AdSense Video Units Are Dead
My grandmother died last week (not unexpectedly) and while I’m still sorting through the event and will have something to say about it later, I thought I’d discuss some recent AdSense news.
The big news is that AdSense video units are being discontinued at the end of next month (April 2009). Google refers to it as “sunsetting”, I refer to it as “good riddance”.
The problem I always had with the video units was the lack of inventory. I could never find videos that related to the keywords I wanted.
The success of the AdSense program has ultimately been its ability to automatically match relevant advertising to content. Google has been able to do this by tapping into the sheer breadth of search-related advertising available via its AdWords program. They haven’t been able to replicate that breadth with the video units, hence the poor returns for them and for AdSense publishers. (Google had also had to discard similar forays into radio and print advertising for similar reasons — they haven’t been able to replicate their success with text ads with other kinds of advertisements.)
I don’t think many AdSense publishers will miss video units. Everyone I talk to is primarily using the same basic ad units that have been around since the start of the AdSense program. Personally, I still get a steady stream of hits on my original AdSense Tips page and those tips are still relevant today, four or five years after I wrote the first four of them! (If you want 40 more detailed and useful AdSense tips, check out my inexpensive Uncommon AdSense book. You also get a free copy of my analysis of Google’s AdSense patent when you buy it.)
There are a lot of smart people at Google, but they still haven’t come up with anything that comes even near to matching the success of the original AdWords and AdSense concepts as a money-maker for Google. And perhaps never will…
Eric’s Google AdSense Tips For $10
Doing a bit of housecleaning… if you’re looking for a comprehensive set of AdSense tips, techniques and strategies, you can now purchase my Uncommon AdSense ebook for only $10. And as bonus you get my special report on understanding the AdSense patent. Over 100 pages of useful information for only $10, a real steal!
Visit UncommonAdSense.com today and order your copy now before I change my mind!
Follow Me On Twitter
You can follow me on Twitter here: Eric Giguere on Twitter.
Unlike half the world, I promise not to post inane tweets every five minutes or so. I’ll try to be informative or humorous. Twitter’s a cool idea, but it also globalizes stupidity. Before, only your friends and acquaintances knew you were stupid. Now the whole world has the opportunity to experience it firsthand!
Let’s not fall into that trap, shall we?