Introducing the new AdSense interface, now available globally - Inside AdSense

Last November we announced that we were starting to test a new interface with a limited group of publishers. Since then, we’ve been focused on adding new features and incorporating feedback from our testers. Today, we’re excited to announce that we’ve begun rolling out the new AdSense interface to all publishers globally. Within the next few weeks, you should see a “Try the new AdSense interface” link appear in the upper corner of your account. Clicking the link will bring you to the new interface.

Built based on feedback we’ve heard from you, our publishers, the new interface is full of features designed to help you make more money with AdSense. We want to thank you for all the input you’ve given us, and show you some of the ways it’s reflected in the new interface.

You’ve told us that data that helps you better understand your performance is critical to growing your revenue, so we’ve made sure that the new interface gives you more insights.
You can now run even more detailed performance reports by ad type, ad size, ad unit, targeting type, and bid type for total earnings and other metrics, over custom date ranges. You’ll also find graphs of your data on the new Performance reports tab. You can quickly view impressions, clicks, and earnings all in one graph, compare text ad performance to image ad performance, compare date ranges, and easily analyze data to recognize trends.

You’ve continued to let us know that protecting your brand by having control over the ads that run on your site is extremely important, so we’ve improved our ad controls and made them easier to use.
All ad controls are now in one place, on the Allow and block ads tab. Here, you’ll be able to filter ads from specific advertisers, categories, and ad networks. In addition, you’ll notice that we’ve updated the ad review center to make it easier to review and manage ads that have been placement-targeted to your sites. You can now search for ads in the ad review center by ad type, keyword, URL, or ad network, and choose to allow or block them.

You’ve shared with us the need to manage your account more efficiently, so we’ve redesigned the interface to help you complete tasks quickly and easily.
The new interface allows you to quickly see your earnings and payment information, find relevant features, and make changes to your account. It also brings relevant help and other resources, like videos and blog posts, right into the interface, so you can get the information you need without leaving your account.

Once the new interface has been enabled for your account, we encourage you to give it a try. To learn more, check out google.com/ads/newadsense. You’ll find additional videos, including a tour of the new interface, information about new features, and a getting started guide. You can also join the conversation in our Forum to share best practices and discover what other publishers think about the new interface.





Introducing the new AdSense interface, now available globally - Inside AdSense

Avoiding accidental clicks Pt. 1: Keeping the right distance - Inside AdSense

In the past, we've talked about ad placements that are prone to generate invalid clicks. In a past post, for example, Mike noted that publishers should be careful about placing ads too close to navigational controls or other clickable page elements.

It's in the best interest of the user, advertiser, and publisher to avoid implementations that lead to invalid click activity. As you can imagine, users aren't very happy if they accidentally click an ad instead of a link on your page and are directed away from your site. Advertisers also don’t want to be charged for a click that a user made accidentally (though of course we do not charge advertisers for invalid clicks that we detect). And why should publishers care? Well, if we see that most of the clicks coming from your pages are invalid, we may need to disable your account to protect our advertisers.

One type of site we wanted to talk about are Flash-based game sites. Playing games on these sites, you'll notice that ads are often placed very close to the Flash player where the game is played. Publishers may reason that they're providing maximum value to advertisers by placing their ads very close to the area where their users are focused. However, many of these Flash games are played with a mouse, and the action in the games can lead users to do a lot of rapid cursor movements and clicking. We've seen many cases where ads were placed too closely to where the action was taking place, generating many accidental clicks.

Since each game and site are unique, we can't advise publishers on an exact distance between ads and games, but we do recommend a minimum distance of 150 pixels between the Flash player and ads.



Avoiding accidental clicks Pt. 1: Keeping the right distance - Inside AdSense

Supplement your AdSense earnings with Google Affiliate Network

Many publishers are very good at recommending just the right stuff for their users. We love seeing influential publishers in all genres — from foodies to techies to moms to shopping experts — delight users by giving them access to products and services that they believe in. When these trusted publishers recommend a book, a gadget, or a new perfume, their audiences are very likely to follow.

Have you ever wondered if your users buy the products you recommend? Have you wished you could be rewarded for driving sales and conversions? You can. With Google Affiliate Network, publishers can access cost-per-action (CPA) or affiliate ads. This means that you can start working with advertisers who will pay you a performance fee for driving a sale or other conversion. Many AdSense publishers have already started using Google Affiliate Network to complement their AdSense ads and earn additional revenue.

Here’s how to get started:

1. Sign up for a Google Affiliate Network account with your AdSense Publisher ID.
2. As you soon as you're approved for Google Affiliate Network, sign in and apply for advertiser programs.
3. Follow the instructions to start displaying cost-per-action ads.

Check out our Beginner’s Guide to help you through the process of becoming a successful affiliate publisher and continue reading for the answers to our frequently asked questions.

How are Google Affiliate Network ads different from the ads I serve through Google AdSense?
Affiliate programs are not ad units or campaigns; they are ongoing programs that allow advertisers to reward publishers (or “affiliate partners”) for driving sales or conversions. While your AdSense ads are automatically targeted, you will select which Google Affiliate Network advertiser programs to join and then choose which affiliate ads to add to your site.

Can I promote my Google Affiliate Network ads?
You may promote Google Affiliate Network ads on your site. If you endorse the product that you are referring, feel free to let your users know. By adding your personal review of the products you refer, you can help your users make more informed choices.

Note that you may not promote or call attention to AdSense ads in the same way. Learn more about important differences between CPC and CPA ads that explain the reasoning behind these separate policies.

What kinds of advertisers are in the Google Affiliate Network?
We have a diverse range of advertisers who run successful affiliate programs through our network. Just a few examples include Target, Barnes and Noble.com, Blue Nile, Aéropostale, and Wedding Channel Store (The Knot).

Is this available for publishers outside the United States?
Yes, publishers in all countries supported by AdSense are eligible. However, the majority of advertisers in the Google Affiliate Network are currently focused on the US market.

How do I get paid?
If you've earned at least the minimum commission, you'll receive consolidated payments through your Google AdSense account.

Inside AdSense: Google-certified ad networks now available to all publishers

Back in August, we announced plans to give publishers the ability to allow multiple Google-certified ad networks to compete for display ad space on your site. While this feature was initially available only to publishers located in North America and Europe, we're happy to announce that all publishers will now have access to these participating ad networks.

Allowing these ad networks to compete for your display ad space means that more ads will be eligible to appear on your pages, leading to potentially higher earnings in the long run. Our system will show the ads that will generate you the most profit, whether they're from these Google-certified ad networks or the AdWords program. As a reminder, all Google-certified ad networks are required to adhere to our standards for user privacy, ad quality, and speed. In addition, you can use the controls in your Ad Review Center to specify which ad networks can appear on your pages.

Finally, some ad networks use tools similar to Google's interest-based advertising to show more relevant ads to users on the sites they visit. We'll allow certified networks who comply with user privacy guidelines to show ads using these tools, but they won't be permitted to collect data from your site for the purpose of subsequent interest-based advertising. You'll be able to opt out of receiving ads based on user interests from these certified networks, and we have changed our requirements for third-party ad serving to reflect this. We're dedicated to providing users with a positive experience, while helping publishers effectively monetize the ads appearing on their sites. We believe you'll find that more competition translates into better ads and increased revenue in the long run.



Inside AdSense: Google-certified ad networks now available to all publishers