, can be either contextually targeted or placement-targeted to your site. With InVideo ads, advertisers will work with Google account representatives to target their ads to your content by choosing categories of content, choosing specific AdSense for video partners to target, or selecting channels which publishers define.

Is AdSense for video part of YouTube?
AdSense for video is for publishers who are interested in monetizing their own online video content on their sites. Publishers do not need to upload their content to YouTube to participate, and your video content won't be shown on YouTube.

What type of video content do you accept for AdSense for video?
We are looking for all categories of content. However, keep in mind that because adult content and other types of content are not permitted by the AdSense for video program policies, publishers must have systems in place to review user-generated content.

Why is Google offering AdSense for video?
Google is always looking for ways to improve the AdSense program and provide additional opportunities for publishers to monetize their content. We realize that as technology and the internet evolve, so does the definition of content. For publishers, content is no longer just text; it may also include video. Additionally, we recognize the need for a video monetization solution that effectively balances the needs of advertisers, publishers, and users.With AdSense for video, publishers will be able to monetize their online video content through AdSense with ads located within their video content. At this time, we will be using two ad formats: InVideo ads as are used on YouTube, and text overlay ads drawn from the world's largest advertiser base.

What ad formats are displayed through AdSense for video?
Right now, we'll be using two ad formats: an InVideo overlay ad and a text overlay ad.
* InVideo overlay ads are Flash-based and will be targeted to publishers' content based on the relevance of advertisers' campaigns to your content. Advertisers may choose to include a companion video ad which opens when a user clicks on the overlay, pausing the content and playing a video ad within the video player. InVideo ads will compete in the Google auction and are paid on a cost-per-thousand impressions basis.
* Text overlay ads are drawn from the campaigns of AdWords advertisers and may be contextually targeted to signals in your video and your site. These ads may also be placement-targeted to your site and appear within your video streams. When contextually targeted, text overlay ads are paid on a cost-per-click basis. When placement-targeted, they are paid on a cost-per-thousand impressions basis.

Can I control when the ads appear in my videos?
Yes, you will be able to define when InVideo and text overlay ads first appear in your video streams.